Francisco Muniz IV (born December 5, 1985) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the title character in the Fox television family sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, which earned him an Emmy Award nomination and two Golden Globe Award nominations. At the height of his fame, he was considered as one of most popular child actors and in 2003, he was considered "one of Hollywood's most bankable teens." In 2008, he put his acting career on hold to pursue an open-wheel racing career, and competed in the Atlantic Championship. From 2012 to 2014, he was a drummer in the band Kingsfoil.