Bryan Cranston will be back playing the lovable father, Hal Wilkerson, in the revival of the iconic TV series Malcolm in the Middle. Most of the original cast members will be returning to reprise their roles, except Erik Per Sullivan. In a recent interview, the Breaking Bad actor revealed why Sullivan, who played the quirky and endearing Dewey in the original series, will not be revisiting the character in the upcoming miniseries.
Cranston’s conversation with Erik Per Sullivan couldn’t change his mind
The legendary sitcom of the early 2000s, titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, will be returning as a 4-episode miniseries and is set to be released on April 10, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu. With the release date inching closer, the stars of the show are on a promotional stint. In that context, Variety caught up with Cranston to discuss how Sullivan turned down hefty money to return to the franchise that made him a household name. The actor was appreciative of Sullivan sticking to his guns and not returning to the entertainment business.
While recounting a conversation about the revival with Sullivan, the Breaking Bad actor said, “I love that boy—well, he is a grown man! But he will always be a boy to me. It was such a great conversation. I talked to him too… I said, ‘Erik, this is going to be fun,’ and he goes, ‘I know, I’m so happy for all of you.’ But you really don’t want to do it? ‘No…’”
He further stated that the former child actor is deeply involved in academics and has no interest in coming back to acting in the foreseeable future.
“It wasn’t like, ‘I can’t.’ It was like, ‘I’m different. I’m not the child actor that I was. I’m an adult. I’m into academia and I’m studying and I love that world.’ And it’s like, ‘Yeah, good,’” he added.
Sullivan has been out of the spotlight for years, and he stepped away from Hollywood long before reboot talks. The last acting role of Sullivan was in the 2010 film Twelve. Thereafter, he went on to pursue higher education and focus on academia. In the reboot, the role of the adult version of Dewey will be played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.
Are you excited about Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair? Let us know in the comments section below.
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