Erik Per Sullivan, who played the beloved youngest brother Dewey on Malcolm in the Middle, is the only original cast member not returning for the upcoming Disney+ sequel series, and now Bryan Cranston is shedding light on why.
Speaking on the Fly on the Wall podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade, Cranston explained that he personally reached out to Sullivan to invite him back.
“I talked to Erik and said, ‘Hey, we got the show, it’s coming back!’ He goes, ‘Oh, that’s fantastic!’ And I said, ‘We’re really looking forward to having you involved.’
"He goes, ‘Oh, no, no. I don’t want to do it. But I’m happy for you guys,’” Cranston recalled.
According to Cranston, Sullivan has moved far away from Hollywood. “He’s actually going to Harvard, he’s really, really smart,” Cranston said. “I think he’s working on his master’s there right now. He told me, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was nine or something. I’m not into it.’”
The role of Dewey will now be played by actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The revival brings back Malcolm in the Middle’s original cast, including Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, who’s now juggling his career as a professional NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver alongside his return to the screen. The production reportedly worked around his racing schedule, and filming has just wrapped.
The hit early-2000s sitcom followed Malcolm, a gifted teen navigating life in a hilariously chaotic household. Cranston played Hal, the well-meaning but frequently overwhelmed father of four, now all grown up.
“It’s amazing to see these boys, who were once my kids on the show, now grown up and with kids of their own,” Cranston said.
Cranston also revealed he was the driving force behind bringing the show back. “It’s something I’ve been pushing for over the last 10 years,” he said. “I just kept wearing [series creator Linwood Boomer] down until one day he said, ‘I’ve got an idea.’ And I said, ‘Good.’”
The revival marks a long-awaited return for fans, even if the original Dewey sadly won’t be part of the reunion.