Here's What Brick Heck From The Middle Looks Like Now

For nine seasons, "The Middle" entertained households with its realistic portrayal of the middle-class American life through the eyes of the Heck family. While fans continue to revisit the ABC sitcom through streaming platforms and episode reruns, many have wondered where the cast are now. Among the cast members who have sparked the most curiosity is Atticus Shaffer, the actor behind the quirky, intelligent, and book-loving Brick Heck, who won hearts around the world with his classic one-liners and deadpan humor.

After 215 episodes, "The Middle" went off the air in 2018. For those hoping for a reboot, that seems unlikely, as Patricia Heaton, who played Frankie Heck, told Yahoo! Entertainment that the hit show was perfect the way it started and ended "and you don't wanna mess with perfection."

The cast of "The Middle" has moved on, including Shaffer, who has made a remarkable personal and professional evolution. The actor is heavily involved in acting, voice work, and advocacy, while remaining connected to the fans who watched him grow up on screen.

Atticus Shaffer was born with Type IV osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic skeletal disorder that causes bone fragility, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The disorder causes soft bones that may break easily, and Shaffer knows all about this. The actor shared on the "Pure Flix" show in 2019 that he's had many fractures in his life, and had plates, screws, rods inserted to stabilize his bones and repair fractures. "I do know pain," he asserted. However, that hasn't stopped "The Middle" star from having a positive outlook on life, even developing a mindset that refuses to let his condition define him.

"For my case specifically, I never view myself as a 'disabled person' but rather 'a person who happens to have a medical condition,'" Shaffer told Future of Personal Health. "This doesn't nullify the very real pains, challenges, and hardships I've faced, but it also doesn't make my condition a prison, physically or mentally."

Shaffer has advocated for people with OI and given a caution to the medical industry not to take a "one size fits all" approach to treating this medical conditions. Shaffer also inspired people with OI to advocate and fight for themselves when seeking medical treatment. "My mother had to fight — and I mean fight — very hard in order for me to get into the correct facilities, with the correct doctors, who gave me the proper treatment I needed to have the foundation to be a functioning adult today."

Since "The Middle" ended in 2018, Atticus Shaffer has never kissed Hollywood goodbye. The actor continued to book roles, with the holiday comedy "I'll Be Next Door for Christmas" being one of his first acting credits following his nine-season run as Brick Heck. In the film, he played the role of Archie, a socially awkward actor caught in the middle of the shenanigans of a teenager trying to hide her family's Christmas obsession from her doting boyfriend.

In 2020, Shaffer had a guest appearance in Mindy Kaling's "Never Have I Ever," playing a Model United Nations participant representing Russia in Season 1, Episode 5. When asked about the experience on "DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast" in 2022, he couldn't help but be proud about his cameo. "It was so terrific," he said. "Even though I never had the chance of actually meeting [Kaling], she hires excellent people. Everybody from the director down to production assistants were the most lovely people that I've had the chance of being able to work with in the industry. I absolutely adored it."

Atticus Shaffer's transformation has not gone unnoticed by fans of "The Middle." While many recognize him as the bookworm Brick Heck, he has successfully carved out a career path in voice acting. Over the years, he has lent his voice to numerous animated projects, including Disney's "The Lion Guard," "Star vs. the Forces of Evil," and "Pete the Cat." Out of all his voice acting roles, "The Lion Guard" is the one he wishes he could go back to, as revealed in an episode of "Atticus Shaffer Eats" in 2025. It's not hard to see why, as Shaffer's role as Ono, a smart egret and one of the core members of the guard, is his most recognizable voice performance. "The Lion Guard" ended in 2019 after a successful three-season run.

Shaffer's voice acting filmography is long, and includes roles in Tim Burton's "Frankenweenie," "Cartoon Network's "Steven Universe," and Disney Junior's "Firebuds." His voice acting is so great that it was deserving of a nomination at the 2013 Annie Awards for Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production.

Atticus Shaffer uses social media as a window into his personal life. The actor regularly posts on Instagram, where he shares updates on his hobbies, acting roles, and personal interests, like cosplaying as a soldier, a leprechaun, and an Easter bunny. He's also posted several clips from his time on "The Middle" that gain a lot of attention from fans, including compilations of Brick Heck's funniest whispering moments. He's also active on X, but has a smaller following in comparison to his Instagram account.

Shaffer joined Instagram for the first time in 2018 and uploaded a YouTube video explaining how the sign-up process was for him. "Apparently, there are Atticus Shaffer's on there — they aren't me," he said, referring to the other accounts which were created in his name because he delayed opening an official account for so long. The "Hancock" actor boasts over 90,000 followers on Instagram as of this writing.

Atticus Shaffer's reason for not joining social media along with the rest of the world was due to him building a brand outside of acting with his YouTube channel. Named AtticusShafferVlog, the account has over 71,000 followers as of this writing, with 358 videos full of the actor's personality. He joined the video platform back in 2013 and has posted everything, from his experiences filming "The Middle" for nine seasons to his love of food. The actor has transitioned to posting food-related content under the series "Atticus Shaffer Eats" and seems to enjoy trying meals from fast-food joints in the United States, like Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's. 

The shift to food-related content came naturally to the "The Lion Guard" actor because food is a big part of his life. In a 2020 episode of the "Life & Laughs" podcast, he described himself as a "Hobbit" who consumes several meals a day. "So when you read 'The Hobbit' book, what are the meals there? You have breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper, and there might be a snack," he explained. "Yeah, that's me." Aside from shoving his face with the latest meal that tickles his fancy, Shaffer connects with fans and answers their burning questions.

Atticus Shaffer has made himself easily accessible on Cameo, the celebrity video platform that allows fans to purchase heartfelt messages from public figures. "The Middle" fans get the opportunity to receive personalized greetings from the actor who brought the iconic Brick Heck to life. He joined the platform in 2022 and is proving to be a massive success in terms of reviews. One anonymous fan commented, "Atticus did such a great job with this video message, it was very sincere and kind, the perfect birthday gift for a The Middle fan....Thank you so much Atticus!!"

Ultimately, the actor has a larger objective for building a fanbase on Cameo. According to his profile, proceeds from the site are geared toward building his production company, Ambulo Supero Films. This ambition is no doubt laudable as Shaffer already has the industry experience and a massive fanbase. All that is left is the capital which he is now sourcing.

The argument that gaming isn't as bad as you think has found an unlikely ambassador in Atticus Shaffer. The actor is a proud video-game nerd and has turned his passion for controllers into a booming career in content creation. Through his YouTube channel and Twitch streams, he waves his gamer flag high as he discusses and plays trending games like "Back 4 Blood," "Call of Duty," and "Escape From Tarkov."

In 2016, Shaffer told The Credits that Brick Heck's interests mirror his own. "He's definitely the nerdy type. I am a big nerd and am very proud of it," he said. Brick loved to play "Planet Nowhere," and Shaffer, like him, loves immersive reality games. If you're a gamer and a fan of "The Middle," then you've found a kindred spirit in Shaffer — and who knows, maybe you might find him on a gaming server and battle him in the next "Call of Duty" adventure.

Brick Heck from "The Middle" today is thriving spiritually. Atticus Shaffer is a devout Christian and has openly discussed his faith with the world and how his struggles with a rare genetic disorder brought him closer to God. 

The actor credits osteogenesis imperfecta and the pain he's experienced with helping him see life through a different lens, and even though it's tough, he keeps going with the help of God. "It's helped me to be more empathetic and be more compassionate. And really, you get placed in situations where you have to depend on God," he said on "Pure Flix."

Shaffer got baptized at the age of 15 and has never regretted his decision. He sees his unique position as an actor to be an opportunity to preach to people. He often uses his social media to encourage his fans to read the Bible, pray, and act in ways that are befitting of a true Christian.

In 2025, the word on the street was that the superhero film "Hancock" would be getting a sequel after over a decade. This was teased by none other than "Hancock" star Will Smith who appeared on xQc's livestream (via X) and discuss the second film. "There's a really cool 'Hancock 2' idea," Smith revealed. "We haven't even talked about it." Smith also mentioned that Emmy-award-winning actor Zendaya would be approached for a role in the supposed new film.

Atticus Shaffer got wind of this and pitched himself to reprise his role in "Hancock 2." He had a minor role in the original film as Boy at Bus Bench who not-so-eloquently shook Will Smith's character to resolve mayhem that was occurring in the city. "I'm looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out. Just curious though ... who here thinks it'd be cool to have me make a cameo in the sequel, reprising my role from the original?" Shaffer asked in a 2025 Instagram post.

The real-life partners of "The Middle" cast has long been a source of curiosity for fans, but Atticus Shaffer has kept much of his romantic life private. While he's never been spotted dating anyone, he has opened up about his views on relationships and marriage from a Christian perspective. In a 2018 YouTube video created in response to requests from fans, he shared his thoughts on courtship and commitment.

"Dating, to me, is not all about sex," he stated. "As Christians, definitely, we have a moral compass that is the opposite of what is going on in the world." Going into a deep-dive into what it means to honor God, the actor revealed that he is saving himself for marriage and chooses to not engage in behavior contrary to the Bible's standards.

As for his future mate, he believes there is one woman out there in the world whom God has set apart to be his wife. "For me, dating is about getting to know different people and being able to see 'Is this the person that God has chosen to be my wife?' and then I will be their husband," he told his audience.