Frankie Muniz, 38, Says He's "Never Had a Sip of Alcohol"

He doesn't have a particular reason for this.

Frankie Muniz, driver of the #30 Hair Club Ford, walks the grid prior to the ARCA Menards Series BRANDT 200 Supporting Florida FFA at Daytona International Speedway on February 18, 2023
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Frankie Muniz, 38, has never drunk alcohol, but he doesn't have a particular reason for this.

Appearing on Mayim Bialik's podcast Breakdown, the former child actor turned race car driver revealed that he's just never really had an interest in drinking alcohol, and that he's not about to start any time soon.

"I'm 38, I've still never had a sip of alcohol. I've never done drugs. I've never done anything," he said while speaking to Bialik.

The host asked him, "Were you raised in a tradition that did not drink? Do you not want to drink?"

Muniz replied, "Oh no, every family member in my family drinks, and you know, that's what they do for fun."

He continued, "I tried to figure out why I didn't, because I didn't have a reason. It wasn't, like, a religion. Maybe it goes back to my hatred towards time. When I was 15, 16 years old, I felt like I was so old, like I'd experienced so much, and I had experienced a lot in my life in comparison to most 15 or 16-year-olds.

"But even though I was in the entertainment business, I never saw it—meaning the drug use, any of that stuff. I somehow just stayed away. I don't know, I just didn't, I went to set, did my thing."

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He went on to admit he thought the only people who smoked weed were "criminals on Cops" but that he eventually found out that even his parents actually smoked pot.

"It's a weird thing to think back at, but at 18 years old was the first time that I was really kind of around [alcohol and drugs], and in my mind, going back to the time thing, I felt like I'd made it so long without it that I was kinda like, 'I'm not gonna start now!'" Muniz said. "Even though I was only 18, or 17 or 18. And I couldn't believe everybody's reactions when I said, 'Oh, I don't drink.'"

He explained that the people he was hanging out with were either "appalled" that he didn't drink, or told him he was "so strong" for this lifestyle choice.

"And I was always like, it's so weird that people have such a strong reaction to me not drinking," he said. "Like, who cares?"

Muniz concluded, "I don't know if made a conscious decision, but it just stuck with me that I was never gonna drink or do anything. But now I'm 38, I think I'm gonna start tonight! No, I'm kidding."

The former actor is most famous for his titular role in the early 2000s TV show Malcolm in the Middle, and also starred in a few movies around that time.

Muniz is among many other celebrities who don't drink alcohol, including Tyra Banks, Robert Downey Jr., Lucy Hale, and Eva Mendes.

Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.