Bryan Cranston Reveals How He Got Back Into Character for 'Malcolm in the Middle' Revival

Bryan Cranston revealed why it was easy to reprise the role of Hal, the character he played in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, for the upcoming revival of the series.

The Emmy-winning actor played patriarch of the dysfunctional Wilkerson family for seven seasons from 2000 to 2006 on the Fox sitcom, and he recently reunited with original cast members Jane Kaczmarek, Frankie Muniz, Christopher Masterson, and Justin Berfield for a four-episode revival set for Disney+.

Speaking with People magazine, Cranston, 69, revealed how he was able to get back into character nearly 20 years after the original series wrapped. “It’s a short-sleeve shirt that Hal would wear, a patterned short-sleeve shirt that screams out he’s not going anywhere,” Cranston teased.

The actor admitted that he “missed" playing Hal and that “slipping back into that character… was so rewarding.” “He’s really a lovable guy, and it was fun to see all my whole family back together. It was great,” Cranston said.

Always good to have Mom and Dad around! pic.twitter.com/7XH585hnZE

— Frankie Muniz (@frankiemuniz) April 22, 2025

Cranston isn’t the only star thrilled to go back to his character. Muniz, who put his acting career on hold for years to pursue professional race car driving, posted to X and revealed that the revival was a reminder of how much he loved acting.

“Just wrapped filming the Malcolm in the Middle reboot, and man, I’m still reeling,” he wrote on May 16. “This experience was straight-up incredible—like stepping back into Malcolm’s wild world but with all the love and chaos cranked to 11. Reuniting with the cast, getting to know some new characters, laughing till it hurt, and making new memories on set felt like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from.”

When fans last saw the Wilkerson family in the Malcolm in the Middle series finale in 2006, Malcolm (Muniz) was headed to Harvard while his frantic father tried to figure out how to pay for it. There was also big family news, as Hal and his wife Lois (Kaczmarek) faced an unexpected pregnancy.

The Malcolm in the Middle revival is expected to hit Disney+ later in 2025.

Related: Bryan Cranston Doesn't Hold Back on 'Breaking Bad' Movie