What has Craig Lamar Traylor been up to since Malcom in the Middle ended nearly 17 years ago?
Early Days
Craig Lamar Traylor was born, like many actors, not too far from Hollywood. Born on March 19, 1989, in San Bernardino County, Craig grew up to become a fan favorite on Malcolm in the Middle. But what about before that show became a hit?
There is not much known about Craig’s early days, though he had minor roles in a major TV series and film in 1996: ER and Matilda. He was only seven years old then, and only eleven when he got his big breakthrough on Malcolm in the Middle in 2000. He ended up graduating from Rancho Cucamonga High School in 2007, not long after the series ended.
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle became a surprise hit for Fox in 2000 when they took a chance on an off-beat show with intelligent writing. The series, which ended up running for seven seasons from 2000 to 2006, starred Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, Bryan Cranston as Hal, Jane Kaczmarek as Lois, Christopher Masterson as Francis, Justin Berfield as Reese, and Erik Per Sullivan as Dewey.
The show follows Hal and Lois as they try to keep a handle on their four boys. At the start of the show, older brother Francis has been sent to military school after one too many run-ins with the law, and Malcolm has been selected to join the “Krelboyne” class due to his incredible intelligence. The show grapples with themes of fitting in, growing up, and the nature of family, while also delivering plenty of zany plots and witty banter. The acting of Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek is particularly inspired.
Craig Lamar Traylor’s character, Stevie Kenarban, is Malcolm’s best friend and appeared in 58 episodes over the show’s 151-episode run. Due to a medical condition, Stevie has one lung and is in a wheelchair. Throughout the series, he speaks in a halted way, taking a breath every couple of words. Stevie became a hugely popular character, but he was actually only cast as a minor character. This was also the case for his mother on the show—if you pay close attention, you’ll see that she was cast as Malcolm’s teacher in the pilot episode.
The series hasn’t run since its final season in 2006, though there has been speculation about a possible movie or other form of reunion. In the meanwhile, you can watch it on Hulu+ or purchase the show on DVD.
After Malcolm in the Middle
After Malcolm in the Middle, what has Stevie (i.e. Craig Lamar Traylor) been up to? It would appear that Craig took a break from acting following his run on Malcolm. He was aged 11-17 during the run of the series, so it would be hard to blame him if he wanted to pursue a normal life for a bit.
In 2011, Craig made his return to acting with two movies, Fred & Vinnie and Dance Fu. Neither of these films would appear to have successfully re-launched Craig’s acting career, as he only earned one more acting credit since then (in 2012’s This Bitter Earth). His parts in these movies were minor in comparison to his role on Malcolm, where he was a frequently recurring character over 58 episodes.
In 2012, Traylor decided to quit the acting gig and focus on other interests, including spending time with his family and making his own jewelry.
What Is Craig Lamar Traylor Doing Now?
Craig Lamar Traylor is definitely not the first actor to have success as a child actor and then pursue other avenues.
He now spends his time now creating jewelry in the wire-wrapping niche.
This form of jewelry goes back thousands of years. In an interview with the Museum of the African Diaspora, Taylor mentioned that he stands out in the wire wrapping community as one of the few people of color.
As of 2021, he was enrolled in a Brooklyn school to obtain a license for diamond and gem handling.
Personal Life
Not much is known about Craig’s personal life, as he doesn’t have a big social media presence and has not given many interviews. Based on previous information, he is likely straight and single, though this is speculation. In terms of where he lives, he was likely based in New York as of 2021 when he pursued a jewelry license from a Brooklyn school.
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