The 2026 revival of Malcolm in the Middle, titled Life's Still Unfair, introduces Kelly, the sixth and youngest child of Hal and Lois Wilkerson, played by Canadian nonbinary actor Vaughan Murrae. The four-episode miniseries, released in full on 10 April 2026 on Disney+/Hulu, reunites most of the original cast, including Frankie Muniz (Malcolm), Bryan Cranston (Hal), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Christopher Masterson (Francis), Justin Berfield (Reese), and Caleb Ellsworth-Clark as the recast Dewey.
Who Is Vaughan Murrae in the Malcolm in the Middle Revival?
Vaughan Murrae, born 25 September 2005 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, plays Kelly, a self-sufficient, studious, and nonbinary character who serves as the family's informant. Kelly is the only Wilkerson sibling without a police file and earns strong grades, distinguishing them from the chaotic household. The character's presence was hinted at in the original series finale when Lois revealed she was pregnant again.
Murrae's portrayal marks their first comedy role. Described as sharing traits with older brother Malcolm—intelligent and capable but a somewhat selfish trickster—Kelly brings a new dynamic to the family. In an early plotline, Kelly battles older brother Reese in a reputation-ruining contest. Murrae told The Mary Sue: "I find that Kelly is a character that prides themselves on justice and doing good and not being a bad child. But then Reese is very much the opposite of that. But Kelly's not above vengeance."
Why Is Kelly Nonbinary?
Creator Linwood Boomer and executive producer Tracy Katsky explained the decision in a 9 April interview with Deadline. Katsky revealed it was deeply personal, noting that three of her four children are different. She said: "Three out of four of our kids are [redacted], and without making it a thing and without making an issue, I think it's really nice to have a character that—that's just a facet of their personality as opposed to the entire story."
In the revival, Kelly's nonbinary identity is woven seamlessly into the show's comedic world rather than treated as a central plot point, marking a meaningful step for LGBTQ+ representation in the series.
Vaughan Murrae's Career Before the Revival
Murrae began their career at age 12 with Anita Norris Model Management in Hamilton, choosing acting as their principal focus while taking minor modelling assignments. They questioned their identity during grade school, first identifying as a lesbian in fifth grade before coming out as nonbinary.
Their breakthrough came in 2022 with the film Before I Change My Mind, set in 1987, where they played Robin, a new student forging a complicated bond with the school bully. For this leading role, Murrae became the first nonbinary actor to win the Boccalino d'Oro (Golden Jug) for Best Performance at the 75th Locarno Film Festival. The jury amended the award's name to be gender-neutral, changing it to "Best Acting Performance." Murrae told Schön! Magazine: "The Boccalino d'Oro means Golden Jug. The ceremony was founded by journalists; it's like an independent critic's award. For the Locarno Film Festival, they changed the name. I was very shocked because I didn't even know the award was for me at first."
In 2024, Murrae appeared as Casey "KC" Goodwin in the Hallmark series The Way Home. The character was originally written as female, but after Murrae's audition, producers changed the pronouns to match their nonbinary identity. Earlier credits include roles as Slone in Apple TV+'s Ghostwriter (2020) and Kat in the web series The Solutioneers (2021).
Personal Life, Pronouns, and Latest News
Murrae uses they/them pronouns. They came out to their mother Annastacia via text after discovering an Instagram post about they/them pronouns at a friend's place. Her reply was: "I'm already practicing." Annastacia has since become a vocal advocate for her child, working to ensure Vaughan's safety and rights at school.
Murrae speaks fluent English, intermediate French, and beginner Italian and Korean, and is skilled in martial arts including Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing. They have 137,000 Instagram followers under the handle @vaughanmurrae.
Speaking about joining the established cast, Murrae told Awards Radar: "I think that that's also why it's so important to have things like Malcolm, especially now… we can still laugh at ourselves… And I'm hoping that people are able to look at Kelly and have hope that things might get better." In an interview with The Direct, they said they wanted fans to "feel like Kelly has been in the family like forever," adding: "They're a character that is, I think quite wise and down-to-earth, but they're not above the crazy."
No verified net worth figure has been published for Murrae by major outlets, with industry speculation suggesting under $1 million, though unconfirmed. Their income comes from acting, modelling, public appearances, and entertainment collaborations.
