About Malachi Barton
Before fame
Born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Barton was introduced to the entertainment world through his musically inclined family. In a 2026 interview with PEOPLE, he recalled being noticed by a studio owner while dancing to Justin Bieber at age four; that connection eventually led him to the manager he began working with at five.
He appeared in advertisements and took early television parts, including credits on Workaholics and See Dad Run. His family relocated to the Los Angeles area as his acting opportunities grew.
At eight, he landed the part of Beast Diaz in Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle, the family comedy that ran for three seasons from 2016 to 2018. Working on that series with other young performers helped establish his screen career and opened the door to later television and film projects.
Trivia and noteworthy facts
Barton began his breakthrough Disney Channel role as Beast Diaz in Stuck in the Middle at just eight years old, appearing across three seasons.
His feature-film debut came in Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019), where he portrayed a younger version of Diego.
He voiced Lionel in Disney Junior’s animated series Fancy Nancy, demonstrating his versatility as a voice actor.
He starred as Marshall in Disney’s Halloween adventure Under Wraps (2021) and returned for Under Wraps 2 (2022).
In The Villains of Valley View, he played Colby Madden, also known by his superhero identity, Flashform.
He portrayed the vampire Victor in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (2025) and participated in Disney’s Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour.
In 2026, he joined the cast of Camp Rock 3 as Fletch, acting alongside Liamani Segura and the returning Jonas Brothers.
On August 28, 2026, he released his solo pop single “Stay for the Credits,” marking an important step in his music career beyond Disney soundtracks.
Family life
Barton is the only child of Felicia and Loren Barton. His mother is a singer-songwriter who competed on American Idol, while his father has worked as a guitarist and tour manager.
Barton has described growing up in a creative home where both parents pursued careers in entertainment. The family moved from Virginia Beach to the Los Angeles area as his acting career developed.
In 2025, Malachi joined his parents in hosting MOMager, a family podcast about working in the entertainment industry and navigating its challenges together. He has publicly credited his family with helping him maintain perspective as his Disney career expanded.
Associated with
Jenna Ortega — Played his onscreen sister Harley Diaz in Stuck in the Middle. Barton has publicly praised her kindness and professionalism.
Ariana Greenblatt — Appeared alongside Barton in Stuck in the Middle, portraying Daphne Diaz.
Freya Skye — Co-starred with Barton in Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and performed alongside him on the Worlds Collide Tour.
Liamani Segura — Played Sage opposite Barton's character Fletch in Camp Rock 3 (2026).
Meg Donnelly — Appeared with Barton in the Zombies franchise and helped welcome the younger cast members.
Milo Manheim — Worked with Barton on Zombies 4 and has been described by Barton as a supportive, older-brother figure.
