MALCOM in the Middle star Frankie Muniz has been involved in a horror multi-car crash after swapping a career in acting for race car driving.

The 38-year-old – who played protagonist Malcom in the sitcom between 2000 and 2006 – was “slightly injured” after his vehicle hit the wall while on a racetrack in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday.

4

Advertisement

4

The crash came after driver Connor Mosack hit the wall during the 99th lap of the 150 lap race, according to Sportskeeda.

There is also a video of the star limping after the crash on X.

Frankie said of the crash to journalist Peter Strata: “There was no where for me to go.

“I got hit from behind into the 42 and then the 42 got moved and the 18 was stopped and I went right into him.

“I don’t feel there was anything I could have done there.”

Frankie has signed with Red Bull Racing teams for next year and can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.

He said: “We’re going to be better next year and I’ve got the whole off-season to prepare.”

The star started his racing career in 2006 and had been racing part-time.

It was only until this year that he decided to go full-time.

“I don’t want to say it’s a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever,” he told People.

“The kid from Malcolm in the Middle is racing in NASCAR. You know what I mean? And that’s what people say, but I am. I did it,” he added to the publication.

“I don’t want to just have made it to NASCAR — I want, when people think of the truck series, they think of NASCAR that they think of, oh, ‘I want to watch Frankie. He’s competitive. He’s this,’ So I’m doing everything I can.”

Earlier this year Frankie looked worlds away from his hit sitcom as he entered a huge reality show.

He also teased a reboot of the series that made him a star.

The Racing Stripes star returned to TV screens in Australia to take part in the down under version of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

Chatting to website Pedestrian.TV, he revealed a Malcolm in the Middle reboot was on the cards after years of rumours.

Frankie said: “Without giving away too much because there’s nothing confirmed, but it’s the closest it’s ever been to being a reality.”

“I think it’d be a lot of fun to dive into that world and see where everybody is, as adults because really, the possibilities are endless where everybody can be,’ he said

“I’d love to explore it. And I know there are conversations happening.”

It aired on Fox in the US while in the UK it originally screened on Sky1.

After the iconic programme, he went on to star in other shows and films such as Criminal Mids, Oh Hell No! and Dancing with the Stars.

4

4

Advertisement

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

An original Frasier cast member has explained why they don’t want to return for the revival series.

Wendie Malick appeared in the hit sitcom’s original run, which lasted from 1993 to 2004, playing Ronee Lawrence in season 11.

In the show, Ronee was the childhood babysitter of Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) who was introduced in the show as a love interest of their father Martin (John Mahoney).

Frasier is currently enjoying a second wind, with the conclusion of the reboot’s latest season drawing to an end this week. While this season welcomed back original stars Peri Gilpin, Harriet Sansom Harris, Dan Butler and Edward Hibbert, many original stars – including Hyde Pierce – are not present.

Malick has now addressed a possible return to the show, but remained coy about the idea for a rather moving reason. The actor said she would not want to reprise the role of Ronee due to the fact that Mahoney died in 2018.

The actor, who appears in Apple TV+ series Shrinking as Dr Julie Baram alongside Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, told TV Insider: “It’s sort of like when people ask me about Just Shoot Me. Without George Segal, I just don’t think it would feel right.

“I had such a connection to John Mahoney playing his love interest and finally marrying him that I’m not sure that I want to revisit that.

Malick continued: “That was something that was such a lovely ride, and that season was so much fun and I was honoured to be part of it. And sometimes I think you feel like you took your character as far as you could, and then maybe you just leave it and savour those memories.

“Never say never, but that’s my gut feeling.”

Hyde Pierce, speaking about his potential involvement, with Vulture in June 2022 said: “That whole time of my life, the writing on those shows, the actors I got to work with – all of that is deeply important to me. And I would never disrespect that in such a way as to say just offhandedly, ‘Oh, no, thanks. I’m not going to do that again.’ It’s too valuable to me.”

However, the actor said that he “wouldn’t just do it” for the reason that the experience was such a “valuable” one.

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

Advertisement

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

“I believe it can be done without me, too – finding new stories to tell, in the same way that Frasier did after Cheers. They didn’t bring along the Cheers gang to make a new show.”

Frasier is available to stream on Paramount+.

Netflix launched the trailer for the much-awaited documentary Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale on Saturday, ahead of its launch on the South Indian actress’s birthday, November 18. 

Heralded as the “Lady Superstar” by the Tamil movie industry and fans alike, Nayanthara promises to provide a never-seen-before glimpse into her life with the documentary. It will also feature testimonials and accounts from various actors, such as Rana Daggubatti, Taapsee Pannu, and Nagarjuna Akkineni.

“I’ve shared so much of my life on screen, but this documentary is my gift to the fans—a chance to let them in on the chapters that shaped me,” Nayanthara said in a statement by Netflix.  

Nayanthara was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, in 1984 and christened Diana Mariam Kurian. She went on to study English Literature at Marthoma College in Kerala and dabbled in modelling. Malayalam filmmaker Sathyan Anthikad saw her modelling assignments and cast her in the 2003 hit movie Manassinakkare, starring Jayaram. 

Later, in 2011, Nayanthara adopted her stage name as her official name following her conversion to Hinduism at the Arya Samaj Temple in Chennai. 

ALSO READ |  Rajamouli credits Suriya for inspiring him to make pan-Indian films

Industry insiders  say that Nayanthara is the highest-paid actress in Tamil cinema and receives about Rs 12 crore to Rs 15 crore per role. She also has diversified investments, and her net worth shot up after her Bollywood debut in Jawan opposite Shah Rukh Khan. 

Nayanthara has starred in a little over 75 movies in her career, which spans two decades. In 2016, she registered her marriage with filmmaker Vignesh Shivan. Six years later, they threw an intimate wedding in 2022. 

THE Crown star Josh O’Connor has throne himself into relationship with Saltburn actress Alison Oliver.

Josh, 34, who played Prince Charles in the Netflix series, has been spotted holding hands with the 27-year-old Irish actress in northern Italy.

4

Advertisement

4

4

4

The pair were seen strolling through the city of Bologna where they stopped to take a selfie while meeting fans at a film and photography library.

A source said: “Josh and Alison have a lot in common and have enjoyed getting to know each other away from the spotlight.

“Despite their huge roles, they prefer hanging out in libraries rather than big glamorous events.”

Josh was also a guest at Alison’s sister Lauren’s wedding in Bermondsey, South London, in September.

NEW YORK — Judith Jamison, an internationally acclaimed dancer who later served as artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for two decades, has died. She was 81.

Jamison died at a New York hospital surrounded by family and friends following a brief illness, Christopher Zunner, a spokesperson for Ailey, confirmed in a statement to CBS News.

“We remember and are grateful for her artistry, humanity and incredible light, which inspired us all,” Zunner said.

Jamison grew up in Philadelphia and trained there in ballet from a young age. At a time when Black dancers were rare in ballet, she began with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1965.

Tall, graceful and expressive, she became one of the company’s most famous performers and a muse for Ailey. Jamison had star turns in two of Ailey’s signature dances, “Revelations” and “Cry.” She danced with the Ailey company for 15 years before leaving to perform on Broadway and as a guest artist with other ballet companies.

Jamison later returned to the Ailey company as its artistic director for 20 years. She is widely credited with helping to make it one of the most successful dance companies in the U.S.

As a dancer, choreographer, director and speaker, her distinguished career leaped over barriers of race and gender.

“She was a unique, spectacular dancer who was majestic and queenly. She danced with eloquence and integrity,” Sylvia Waters, Ailey II Artistic Director Emerita, said Saturday following the new of Jamison’s death.

“To dance with her and to be in her sphere of energy was mesmerizing,” Waters said. “I was fortunate to perform with her and she set the bar very, very high.”

Jamison’s directorship of the Ailey theater “sustained the company and helped it to grow. She was an eloquent speaker, strong leader and ran a tight ship,” Waters said.

Striking images of Jamison including photos, video and a sculpture are currently displayed at an exhibition about the work of the Ailey company at New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Jamison was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999. Other honors included the National Medal of Arts and the Handel Medallion, the highest cultural award from New York City.

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Sign up to our free breaking news emails

Claudia Winkleman has sent a heartfelt message to Amy Dowden as she hoped the Strictly Come Dancing pro would return “very soon”.

Dowden has been forced to leave the series, after making a much-awaited return following treatment for breast cancer.

The 34-year-old professional ballroom dancer was rushed to hospital as a “precaution” on 26 October for an undisclosed illness, which meant she did not perform in the following show, with pro dancer Lauren Oakley stepping in to dance with Dowden’s celebrity partner JB Gill instead.

Dowden clarified that her “insufficiency stress fracture” had “nothing to do with any previous health scares”.

“Before we get started our lovely Amy Dowden has had to withdraw from this year’s competition, due to injury so Lauren will be stepping in and dancing with JB for the rest of his time on the show,” began host Tess Daly as she introduced the show at Blackpool Tower on Saturday (9 November).

Winkleman then followed up with a message of support and hope to the dancer, saying: “Amy, everyone at Strictly is sending you so much love and we cannot wait to see you back on this dance floor, very, very soon.”

Dowden was left emotional during an appearance on It Takes Two, earlier this week.

open image in gallery

“I’m absolutely gutted,” she said. “Unfortunately, I have a stress fracture on my shin. I’m absolutely gutted, I need to rest for a couple of weeks.

“Hopefully I will be back dancing, hopefully in a group number by the end of the series. Fingers crossed.”

open image in gallery

Advertisement

She added the injury wasn’t a repeat of any previous injuries or previous treatment for breast cancer and she said she would be JB’s “biggest cheerleader” as he continues with “the amazing Lauren”.

It comes as a huge blow to Dowden who had been working hard to build up her strength to dance again following her treatment for breast cancer in 2023, which meant she was unable to compete in last year’s Strictly.