Frankie Muniz has survived the tricky transition from child star to adult roles and now he's off to the big time. But he still remains a little lad who doesn't look his age. Steve Pratt reports.

THE history of child stars in Hollywood is not a proud one. A few manage the transition to adult roles, but many fall by the wayside through a mix of drink, drugs, sex or money scandals.

Frankie Muniz looks like being one of the successful ones. Still only 16, he has a hit TV comedy to his name - Malcolm In the Middle - as well as Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his role as the child genius in a family whose quirky behaviour makes the Munsters look like the Waltons. Now Frankie is going to Hollywood.

After appearing in the sentimental drama My Dog Skip, he has the starring role in the new comedy Big Fat Liar. He's still not playing his age. Jason Shepherd is a 14-year-old whose class paper is turned into a blockbuster movie without his knowledge after the idea's stolen by an unscrupulous producer. The fun comes as Jason takes revenge on the thieving film-maker.

When he's not filming Malcolm In The Middle, Muniz is making movies. During the current break from his TV role, he's been making a movie which he describes as "James Bond for a younger generation - big stunts and explosions". He's been doing martial arts training in preparation and proudly says he's gained eight pounds. But he remains a little lad who doesn't look his age.

No wonder he was stopped by police while driving his new car. It's a wonder he could see over the steering wheel of the souped-up 1995 Volkwagen Jetta used in the film The Fast And The Furious, and bought by the young actor for $100,000.

"I wanted a car I could have fun with. I can't park it though, and can't drive it in the rain because it doesn't have windshield wipers," he says. "It's fun just to have and cruise around in. It was New Year and I was driving around with my cousin. These two cops pulled me over. They were just, like, checking out and let me go.

"I haven't got any tickets yet. I've got out of four because the police got my autograph or said, 'you were nice to my kids'."

That was a rare occasion when he wasn't working. He's reluctant to stop. "When I have an hour off, I have no idea what to do with myself because I'm so used to doing this or doing that. I have fun working, on the set or being here promoting the film. I've just got back from Australia. Why would I want to stop?," says Muniz.

"I know myself that I'm not bigger or better than anyone else in this world. I don't want to take anything for granted because you never know. There are so many actors in this business, and that's another reason I don't want to take any breaks, because I don't know when it will end."

By the time Malcolm In The Middle ends, he hopes to have built up a decent film career. Clearly, he has his head screwed on the right way.

Muniz, who cites his mother as the biggest influence on his career, talks more sense than most grown-up actors and seems to have a good idea of how to succeed in Hollywood. Actors don't want to be stereotyped in one role, he points out. While people talk of making the transition to adult actor, he simply wants to be respected as an actor.

He's been lucky that everything he's done has been a success but, perhaps most importantly, feels acting is "still about having fun". He owes his acting break to his sister. She was taking part in a summer arts programme, young Frankie saw her and thought it looked so much fun that he wanted to try it.

He auditioned in front of 2,000 people for a role in a stage production of A Christmas Carol and won the role of Tiny Tim when he was eight. An agent saw him and asked if he wanted to audition for movies.

"I wasn't expecting anything to come of it," he says. "I did Tiny Tim for three years running and don't think I've had a day off since then. I'm very lucky because so many actors and actresses don't get jobs. They audition and audition and audition. But I've worked pretty much non-stop."

He reaches 17 in December but seems likely to be taken for younger for some time to come. He got made fun of at school because of his size - or lack of it - although didn't let it get to him. "If I responded badly, that's what they wanted," he says. "I think every person does get bullied at some time in their life."

He looks on the positive side. He may look 14 but is a lot smarter than most 14-year-olds and his youthful looks mean he can work so much longer as a child actor. And he's done it all without taking a single acting class.

The weekly exposure in a top US TV comedy means he's recognised a lot "I was in New York City and went on the subway. The show hadn't even started and there were posters up. My face was on them and I remember walking through the subway to get to the train and everyone was staring," he recalls. "When someone recognised me it was the greatest feeling."

* Malcolm In the Middle is on BBC2 on Monday at 8.35pm.

* Big Fat Liar (PG) opens in cinemas on June 28.

Published: 22/06/2002