At the tender age of 15, Frankie Muniz was tossed into the spotlight, playing Malcolm, the sharp-tongued genius in the TV sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle that ran from 2000 to 2006.

Unlike some child stars – including Amanda Bynes whom he co-starred with in the 2002 film Big Fat Liar – Muniz, 38, never abused alcohol or substances, nor did he have any emotional breakdowns as he advanced into adulthood.

Now a professional race car driver, Muniz spoke with Mayim Bialik on her podcast Breakdown, and revealed, that like her as a youngster, he avoided the oftentimes toxic Hollywood party scene.

In fact, he wasn’t exposed to alcohol in Hollywood until he 18.

“In my mind, I felt like I had made it so long without it, I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to start now, even though I was only 18,’” Muniz tells Bialik, 48, who starred in Big Bang Theory. Bialik, a former child star who at only 15 was a household name for her performance in Blossom, previously admitted to having more than a “sip” of alcohol but is not an addict.

Mature beyond his years, Muniz continues, “When I was 15, 16 years old, I felt like I was so old. I had 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 stayed away. I just went to the set and did my thing.”

Trying to determine how the star of Agent Cody Banks didn’t fall into the vortex of drugs and alcohol, Bialik asked, “Were you raised in a tradition that did not drink?”

“Every family member in my family drinks. And that’s what they do for fun,” said the Emmy Award nominee. “I grew up thinking the only people who smoked pot were criminals…on episodes of Cops…Now I talk to my dad about it and my mom and they’re like, ‘We smoked pot every single day, you just didn’t know.’”

Following up on Bialik’s probing as to why he hasn’t had an alcoholic beverage, Muniz said, “I tried to figure out why I didn’t, because I don’t have a reason. It wasn’t, like, a religion.”

In 2012, when Muniz was only 26, he had a suspected transient ischemic attack – a mini stroke – which was followed by a second one in 2013. “I really try to take advantage of my time. And I’ve got a lot in my life,” said Muniz, who’s had several concussions since he was only seven. Now, suffering severe memory loss, Muniz shares that he prefers to focus on living “the most fulfilling, best life I can.”

Speaking of his intense memory loss, Muniz shared with People in 2019, “…I’m only reminded of how bad my memory is when people I see, they come to me and go, ‘Oh, you remember when we did this? Remember we went on this trip to this country?’ And I have no recollection of it, but in my head, it’s not like I feel bad or sad about it.”

Now a father – he shares son Mauz Mosley with wife Paige – Muniz said he’s living his best life and puzzled why people can’t understand he does not need a drink.

“I couldn’t believe everyone’s reactions when I said I don’t drink. ‘Oh, we’re at a club, we have a bottle. You want a drink?’ ‘No, I don’t drink. I’m good with water.’ Everyone was either shocked or appalled that I didn’t drink. Or they’d be like, ‘Wow, that’s so strong of you.’”

He continues, “I was always kind of like, ‘It’s so weird that people have such a strong reaction to me not drinking.’ Like, who cares? I don’t care what you do. Why do you care so much about me? I don’t know if I made a conscious decision, but it just stuck with me that I was never gonna drink or do anything.”