Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Casts New Actor as Dewey

The revival of "Malcolm in the Middle" is officially moving forward with nearly the entire original cast reprising their roles. However, there is one notable absence: Dewey, the beloved TV little brother. Erik Per Sullivan, the original actor, will not return for the reboot. Instead, the role will be played by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.

Bryan Cranston, who plays the family patriarch, recently shared this news on Dana Carvey and David Spade's "Fly on the Wall" podcast. "I reached out to Erik and said, 'Hey, we have the show! It’s coming back,'" Cranston recounted. "He replied, 'Oh, that’s amazing!' I then said, 'Great, we’re excited to have you on board again.' But he responded, 'Oh, no, no. I’m not interested in doing it. Still, that’s wonderful news.'"

The former actor, now 33 years old, has a compelling reason for declining the offer. "He’s actually attending Harvard," Cranston explained during the podcast. "He’s extremely bright and is currently pursuing his master’s degree there. He told me, 'Oh, wow, no—I haven’t acted since I was around nine years old. It’s just not something I’m passionate about anymore.'"

After the series originally aired from 2002 to 2006, Sullivan stepped away from acting four years later at age 19 to explore other interests. Clearly, that decision has led him on an impressive path, even if it didn’t involve performing. As for the returning cast, Cranston will be joined by Frankie Muniz as Malcolm, along with Jane Kaczmarek, Justin Berfield, and Christopher Masterson.

Filming for the revival concluded last month. While an official release date has not yet been set, the series—which will consist of four half-hour episodes—is expected to stream on Disney+ in the near future.