Since starring in hit US TV show Malcolm in the Middle, Frankie Muniz has become one of the most sought after young actors in Hollywood. He's now following up his roles in family movies "My Dog Skip" and "Big Fat Liar" by playing a CIA spy kid in "Agent Cody Banks".
Cody Banks is like a teenage James Bond, isn't he?
It's crazy that I can be compared to Bond by playing this character. He has the cool car, the cool gadgets, gets the girl and all that kind of stuff, but it's weird that it's me who gets to do all this! It's awesome!
Was it fun making such an action-packed movie?
Every day was amazing, seriously, but whenever we were filming a high action scene it was intense. All the skateboard sequences and snowboarding were cool. And the fighting was a lot of fun, too. I did about 90% of all my own stunts. It was crazy, but I love doing it because it makes the movie look a lot more believable.
Are you as tongue-tied with the ladies as your character, Cody?
Not really. I can't go up to a girl and start a conversation, but I can continue a conversation. I'm not nervous around girls, it's just sometimes I don't really know what to say!
What's the weirdest fan mail you've had so far?
I've had a lot of people asking for a lock of my hair. It's kinda weird. I mean, what are they going to do with my hair? Hopefully they won't clone me. I've had thousands of letters going, "Here's a ticket. Please come to my Prom, it would be lovely to see you." It's really weird, but hey, whatever, they're my fans, they're keeping me here.
Is it true you own one of the cars from "The Fast and the Furious"?
Yeah, but I'm looking to sell it because it just sits in my garage because it can't be parked anywhere, it can't be driven in the rain; and there's all kinds of stupid rules that come with it! I've driven it a lot, though. And it's fast... but I've never hit the nitrous oxide!
"Agent Cody Banks 2" is already on the cards. What's the sequel going to offer?
It's going to be way more intense. We're going for a little bit of an older audience. Not way older, but 12-18 instead of 8-12-year-olds. I can't make an abrupt change from kids to adult movies because most of my fans are young. So I'm not going to be a psycho killer in an R-rated movie any time soon. After all, my fans' parents wouldn't let them see it!
"Agent Cody Banks" is released in UK cinemas on Friday 25th July 2003.
