Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz, and Jane Kaczmarek Discuss Reuniting For ‘Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Unfair’
Twenty years after Malcolm in the Middle ended its seven-season run on Fox, Bryan Cranston (Hal), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Christopher Kennedy Masterson (Francis), Justin Berfield (Reese), and Emy Coligado (Piama) have reunited for Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair.
The four-episode special, which debuts tomorrow on Hulu and Disney+, sees Malcolm, who has distanced himself from his family for over a decade, pulled back into their orbit when he is invited to his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary.
Photo: Hulu
The Big Return
Ahead of the debut, Muniz, Cranston, and Kaczmarek sat down to discuss what it was like returning to set.
“It was surreal. It’s so rare to experience what I experienced 20 years ago, being on a show for seven years, getting to work with everybody, and making something that people genuinely loved. I didn’t realize how much people loved it until I stepped away from it,” Muniz said.
Photo: Hulu
“It’s been 20 years of people telling me stories of how much the show meant to them, how it got them through bad times, and how it brought their families closer together.”
“It’s a gift, really. And it’s as if you went up into your attic and said, ‘I’m going to clean this out.’ Then you saw a chest, opened it, and found all these very memorable items,” Cranston added.
Photo: Hulu
“Our reunion was like that, offstage. When we walked in and saw the set, we had déjà vu. It felt like we never left, but we did, didn’t we?”
A Different Malcolm
While Life’s Still Unfair continues the original Malcolm in the Middle story, a lot has changed since we last saw Malcolm and his family.
Photo: Hulu
“When you meet Malcolm again, he is in a completely different place. He’s positive. Everything is clicking in his life; everything is aligned. He feels really good. The old Malcolm was always kind of frustrated,” Muniz explained.
Photo: Hulu
“He thought, ‘Life is unfair.’ He believed his family was holding him back and putting pressure on him. But in real life, not everything is always perfect. There are ups and downs that need to be worked through.”
Changes
According to Cranston, the family dynamic has also evolved over the years.
Photo: Hulu
“When your children are teenagers, you have hopes, dreams, and plans for them. Some turn out unexpectedly well. Some don’t. And that’s exactly what happens in this family,” he said.
“Something Lois says in the show is, ‘Malcolm, those were just plans. Plans change. Sometimes they get diverted. Sometimes you end up doing something else. That’s all it is. Don’t take it to heart.’ In real life, you make plans, then adjust.”
Photo: Hulu
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair premieres April 10 on Hulu and Disney+.
Photo: MickeyBlog
