What Is Frankie Muniz Up to Now? Inside Former Child Star's Life After Leaving Hollywood

Frankie Muniz discovered bigger things outside Hollywood.

The Malcolm in the Middle alum shocked fans when he announced he was leaving Hollywood in 2008 to focus on his career as a racing driver. At the time, a source exclusively revealed to OK! he was moving to Scottsdale, Ariz.

"He's decided to focus his energy on racing and feels that he doesn't need a home in Hollywood anymore," the insider said.

Muniz, whose career in car racing began in the early 2000s, shared he really "would not mind" if he "never acted again."

He told OK!, "Racing is definitely my passion — this is my career now and what I definitely want to do for the rest of my life."

Before leaving the spotlight, he had already won different accolades and had acting credits in other projects, including Big Fat Liar, Agent Cody Banks, My Dog Skip and What the Deaf Man Heard, among others.

Beginning in 2006, Muniz shifted from celebrity races to more competitive series. But in addition to racing and business ventures, he pursued a music career, playing drums for You Hang Up and Kingsfoil.

"At this point I want to be in Kingsfoil. I'm not saying no to acting forever. But you really can't do both," he admitted in an interview. "Even with racing, I couldn't do racing and be in the band. They're all really full-time things. You really need to dedicate all your time and energy into one thing in order to be successful. Right now, my focus is 100 percent on the band and hopefully it will be for a long time."

Because Muniz had not fully closed the door on TV, he returned to the spotlight as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars Season 25 in 2017. He was paired with Witney Carson, who brought home the mirrorball trophy after winning Season 19 with Alfonso Ribeiro.

After the pair finished third in the season finale, Muniz served as co-host of Dancing With the Stars: Juniors alongside Jordan Fisher.

In recent years, he has also made several red carpet appearances, including at the premiere of Renner in Culver City in February.

The former child actor found love outside Hollywood, popping the question to his wife, Paige, during the Lantern Fest in Casa Grande, Ariz., on November 19, 2018. They held a small, private ceremony on October 3, 2019, before hosting an official wedding in February 2020.

Then, on March 22, 2021, the couple welcomed their firstborn, Mauz Mosley.

"That was the moment that my life changed forever," he said of his son's birth. "I had heard that it would, but I never would have expected the impact seeing my son would have on me. Honestly, I didn't know it was possible to love anything as much as I love him."

Muniz shared in the announcement, "It took me a long time to post because I've been 1000% obsessed with him, already striving to make every moment he lives on earth the best it can possibly be. I found myself very emotional the other day as I pondered how lucky I was to have the most incredible wife and now the most amazing child and thought how all I want from now on is to make the world a better place, for them. I've even chosen to give up my motorcycles and stick with listening to K-LOVE on the radio while driving the speed limit.I love you Mauz. I love you @pogmuniz ."

In an interview published on September 3, Muniz said starting fresh in Arizona "saved" his life.

"Honestly, I did not like L.A. So I moved to Arizona, and I love it," he told the outlet. "I feel like it saved my life in the sense that I started enjoying the little aspects of life more, like hiking [and] going to the grocery store, because it was easy."

According to Muniz, taking a step back made him "appreciate everything more" and allowed him to "do other things and realize a lot more about myself."

During the same interview, he admitted he was stunned by how Amanda Bynes' life unfolded in the media after she also stepped back from Hollywood.

"I never would've seen it coming. That's all I'll say. [She was] the most professional, happy, easygoing person I ever met. I never saw a sign of anything negative. I wish her nothing but happiness," he continued.

Muniz is now based in Scottsdale with his wife and son.

As for his professional career, he officially joined Reaume Brothers Racing as a full-time driver of the No. 33 F-150 before the 2025 season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The news came after he competed in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the Mustang Challenge Series in 2023.

"I don't want to say it's a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever," he said in a 2024 interview with People after the development.

"I started with doing the open wheel route. I thought I was going to go IndyCar, kind of the Formula 1 route, but I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to try NASCAR. I wanted to do it. I grew up watching NASCAR. I was a huge fan, but it's not something I necessarily thought that I'd ever get the opportunity to do," he continued.