Why Actor Erik Per Sullivan Won't Return In Malcolm In The Middle Revival, Turned Down 'Buckets Of Money'

Malcolm

in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair is bringing back the title character, played by Frankie Muniz, and his zany family, more than two decades after the show ended in 2000. While most of the cast is going to reprise their roles, the part of Dewey has been recast with actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark. Actor Erik Per Sullivan who originated the role, is not coming back for the four-episode revival series, which will premiere on Hulu on April 10. In India, the series can be streamed on JioHotstar. Jane Kaczmarek, who played matriarch Lois, shed some light on why Sullivan is absent from the revival and the answer is surprising to say the least.

Why Erik Per Sullivan turned down the Malcolm in the Middle revival series

While speaking with The Guardian, actress Kaczmarek revealed that the former actor is now studying Dickens and Victorian literature. She shared, "They offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said, ‘No thank you.'" Last year, Emmy winner Bryan Cranston had said that the 33-year-old was studying for his master's degree at Harvard University. Sullivan is the only cast member of the original show who is not coming back for the revival.

Besides Muniz as Malcolm, Christopher Kennedy Masterson and Justin Berfield return as older brothers Francis and Reese, respectively. Emy Coligado stars as Francis’ wife Piama. The revival adds Anthony Timpano and Vaughan Murrae, with Keeley Karsten as Malcolm’s daughter Leah and Kiana Madeira as his girlfriend Tristan.

About Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair

The four-part series features Malcolm as an adult called back to his crazy family after his parents Hal (Cranston) and Lois (Kaczmarek) tell him he must attend their 40th anniversary party. Malcolm in the Middle ran from 2000 to 2006 on Fox and turned Muniz, Cranston, and Kaczmarek into household names. The comedy series won seven Emmys during its seven-season run.

Creator Linwood Boomer returns as writer and executive producer. Cranston is also an executive producer, while Ken Kwapis has directed all four episodes and also serves as executive producer as well.

More about Erik Per Sullivan

Sullivan stepped away from acting as an 18-year-old. Besides Malcolm in the Middle, the child actor, who began acting while he was seven, had appeared in the feature films The Cider House Rules, Unfaithful, Finding Nemo, and Christmas with the Kranks, as well as the TV shows Wonderland and The King of Queens.