Justin Berfield, known for his role as Reese, Malcolm’s older brother in “Malcolm in the Middle,” shared on the “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast his regret that his former castmate, Erik Per Sullivan, was brought back into the spotlight despite his refusal to reprise his role as Dewey in the show’s recent revival.
Posed with the question of whether Sullivan regretted opting out of “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair,” Berfield responded, “No. I understand they approached him numerous times. They inquired about four or five times, and each time he emphatically declined.”
Berfield further commented, “He’s a decent person, and I genuinely care for Eric. I actually feel sorry for him because he wishes to remain out of the entertainment industry, yet I’ve observed paparazzi images of him surfacing. My thought is, simply let Eric be. He chose not to rejoin the series. There’s no ill will.”
Sullivan, recognized for portraying Malcolm’s youngest sibling, Dewey, was the sole original cast member who did not participate in the reboot. Caleb Ellsworth-Clark assumed the role instead.
During a recent discussion with The Guardian, Jane Kaczmarek, who played Sullivan’s character’s mother in “Malcolm,” revealed that the production offered him a significant sum to return, but he nevertheless refused.
Kaczmarek stated that Sullivan is “currently immersed in studying Dickens and is an exceptional scholar. They presented him with a fortune to rejoin, and he simply responded, ‘No thank you.’”
The “Malcolm” revival portrays Frankie Muniz’s titular character, the middle child, as an adult with a child of his own. The narrative commences with Malcolm being drawn back into his family’s affairs when his parents, Hal (Bryan Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek), insist on his attendance at their 40th anniversary celebration. All episodes can be streamed on Hulu.