Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair will bring us all the nostalgia from the early 2000s, with most of the cast reprising their roles — except one. Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey in the original series, was noticeably replaced by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark in the role. Naturally, fans are curious why Erik declined the reboot after he was offered “buckets of money to come back,” according to Jane Kaczmarek, who is reprising her role as Lois.
“He’s studying Dickens and is an incredible student — they offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said: ‘No thank you,’” Jane told The Guardian ahead of the show’s April 10, 2026, release date.
Below, Hollywood Life explains where Erik is now and why he was the only original Malcolm in the Middle cast member not returning for the reboot.
Where Is Erik Per Sullivan Now? Post-Malcolm in the Middle Days
Erik has retired from acting. He now leads a private life and focuses on academia.
What Other Movies & Shows Did Erik Per Sullivan Star in?
While starring in Malcolm in the Middle for six years, Erik also appeared in a handful of films and shows, including The Cider House Rules, Unfaithful and Christmas With the Kranks.
Why Did Erik Per Sullivan Decline the Malcolm in the Middle Reboot?
Despite the apparent “buckets of money” the production team offered Erik, he turned down the offer because he’s not an actor anymore.
In fact, Bryan Cranston previously revealed that his former on-screen son was “the only one who didn’t come back to act in the show” because of the new life he’s living.
“He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now,” Bryan said during a June 2025 episode of the “Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade” podcast. “He said, ‘Oh, God no. I haven’t acted since I was 9 or something, so I’m not into it.’”
Although Erik made it clear he wasn’t interested in coming back, the former child actor said he thought it was “fantastic” that Malcolm was getting a reboot, according to Bryan.
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