What Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle does now 18 years after ditching Hollywood for new career

While Malcolm himself may have remained in the public eye (in various different ways), the same can’t be said for some others from Malcolm in the Middle.

As fans of the hit noughties sitcom know, the actor who played Dewey pretty much ditched Hollywood not long after and has hardly been seen since.

Now 34 years old, Erik Per Sullivan’s last acting credit was in 2010 when he starred in the film Twelve and hasn’t even been spotted at cast reunions.

And when it was confirmed that a Malcolm in the Middle reboot would be coming, many people got hopeful that the original actor would be returning.

But unfortunately, it quickly became clear that wasn’t the case, with the character recast and Caleb Ellsworth-Clark stepping into his shoes.

Per Sullivan isn't said to be returning with his cast mates. ( SGranitz/WireImage)

It seems even stars of the show had the same hope that Per Sullivan would come back though, as Bryan Cranston (who played dad Hal) proved.

“I talked to Erik and I said, ‘Hey, we got the show! It’s gonna 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 that you are,’” the star said on the Fly on the Wall podcast.

There’s been many years of mystery circulating Per Sullivan as the former child star gets on with his life beyond acting.

But having been spotted in Boston a few times, it seems he’s been rising through the ranks in education and focusing on his passions.

“He’s actually going to Harvard,” Cranston continued. “He’s really, really smart, and I think he’s getting his master’s at Harvard right now. He said, ‘Oh God, no, I haven’t acted since I was nine or something. So I’m not into it.'”

Jane Kaczmarek also echoed these comments as she previously said the Dewey actor ‘wasn’t interested in acting, at all’.

Per Sullivan has left Hollywood behind. (Will Ragozzino/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

The Lois actor added in the past: “He's doing graduate work in Victorian literature. I admire it because so many people think being in show business is the greatest thing in the world, it's not for everyone.”

Back in 2017, lead star Frankie Muniz said he’d spoke to Per Sullivan ‘a few times since the show ended’ as well as his parents.

“One thing I know, some actors or some people just got to do it when they were a kid and then they wanted to experience other things and kind of live a more normal life out of the spotlight,” he added. “I think that's what he wanted to do so good for him."

Muniz, Kaczmarek and Cranston are all appearing in the new reboot, set to premiere on Disney+ in December.