Malcolm in the Middle Star to Fans: Leave Erik Per Sullivan Alone
After four or five asks, still a no: Justin Berfield says Erik Per Sullivan won’t return for the Malcolm in the Middle revival, even as curiosity about the elusive former child star’s private life spikes.
Malcolm in the Middle is officially back, but one very obvious question keeps popping up: where is Dewey? Justin Berfield just addressed it head-on, plus the sudden spotlight on Erik Per Sullivan all over again.
Berfield on why Erik Per Sullivan said no
On Howie Mandel Does Stuff, Berfield (now 40) said the team tried to get Erik Per Sullivan (34) to return multiple times — we’re talking four or five asks — and he turned it down every time. Mandel even floated the idea of Berfield texting Erik live to see if he would call in. No dice. No response.
Berfield also made it clear he’s not thrilled about the renewed attention on his former costar’s private life after the revival announcement sparked fresh paparazzi interest.
'Just leave Erik alone. He didn’t want to come back to the show. No hard feelings. Everyone loves him.'
What Erik has (and hasn’t) been doing
If you somehow missed the Dewey era: Sullivan broke out as the youngest brother on Malcolm in the Middle during its original 2000–2006 run. He popped up in a few other projects — Come on Over, Arthur and the Invisibles, and the 2010 drama Twelve — then stepped away from acting altogether in 2010. He’s skipped every Malcolm reunion since, which tracks with Berfield’s point that he wants to stay off the grid.
So how does the revival handle Dewey?
Hulu greenlit a new series, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, and confirmed that Dewey would be recast. Caleb Ellsworth-Clark is stepping into the role.
- Returning: Frankie Muniz (Malcolm), Bryan Cranston (Hal), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Christopher Masterson (Francis), Justin Berfield (Reese), and Emy Coligado
- Recast: Caleb Ellsworth-Clark as Dewey, originally played by Erik Per Sullivan
- New faces: Kiana Madeira, Anthony Timpano, Vaughan Murrae, and Keeley Karsten
Series creator Linwood Boomer is back as the writer. The new setup finds Malcolm and his daughter inevitably pulled into the family ’s orbit when Hal and Lois rope him into their 40th wedding anniversary plan — which is exactly the kind of well-meaning disaster you’d expect from these two.
Why Berfield came back after 20 years away
Before the premiere, Berfield explained why he walked away from acting in the first place: he started at 5, worked nonstop, did seven years on Malcolm, and eventually wanted a different lane. He went into producing, traveled, got married to Liza Almeida, had two kids, and suddenly two decades were gone.
What pulled him back now? Timing. His kids are old enough to see what Dad actually does. His eldest even watched him work on set, which he says beats just turning on the TV and pointing at an old episode. And for anyone wondering if the return felt heavy: he calls it low pressure. Sure, he wanted to do good work and hoped people would enjoy it, but mostly he just enjoyed being there again.
Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.