Where Is ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Star Erik Per Sullivan (Dewey) Now — and Why Isn’t He in the Revival?

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, 2000-2006, Erik Per Sullivan, — 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection

What To Know

Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey on Malcolm in the Middle, is not returning for the revival.
Sullivan left acting in 2010 to focus on his education.
He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Harvard.

Longtime fans of Malcolm in the Middle are pleased to see the show among the recent revivals. The revival is set to star most of the main cast, including Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Masterson, and Justin Berfield. However, Erik Per Sullivan is not returning as Dewey; Caleb Ellsworth-Clark will take over the role. So, where is Sullivan now, and why didn’t he rejoin the rest of the cast?

Turns out, he has a very exciting road ahead of him, as he is attending Harvard instead of going back to Hollywood.

Malcolm in the Middle premiered on January 9, 2000, and made audiences laugh and ponder as they watched the wacky middle-class family. Sullivan played Dewey, the youngest brother, for much of the show’s run, and while many of his co-stars stayed in the spotlight after the series ended in 2006, Sullivan chose a very different path.

MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, Erik Per Sullivan (as Dewey),

20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection

During his short child star career, he appeared in films like The Cider House Rules, where he played Fuzzy, and Unfaithful opposite Diane Lane, as well as Joe Dirt and Wendigo. He also had a memorable supporting role in Christmas with the Kranks and voiced Sheldon the Seahorse in Finding Nemo.

Sullivan quietly stepped away from acting in 2010 after appearing in the film Twelve, effectively ending his career before he turned 20. Unlike many former child stars, he did not transition into adult roles or attempt to stay visible in Hollywood. Instead, he shifted his focus toward education, something that had reportedly always been important to him. Former co-star Kaczmarek has said he was studying Victorian literature, about a year ago, when he was spotted by TMZ.

More recently, Cranston offered one of the clearest updates on Sullivan’s life, confirming both his absence from the revival and what he is doing instead. “I talked to Erik, and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s going to come back,'” Cranston recalled, according to Variety. “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.'” Cranston also shared that Sullivan is now pursuing higher education, explaining, “He’s actually going to Harvard. He’s really, really smart, and he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now. He said, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was 9 or something. So I’m not into it.'”