Created by Linwood Boomer, Malcolm in the Middle aired on Fox from 2000 to 2006. The single camera sitcom centered a somewhat dysfunctional lower middle class family, the Wilkersons. The focus of the series was on Malcolm, the third-born of the Wilkersons’ five sons, who takes gifted classes after getting genius-level results on an IQ test. This, however, doesn’t mean Malcolm is exempt from participating in his brothers’ dangerous hijinks. Over the course of seven seasons, Malcolm in the Middle presented viewers of all ages with a funny, heartwarming, and honest look at what it's like being a kid and a member of a dwindling middle class. It’s unique sense of humor makes it a fan favorite up to this day. In case you’re one of the many people that miss the show and it’s amazing cast of characters, here’s a complete guide on who played who in the series and what they are up to now.
Malcolm Wilkerson (Frank Muniz)
The star of the show, Malcolm also doubles as narrator, breaking the fourth wall to offer insight on the plot’s goings on. After scoring 165 on an IQ test, Malcolm is enrolled in a special class for gifted children, becoming a member of the clique of young geniuses pejoratively known by the other kids in school as “Krelboynes”. Despite deeply resenting his academic fate, Malcolm is aware of his intelligence to a fault, often treating others with condescension and getting in trouble for not being able to hold his tongue.
In 2008, two years after the show ended, Muniz decided to take a break from acting to focus on his career as an open-wheel racer. Since then, he has made brief appearances in TV shows like Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and Preacher, frequently as himself. He was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2017, and the host of Dancing with the Stars: Junior in 2018.
In 2012, he suffered the first of many minor strokes that impacted his memory, leaving him unable to remember most of his time on Malcolm. Nonetheless, he now lives a seemingly happy life in Arizona with his wife and baby son.
Hal Wilkerson (Bryan Cranston)
Despite being childish and insecure, the father of the Wilkerson family has a huge heart. Hal has a more laid back parenting style than wife Lois, but the show makes it quite clear that he would be lost without his wife, for whom he has nothing but love. An office desk worker, Hal was born to a rich family, but distanced himself from his mother and sisters due to their disapproval and mistreatment of Lois.
Out of Malcolm’s cast, Cranston is probably the one that has gained more notoriety in the years since the series ended, having starred from 2008 to 2013 in AMC's hit show Breaking Bad. He also has a prolific career as a voice actor in shows like Robot Chicken and Family Guy. Nowadays, he can be seen as Michael Desiato in Showtime’s Your Honor.
Lois Wilkerson (Jane Kaczmarek)
Having grown up in an abusive household, Lois is angry, insecure, and a real control freak. However, this in no way means she doesn’t have a soft spot for Hal or even for her children, whose lives she has planned up to adulthood. It’s not uncommon for Lois’ actions to border on the abusive, but, more often than not, they’re closer to an expression of her exasperation with the boys' antics.
After Malcolm, Kaczmarek took a series of smaller roles in shows ranging from The Big Bang Theory to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Her most recent roles have been in an episode of ABC’s Mixed-ish and in the indie dramedy Killing Eleanor.
Reese Wilkerson (Justin Berfield)
Reese is the second oldest of the Wilkerson’s children, and the oldest still living at home. Though not very bright, Reese is a true genius when it comes to finding new ways of pranking, bullying, and just overall tormenting his younger brothers.
Much like Muniz, Berfield took a step back from his acting career. Currently, he is the Chief Creative Officer of Virgin Produced, a film, TV, and entertainment division of Virgin Group. However, he still calls himself an actor both on his Twitter and Instagram bios, so maybe we are yet to see the last of Justin Berfield.
Dewey Wilkerson (Erik Per Sullivan)
For the first four seasons, Dewey is the youngest of the Wilkerson boys, losing his status after the birth of Jamie (Lukas and James Rodriguez). Incredibly creative and emotionally smart, he gets wrongfully placed in a special class for disturbed children. Initially displeased with his fate, Dewey finds his place among the so-called “Buseys” after realising how neglected they are and just how much he can help them.
Up until 2010, Sullivan had a somewhat solid acting career, though Dewey was definitely his biggest role. After that, not much is know about his life or career, though it seems that he has moved on from his acting days. His last known role was in Joel Schumacher’s Twelve.
Francis Wilkerson (Christopher Masterson)
The eldest of Hal and Lois’ sons, Francis is the first one of a long line of troublemakers. He and Lois have been at war with one another ever since the moment he was born, even if Francis was the only Wilkerson child that got to meet his mother at her kindest. He starts the show in military school. Later, he legally emancipates himself and moves to Alaska, where he marries Piama.
After Malcolm, Masterson had some small parts in shows like White Collar and Men at Work. He was also in a few smaller, independent films, like Beneath the Leaves and I’d Like to Be Alone Now, as well as in Funny or Die’s Power Rangers’ parody Mystic Cosmic Patrol. Masterson also works as a DJ.
Stevie Kenarban (Craig Lamar Traylor)
An asthmatic Krelboyne with glasses and a wheelchair, Stevie is Malcolm’s best friend. Because of his asthma and of the fact that he only has one lung, Stevie has trouble breathing and talks very slowly. He doesn’t mind being a Krelboyne and often uses his disabilities to guilt trip his way out of numerous scenarios.
A couple of years ago, a picture of an adult, extremely attractive Traylor took the internet by storm. He’s currently a jewelry artist and is mostly retired from acting: despite being often credited as having a role in the extremely underground western Forgiven This Gun4Hire, it’s nearly impossible to find information about the movie, and even its release date is up for debate.
Craig Feldspar (David Anthony Higgins)
Craig is a co-worker of Lois's at the Lucky Aide megastore. He considers himself a close friend of the Wilkersons, and the show constantly hints that he is in love with Lois. None of these feelings are reciprocated.
Higgins is a very prolific actor. He's had recurring roles in FX’s American Horror Story: Murder House, Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush, and CBS’ Mike & Molly. Currently, he plays Jerry in the Warner sitcom B Positive, now on Season 2.
Piama Wilkerson (Emmy Coligado)
Piama first met Francis when she was 19, soon after he moved to Alaska. The two got married after dating for just one month. Of Native Alaskan descent, Piama had a tough life and, unlike the other members of the Wilkerson family, isn’t afraid of facing Lois in a fight.
Coligado had small roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Shameless, and Fresh Off the Boat, among other shows. From 2001 to 2007, she played Emmy in the NBC procedural Crossing Jordan, and, in 2009, she starred in the network’s short-lived webseries Ctrl. Her latest role has been in an episode of Starz’ Run the World.
Abe Kenarbian (Gary Anthony Williams)
Stevie’s dad and Hal’s best friend. He’s presented as a somewhat weak man, who has trouble telling his son about his divorce, but also as a good friend, who enjoys getting his pals together for a good old game of poker.
Williams has a very extensive resume, and has done many voice acting jobs for animated TV shows and video game franchises ranging from Doc McStuffins to Mass Effect. He currently voices Gbenge Bradley in Paramount+’s The Harper House.
Cynthia Sanders (Tania Raymonde)
A fellow Krelboyne student, Cynthia develops an unrequited crush on Malcolm. The two, however, soon become friends. She’s frequently bullied by Reese, but isn’t afraid to use her knowledge of martial arts to defend herself.
Raymonde is best known for playing Alex Rousseau in ABC’s hit show Lost. She also starred as the titular character in the Lifetime true crime drama Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret, and played Brittany Gold in Amazon’s legal drama series Goliath.
Caroline Miller (Catherine Lloyd Burns)
Miss Miller is on the show for two seasons as the Krelboynes’ teacher. She’s passionate about her job and has Malcolm as her favorite student.
After Malcolm, Burns has worked on a number of less known, independent movies, like Adult Life, Dedication, and The Last New Yorker. She also appeared in seven episodes of TBS’s crime comedy series Search Party.
Lionel Herkabe (Chris Eigeman)
After Miss Miller leaves the school, Mr. Herkabe replaces her as the Krelboynes’ new teacher. However, unlike Miss Miller, he’s a sadistic man that ruins school for the Krelboynes and seems to have a personal vendetta against Malcolm.
Eigeman had many minor roles after Malcolm in shows like Fringe, CSI: Miami, Girls, and Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. He has also worked as a director on the 2007 drama Turn the River and on the teen horror Seven in Heaven.
Jessica (Hayden Panettiere)
A manipulative baby-sitter Hal hires for the boys and one whom Malcolm has a crush on.
Panettiere got big after starring as the cheerleader with regenerative powers Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes. She also landed major roles in the country music drama series Nashville, in the Chris Columbus’ rom-com I Love You, Beth Cooper, and in the fourth installment of the Scream franchise. Since 2018, Panettiere has been away from the screens, dealing with personal issues involving a violent ex.
Ida Welker (Cloris Leachman)
Lois’ evil mother, Ida is racist, manipulative, and just plain cruel. She’s a monster to just about everyone, except maybe her other daughter, Susan.
Leachman passed away of natural causes in 2021, at 94 years old. Before working on Malcolm, she won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in The Last Picture Show. She is also known for playing Frau Blücher in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.
After the show ended, she had small parts in many sitcoms, as well as a recurring role as the weird granny Maw Maw in Fox's Raising Hope. Leachmen also lent her voice to numerous characters in beloved shows like Phineas and Ferb and Bob's Burgers. From 2017 to 2019, she appeared as Zorya Vechernyaya in Starz's American Gods.