Kiana Madeira talks about joining the cast of Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, shares what it was like working with icons, and more.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair perfectly encapsulates the frantic yet heartwarming energy of the original series while showing us exactly where this dysfunctional family would be twenty years later. From the same iconic house to the familiar levels of petty rivalry, the four-episode special proves that while the characters have aged, their ability to find themselves in the middle of a disaster remains unchanged.
One of the most refreshing additions to this revival is Tristan, played by Kiana Madeira. As Malcolm’s girlfriend, Tristan is a physiotherapist who seems way out of his league. However, as the series unfolds, we learn that Tristan has her own skeletons in the closet, making her the perfect addition to the family’s beautiful chaos.
Mama’s Geeky correspondent Rachel Tolleson sat down with Kiana to discuss her experience stepping into this legendary universe, working alongside icons like Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, and why this revival is the perfect nostalgia we need right now.
Kiana Madeira Talks Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair
Mama’s Geeky: Tell us a little bit about your character, Tristan, and how she fits into the world of Malcolm.
Kiana Madeira: I play Tristan, who’s Malcolm’s girlfriend. She’s a physiotherapist. On the surface, seems like she really has everything together, kind of like the cool to Malcolm Storm, but we get to learn that she has some skeletons in her closet as well, so she’s not all she seems to be at first, and ends up being a perfect addition to their chaotic, beautiful, amazing family.
Mama’s Geeky: As a fan of the original show growing up, what was it like joining this cast and stepping onto that set?
Kiana Madeira: It was the coolest experience ever. Just like you, I was a huge fan growing up. It was easily top 3, one of my favorite shows of all time as a kid. So, getting to meet everyone and work with them was such a dream come true, and it did not disappoint. Everyone welcomed the new characters and actors with such open arms, it was such a warm environment, very fun, like, everyone just came to play and express, and no one took anything too serious. It didn’t feel like it was a high-stress environment at all. Everyone was super cool and just so happy to be there, which I think really helped translate to how much fun we were having on screen as well.
Mama’s Geeky: You mentioned that Tristan isn’t quite as perfect as she first appears. What was it like building out those layers of her character?
Kiana Madeira: It was a great first swing at the show, at my character, I think. Having the opportunity to kind of exercise all of those emotions and just kind of lay it out on there. I was able to really communicate with Ken, our director, and Linwood, the creator, and they were so cool in terms of giving validation to actors. Sometimes you’re on sets and you’re wondering, like, do they like what I’m doing? Am I doing a good job? But they were like, you are amazing, you’re doing a great job, you’re so good. I was like, oh, I love it here, like, I never want to leave.
Mama’s Geeky: What do you hope both old and new audiences take away from watching this revival?
Kiana Madeira: I really hope that new audiences and old audiences feel seen on screen. One of the reasons why I love the original show is because I really saw myself in this family because they’re not perfect. And I think in TV land, it’s so easy to tell stories about families that are not super realistic, and like, this family, yes, they’re crazy, yes, they’re chaotic, yes, they run from each other, and they yell at each other, and they fight, but there’s so much love at the core, and I just think it’s so truthful to real life. Like, you don’t have to be the perfect family, and you could have a lot of dysfunction, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love each other. So I really hope that audiences, new and old, continue to see themselves in these characters.
To hear more about Kiana Madeira’s favorite scenes from the original series – including a deep dive into Lois’ infamous parking lot brawl – and what it was like sharing a transport van with Jane Kaczmarek, be sure to watch our full video interview.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
