Malachi Barton was born with a natural talent and passion for acting. This was a love that ran deep; one that persisted throughout his childhood and adolescence, one that delivered him swiftly and neatly into his career, before many of his peers learned multiplication tables.

Known for his role as Beast Diaz in Disney’s Stuck in the Middle alongside Jenna Ortega and Ariana Greenblatt, Barton, now 18 and a high-school graduate, has been acting for over a decade while also being a full-time student, appearing in a multitude of titles: The Villains of Valley View, Under Wraps, and Under Wraps 2, and Dora and the Lost City of Gold—and these exclude his voice acting projects. Alongside his parents, both entertainers, Barton encourages open conversations about the industry on his family’s shared podcast, Momager. There, the Barton family shares their experiences raising a child actor, and how his early success manifested into a blooming career. 

With his latest project, Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, set to release this July, Barton is proving himself all the makings of a triple threat—playing protagonist Victor, Barton will showcase his acting, singing, and dancing skills. 

You’ve grown up on screen in front of millions of viewers—how has your perspective on acting changed from when you first started to now?

I started when I was 5 years old, and when you’re that little, everything is just play. I think as much as I try to keep that same “play mentality,” I connect more with each story and character on a deeper level than I did as a kid. 

You co-host a podcast with your parents where you talk about life as a family working in the entertainment industry. What’s it like collaborating with them creatively, and how has it shaped the way you support each other? 

We have always been each other’s biggest supporters. This business isn’t easy, and we have each worked in very different areas of entertainment, so it’s been fun to work with them on the Momager podcast and share cool stories of not only our journey, but the journeys of others too.

How do you think your generation is shaping the future of storytelling? Are there particular themes or voices you feel are finally getting attention?

I feel like we are the generation to tell the sides of stories that aren’t often told.  You won’t get the whole story if you only focus on information from one source, and being in the generation of social media, we get our information from so many places. No matter the theme, we want to promote honesty and give attention to the topics that aren’t necessarily getting that attention. I’m excited to see the movies, documentaries, and TV shows that my generation will create. I think it’s going to be wildly creative and laced with so much perspective and truth. 

Photographed by Selah Tennberg

Styled by Annie & Nora at The Only Agency

Written by Zoe Swintek

Grooming: Carolina Pizarro

Production Assistant: Melanie Perez