When you're playing a teen on screen, it helps if you're short. It generally means you can carry on playing the part long after your teenage years are behind you, because you still have the (lack of) height to pull it off. That's how Frankie Muniz managed to carry on playing 'Malcolm in the Middle' for as long as he did - he's 5 foot 5. He could probably have done even more as an actor in his younger years, but he never treated it as a priority. He tried to break into motor racing for a while, and also drummed for an indie rock band.
Sadly, Muniz suffered a stroke a few years ago, and it had a debilitating effect on his career. He's recovering well, but said in 2017 that the stroke had robbed him of many of his memories, including most of his time in 'Malcolm in the Middle.' He also doesn't take on much acting work anymore, because he struggles to remember lines. He can still light up a screen though, which is why he makes such a natural host of 'Dancing with The Stars: Juniors.'
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.