The “Malcolm” series ended in 2006. We tell you here what has become of the interpreters of Malcolm, Lois, Hal, Reese or even Dewey since the end of this cult show. (Article written by Raphaëlle Raux-Moreau)
The adventures of Malcolm’s heroes made us die of laughter. No wonder then that the series, which ended in 2006, continues to be broadcast successfully! But, in the meantime, what has become of the interpreters of Malcolm, Lois, Hal, Reese or even Dewey? We tell you everything here!
Frankie Muniz aka Malcolm
StudioCanal / FAME PICTURES / BESTIMAGE
The one who gave his name to the series, it was him! Malcolm, the child with an above-average IQ, the one who spoke in front of the camera and who tried to make his way through his strange family and through life… During the series, Frankie Muniz obviously hit the nail on the head. eye of the producers and landed some main roles in the cinema in Bad Liar (2002) or Cody Banks: Secret Agent (2003). But, the continuation will be another history… In 2006, the series stops and Muniz already declares to want to retire. He is 19 years old, 40 million in his pockets and several dreams to realize: car racing but also music. He pursued a career in motorsport for a few years then, in 2012, joined the Kingsfoild group on drums. However, Muniz has not completely disappeared from the screens. For example, he appeared as a guest-star in Criminal Minds and, in his own role, in Don’t Trust the B**** and The Mysteries of Laura. Malcolm’s aura still sticks to him, but it proves, above all, that Muniz still has a sense of humor. Like when he continued to play with his image by appearing in Sharknado 3, where all the old stars end up uninhibited! Today, after several medical problems (he suffered two mini strokes in 2012 and 2013), Frankie Muniz, 36, is very discreet. He recently appeared on an episode of The Rookie: Los Angeles Cop.
Erik PerSullivan; aka Dewey
StudioCanal / Twitter
How not to succumb to the character of Dewey in Malcolm, his little dances and songs (poopy poopy, poopy…), his innocence and his shattering intelligence? It is simply impossible. Unfortunately for his many fans, Erik Per Sullivan, now 30 years old, is really very rare on the screens. In 2007, he held the main role of Mo, an independent film with Margo Martindale and, in 2010, we could see him in Twelve, a film directed by Joel Schumacher with Chace Crawford. But, apart from these two roles, that’s all! After the end of the cult comedy, Erik Per Sullivan had actually chosen to seriously pursue his studies from high school to college. Between 2009 and 2010, he would have attended the University of Southern California. Waiting for a reconquest of the small screen one of these days? We count on it!
Craig Lamar Traylor aka Stevie
StudioCanal / JTS Photography on @CraigLTraylor
Stevie, he was the best friend of Malcolma little asthmatic boy in a wheelchair who is overprotected by his parents and who, in contact with Malcolm’s family, always enjoyed extraordinary experiences.
After Malcolm, the interpreter of Stevie continued his studies at the University and then tried to return to the screens. Even if he shot a few films, it is always about obscure films that we are not ready to see like Dance Fu (2011), This Better Earth (2012) and Forgiven This Gun4hire (2018). On his Twitter page, Craig Lamar Traylor also describes himself as an author and tattoo artist.
Christopher Masterson, aka Francis
StudioCanal / Birdie Thompson / AdMedia / Corbis
It’s him. He the eldest of the family, he the enfant terrible who led all the rest of the kids to follow his legend: Francis!
Unfortunately, since 2006 and the cessation of Malcolm, we cannot say that we have seen much of Christopher Masterson on our screens. Apart from a few films like The Art of Travel (2008) or Chapman (2013) and a few TV movies and short films, Masterson has never found roles worthy of him. He made a few small appearances in films and a few series like FBI: very special duo, Haven or Men At Work (his brother Danny’s series). But other than that, nothing concrete.
Today and for several years now, Masterson is actually dedicated to his other passion: music. He officiates professionally as a DJ under the name DJ Chris Kennedy. But, we are still waiting for his comeback on the screens…
David Anthony Higgins aka Craig
StudioCanal / FX
Lois’ co-worker appeared as a recurring feature in all seven seasons of Malcolm. He definitely marked his time!
After the end of the series, David Anthony Higgins did not stop filming. Even if he is much less exposed internationally than in Malcolm’s time, Americans continue to be able to appreciate his comic talent. Because, unsurprisingly, David Anthony Higgins has almost never left the world of comedy.
He was thus one of the recurring characters of Big Time Rush, musical sitcom broadcast on Nickelodeon between 2009 and 2013 and centered on the boy band of the same name. And if he played the tourist guides to visit the Murder House in the first season of American Horror Story, he now has two sitcoms to his credit. He (jokingly) helps the stars hunt ghosts from their homes in International Ghost Investigators, but he was mostly a regular on the comedy Mike & Molly for several seasons alongside Melissa McCarthy.
Emy Coligado, aka Piama
FOX
The priceless Piama, eternal enemy of Loïs and great love of Francis, also knew how to make an impression but is far too rare today… On the sidelines of Malcolm, Emy Coligado was also recurring in the most serious Proof in support in which she continued to appear until her stop, in 2007. Her two completed series, the actress made several appearances on television, in particular in Grey’s Anatomy, Men In Trees and Chuck before finding in 2009 a regular role in the web series Ctrl launched by NBC, where she gave the reply to the brilliant Tony Hale. The 50-year-old actress – who is also a huge dog lover – starred in The Farrelly Brothers’ Les Trois Corniauds and also appeared in Shameless.
Jane Kaczmarek, aka Lois
StudioCanal / Faye Sadou / UPA ./Retna Ltd./Corbis
After having embodied the terrible but endearing Loïs, Jane Kaczmarek has not stopped filming for television. However, she never really managed to find a series that exceeds the two seasons. It may not be so bad, the actress having wished to lead after Malcolm a less restrictive career that would allow her to finally devote time to her children. After the end of the show, the interpreter of Lois thus made several attempts, in particular alongside Ted Danson in the comedy Help Me Help You (2006, canceled) or in Us and Them (2013, canceled). She also went through many pilots who were not commissioned. It was finally Steven Bochco, with whom she had already collaborated at the time of Captain Furillo, who offered her the best opportunity with the legal drama Raising the Bar. For two years, she held the role of a judge (function which she also holds in The Simpsons!) Kaczmarek turned alongside Christopher Lloyd in the independent film The Boat Builder. She also plays the mother of one of the heroines of the Playing House series and recently made a brief appearance in This Is Us and Mixed-ish.
Justin Berfield aka Reese
StudioCanal / Mark Savage/Corbis
The most furious of the brothers of Malcolm was one of the highlights of the show. As stupid as he was kind and violent, Reese could also be very surprising when he wanted to. It is necessary to believe that it is a trait of character that he shares with his interpreter on the screen, Justin Berfield…
Since the end of Malcolm, Berfield has branched off well. He hasn’t done anything as an actor, except an episode of Sons of Tucson, a series he produces. Because, yes, Berfield headed for a career as a producer. Behind the monster Reese was actually hiding a real businessman! In 2005, Berfield co-founded the production company J2 Pictures (which notably produced An Invisible Sign with Jessica Alba and many pilots for FOX and MTV) then created with other partners the company Virgin Produced. He supervises the creative team there and produces numerous series and films for Bollywood and Hollywood such as That Awkward Moment, Jobs, Limitless and The Impossible. Impressive, right?
James and Lukas Rodriguez aka Jamie
StudioCanal
If at the end of season 4 and throughout season 5, little Jamie was interpreted by several babies, it was then the twins James and Lukas Rodriguez who took over for the last two seasons of the show. Apart from an episode of FBI Missing in 2009, the Rodriguez twins have never again acted like many child stars.
Bryan Cranston aka Hal
FOX
Bryan Cranston is obviously the actor to have had the best success in his post-Malcolm. Hal’s ex-interpreter even exploded! After Malcolm, Bryan Cranston spends two more years playing supporting roles. He is Greg Kinnear’s colleague in Little Miss Sunshine, Ted’s boss in How I Met Your Mother or Lucifer in Fallen. But, in 2007, he was contacted by a certain Vince Gilligan whom he had met on an episode of X-Files. The latter offers him the role of Walter White, a chemistry teacher suffering from incurable cancer who will start making meth to get out of it. At least at the start… Cranston does not yet know that he is playing the other great role of his life here. If Breaking Bad does not become a phenomenon in its first season, things change considerably thereafter. The cinema finally opens its doors to him with films like Argo (2012), Drive (2011), Detachment (2011), La Défense Lincoln (2011) or Godzilla (2014). After starring in the biopic Trumbo, about the famous screenwriter persecuted during McCarthyism, he played President Lyndon Johnson in All the Way, the adaptation of the play that won him a Tony Award in 2014! After a fairly unnoticed remake of Intouchables, he returns to the cinema with The One and Only Ivan (a Disney+ film) as well as Your Honor, a showtime series in which he plays a Chicago judge seeking to protect his son from the mafia. In short, Bryan is not ready to stop and that’s good.