Frankie Muniz Shares The Life Lessons He Wishes He Knew At 21

Frankie Muniz’s life has had more twists and turns than the tracks he currently races on as a professional NASCAR driver. In 2006, the Malcolm in the Middle star put his acting career on hold to focus on other career aspirations, which he told Us Weekly in September really helped put his life into perspective.

“I’m so lucky taking that step back happened, because it made me appreciate everything more,” he said. “It allowed me to do other things and realize a lot more about myself.” Along with driving, Muniz also dabbled in being a touring musician, and he became a father in 2021 after the birth of his son, Mauz Mosley Muniz. Now, Muniz is ready to step back into the spotlight.

In December 2024, it was announced that Muniz along with the rest of the Malcom in the Middle cast were set to star in a reboot of the beloved sitcom for Disney+. The four-episode revival wrapped filming in May, with Muniz sharing on social media that the reunion was a “straight-up incredible” experience. He also expressed that he felt a renewed love for acting, and hopes “to do so much more of it in the future.” But currently, his focus is on another project.

In November, the former child actor partnered with Autotrader to star in a Fasterclass campaign, where he shares the nuggets of wisdom he’s learned about buying a car since becoming a professional driver. Below, Muniz shares other life lessons he’s picked up over the years that he wishes he knew at 21, from relationships and dating to the internet and Hollywood. — Rachel Chapman, staff writer

1. “Dude, love is not about the Hollywood rom-com fireworks; it's the steady burn of someone who sees your mess and sticks around anyway.”
2. “Fatherhood is the ultimate high-stakes race. You're not prepping for a trophy — you're building a co-pilot for life. I do remember thinking at 21 that I was ready to have a kid and that it would be easy. I turn 40 next month and I question almost every day if I'm doing it right. That said, it's the best thing in the entire world and truthfully all that really matters in the end.”
3. “I felt used a lot back then — people calling only for favors — and wish I'd set boundaries sooner. Quality over quantity. Nurture the ones who give as much as they take, and don't chase the ‘cool’ crowd.”
4. “Hollywood is a shiny trap: glamour on the surface, grind underneath. I took a break at my peak, moved to Arizona, and it straight-up saved my life. Wish I'd known sooner that ‘success’ there doesn't fill the void. It's exhausting, fake, and full of vultures. The best way to handle it is to get in to do the work and get out to live a normal life in between.”
5. “The spotlight's a double-edged sword: magic one minute, a monster the next. My family sacrificed everything and looking back, it's kind of sad how much we lost for the ‘win.’ But I dodged the curse by getting out early and building a life beyond the camera. That said, I wouldn't change anything I did in my past because I'm in an amazing place and consider myself extremely lucky.”
6. “At 21, I was too wrapped up in my world to dig deep into my family. I wish I'd asked more questions about their stories, their scars. Losing my grandpa last year hit me hard, but it reminded me that time's short, so prioritize the messy dinners over the spotlight. Forgive the patterns you can't change, break the ones you can, and lean in because family in the end is the most important.”
7. “You're going to do things you never imagined you would have the opportunity to do. And the few lulls you have, you will get through, and it will even be better on the other side. Even if you don't think that's possible, it is.”
8. “I didn't even think about wellness. I ate fast food at almost every meal. I remember just being focused on putting on weight so I could look stronger, but wasn't feeding my body with the proper things. In my 40s, saying no to the fried chicken temptations is still extremely tough. I just wish I focused more on it when I was younger, because it was easier back then. Also, sleep. Get better at sleeping.”
9. “Success can't be defined by anyone else or for anyone else. You have to feel it personally inside. It's not black and white, but if you can wake up and feel like you are doing the work to reach the success you want, then you are winning.”
10. “Don't get sucked in by the internet. It's a highlight reel, not reality. At 21, social media was barely around, now it's a beast. Log off to live. My best memories are offline. I think the world would be a happier, more peaceful place if we just turned off the internet.”
11. “Everything I thought I knew about the world, I basically think the opposite now.”
12. “Change is the only constant. Don't be afraid of change. It may be intimidating, but you will be so much happier if you just let it happen.”
13. “Breakups? They're like pit stops. Painful, but they get you back on track faster. Date for the stories, not the status, and remember, the right one makes your crazy life feel like an adventure, not a burden. Shoutout to my wife, Paige, for proving that.”
14. “Making career decisions is a zigzag, not a straightaway. Say yes to the scary turns if they spark joy. You will sometimes question decisions you made, but the cool thing is with all the good and bad decisions I made, I wound up exactly right where I wanted to be. So, I would never look back and change anything because maybe it doesn't lead me here.”
15. “Criticism is fuel or noise. You're not for everyone and that's freedom. I always allowed it to get to me, and still do at times, but in the end, as long as I'm feeling like I did my best for myself and my family, who cares?”
16. “You're going to do a lot of it for work and very little for play. I wish I knew that at 21 so I could've focused on trips that I wanted to take and explored places I wanted to go, because now when I'm home — because it is so rare — I don't want to travel anywhere.”
17. “Curiosity's your nitro boost, question everything, unlearn the BS. At 21, I coasted on talent, but now I crave growth. Curiosity and learning kills boredom.”
18. “Fear's a lousy co-pilot. Feel it and floor it anyway. From my Hollywood career to my NASCAR leap, risks rebuilt me. 21-year-old me was good at playing it safe, but life gets fun when you jump off the deep end.”
19. “You're going to have your ups and downs. A lot of people won't understand it because they only see the good from the outside. I hit a low this year, shared it raw on X, but saying it out loud helped me get through the fleeting moment. At 21, I bottled it. Don't — silence spins you out. You're not alone.”
20. “To me, failure is the only way to learn.”
21. “At 21, I chased ‘later’, but now I know joy's now or never. I still struggle with it, but I have realized that time and life go way too fast to be focused on the future when you should be living now — while you're living.”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.