Malcolm in the Middle’s ‘Dewey’ Erik Per Sullivan spotted for first time in 18 years as he skips reboot for grad school
Malcolm in the Middle star Erik Per Sullivan, who famously played Dewey on the hit sitcom, has been spotted for the first time since 2007 in exclusive photos from The U.S. Sun.
The actor, who became a fan-favorite as the lovable but mischievous youngest brother on the Emmy-winning series, hasn’t been seen in over 18 years after he left the Hollywood spotlight to pursue his education.
Erik, 33, is the only original main cast member of Malcolm in the Middle that will not be returning for the highly-anticipated Disney+ reboot.
Frankie Muniz, 39, will be back to play the titular role while TV icons Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are returning to play his hilarious parents, Hal and Lois.
Christopher Masterson, who played eldest brother Francis and Justin Berfield, who was known as the trouble-making sibling Reese, are also set to return.
However, Erik won’t be there to complete the family – as his beloved role of Dewey will be recast with Fargo actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.
Erik, who has not been pictured publicly since 2007, chose to leave acting in the 00s and live a quieter life.
He is currently attending a Massachusetts university where he is a graduate student studying Victorian literature.
In photos obtained exclusively by The U.S. Sun, Erik looked dapper as he ran errands around his neighborhood just outside of the city.
He was bundled up in a grey sweater with army green jeans as he unloaded bags of groceries from his gorgeous lilac home.
Erik’s hair is longer and a darker brown than fans are used to seeing from his time on the show – where he was only seven years old when the cast began to film season 1.
Other pictures show Erik wearing a grey flat cap and thick brown coat while grabbing coffee and running more errands in town.
He also stepped out in jeans and a double-breasted coat to walk his two adorable large dogs around the streets of his Boston-suburb home.
The former child star appeared healthy and happy after trading Hollywood for life on the East Coast.
In more recent years, Erik has been working toward his graduate degree in Victorian literature.
While fans have not seen or heard from Erik in decades, his TV mom, Jane Kaczmarek, gave a rare update about him last year.
In an interview with Malcolm France, a YouTube channel dedicated to Malcolm in the Middle, Jane, 69, revealed that Erik was doing “very well.”
“He’s doing very well. He did Malcolm for seven years, he started at seven, he ended at 14. He wasn’t interested in acting, at all,” she said of his different path.
She added: “He goes to school at a very prestigious American university. He loves Charles Dickens.
“He’s doing graduate work in Victorian literature. I admire it because so many people think being in show business is the greatest thing in the world, it’s not for everyone.”
While Jane appears to be in more contact with Erik, his TV brother, Frankie, does not seem to be close.
In an interview that also asked about what Erik was up to these days, Frankie admitted: “To be honest, I don’t know what he’s up to.
“I hate to say that because I’ve talked to him a few times since the show ended.
“I’ve talked to his parents a lot. When I was in the band, we went and played in the city where he lives and his parents came to the show but unfortunately he couldn’t make it.
“So I got to talk to them, and he’s been all over doing a lot of different things.
“But one thing I know, some actors or some people just got to do it when they were a kid and then they wanted to experience other things and kind of live a more normal life out of the spotlight.
“I think that’s what he wanted to do so good for him.”
YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME NOW
Earlier this month, Disney+ announced that the streamer would be rebooting the Fox comedy series – which ran for 151 episodes from 2000 until 2006.
The premise of the reboot states: “Malcolm and his daughter are drawn into the family’s chaos when Hal and Lois demand his presence for their 40th wedding anniversary party.”
The four-episode special is set to begin production in the coming weeks in Vancouver, Canada.
During its original successful run, the show won seven Emmys and snagged hundreds of other prestigious nominations – including seven Golden Globes nods.
Inside the Malcolm in the Middle reboot
The highly anticipated reboot of Malcolm in the Middle has officially been announced, with Disney+ confirming the full cast lineup and a surprising recast of a key role.
Fans of the beloved sitcom, which originally aired for seven series between 2000 and 2006, are thrilled to see the Wilkerson family’s chaotic antics return to the screen nearly two decades after the show’s finale.
The original series centered around the lives of the Wilkersons, a dysfunctional working-class family navigating life’s ups and downs in their uniquely comedic way.
Frankie Muniz played the titular character Malcolm, a gifted child constantly at odds with his eccentric family.
Muniz also served as the series’ voiceover, providing insight into Malcolm’s thoughts and frustrations throughout the show’s run.
Disney+ has opted for a limited reboot, with only four episodes planned.
While fans may be disappointed by the short run, the announcement has generated much excitement, as the revival will see several original cast members reprising their iconic roles.
Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek will return as Hal and Lois, the hilariously unconventional parents of the Wilkerson clan.
Frankie Muniz will also step back into Malcolm’s shoes, much to fans’ delight, while Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield are confirmed to reprise their roles as older brothers Francis and Reese.
However, the reboot has made headlines with the recasting of Malcolm’s younger brother Dewey.
Erik Per Sullivan, who originally played Dewey, has chosen not to return, marking a significant change for the beloved character.
Erik Per Sullivan’s absence is not entirely unexpected, as the former child star retired from acting in 2010 and has notably avoided participating in any Malcolm in the Middle reunions over the years.
Dewey will now be played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark, an actor who bears an uncanny resemblance to Sullivan and promises to bring the same charm to the character that fans adored in the original series.
Another casting change involves Malcolm’s youngest brother Jamie, who was a toddler at the end of the original series.
Jamie will now be portrayed by Anthony Timpano, a rising star in Hollywood.
Timpano’s casting offers an opportunity to explore Jamie’s character in greater depth as he transitions from the background to a more prominent role in the reboot.
In addition to the return of familiar faces, the reboot introduces Vaughan Murrae as Kelly, the Wilkersons’ youngest child.
Fans of the original series will recall that Lois was holding a positive pregnancy test in the series finale, hinting at the arrival of a new family member.