Erik Per Sullivan, best known for playing Dewey in the hit sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, has turned down a lucrative offer to reprise his role in the upcoming revival series Life's Still Unfair. Instead, the former actor is focusing on his academic pursuits at Harvard University.
Jane Kaczmarek, who played Sullivan's on-screen mother Lois, revealed the surprising decision in a recent interview with The Guardian. "He's studying Charles Dickens and is an incredible student," she said. "They offered him buckets of money to come back, and he just said: 'No thank you.'"
Sullivan, now 34, has largely stepped away from acting since Malcolm in the Middle ended in 2006. His last credited role was in the 2010 thriller Twelve. After earning an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California, he is now a graduate student at Harvard, specializing in Victorian literature.
While his former co-stars—including Bryan Cranston, Frankie Muniz, and Justin Berfield—were filming the revival, Sullivan was spotted in Boston, seemingly content with his life away from the spotlight. The role of Dewey has been recast with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark for the four-episode miniseries, which premieres on April 10.
Despite his decision not to participate, Sullivan has given his blessing to the project. Cranston, who played Hal, recalled a conversation with Sullivan on the Fly on the Wall podcast:
"I talked to Erik and I said, 'Hey, we got the show! It's going to come back.' He goes, 'Oh, that's fantastic!' And I go, 'Yeah, so we're looking forward to having you back.' He goes, 'Oh, no, no, I don't want to do it. But it's fantastic.'"
The revival, titled Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, will see Malcolm reluctantly reunite with his family after years of distance. The series promises to bring back the chaotic charm that made the original a beloved classic, even without one of its original young stars.