Who Plays Dewey In The Malcolm In The Middle Revival Life's Still Unfair?

It's been 20 years since "Malcolm in the Middle" graced audiences with hilariously dysfunctional family dynamics every Sunday night. Now, those antics are back in full force with the Hulu miniseries "Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair." The original cast is returning for this highly anticipated revival, including star Frankie Muniz and his on-screen parents Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, as well as Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield, who portray Malcolm's older brothers Francis and Reese. However, there's one main character who has been recast: Dewey.

Originally played by Erik Per Sullivan, Malcolm's quirky little brother is being brought to life in the revival by Caleb Ellsworth-Clark. Since 2013, Ellsworth-Clark has been part of numerous well-known projects, such as "Fargo," "Spiral," "The Silencing," "The Handmaid's Tale," and "The Thicket." Still, most of these roles — Drunk Jim, Bike Courier, Taller Brother, and Guardian #1, respectively — are smaller, background characters.

While Dewey isn't the lead in "Malcolm in the Middle," he is a complex individual that gives Ellsworth-Clark a lot more to work with than most of his past roles. In "Life's Still Unfair," he has a unique opportunity to introduce Dewey as an adult and dive into the impact of his not-so-easy childhood, which was riddled with parental neglect and sibling bullying. Was Dewey able to distance himself from the dysfunction, or is he continuing the cycle?

Hailing from Calgary, Caleb Ellsworth-Clark is no stranger to acting, having grown up in a theater-loving household. He even studied theater at Mount Royal University and appeared in a number of plays, including "Body Awareness." But Dewey — his biggest role to date — is unlike anything he's done before. The opportunity came about through a casting call, with Ellsworth-Clark the top pick amongst a room full of Dewey hopefuls.

A fan of the original "Malcolm in the Middle" series, he's thrilled to become part of this comedically dysfunctional universe and act alongside the likes of Frankie Muniz and Bryan Cranston, the latter of whom has been working toward a reboot for several years. However, there are naturally some nerves as he enters this established group of actors... and fans.

"I know that Dewey is a lot of people's favorite character and the way that character was portrayed by Erik Per Sullivan," he said in an interview with Calgary Herald. "I don't want to disappoint anyone just by not being that guy. But at the same time, I want to be here and I'm grateful for the opportunity, and maybe it's okay that Dewey is a little different."

After "Malcolm in the Middle" ended in 2006, the career of original Dewey actor Erik Per Sullivan didn't last very long. Following appearances in a handful of lesser-known projects and Joel Schumacher's poorly-received crime thriller "Twelve," which has a measly 3% score on the Tomatometer, Sullivan completely stepped away from acting. In fact, it wasn't until April 2025 — when a smiling Sullivan was photographed in Boston going to grab a coffee — that he was recognized publicly for the first time in 18 years.

In 2024, his on-screen mother Jane Kaczmarek said in an interview with Malcolm France, "He started at 7, he ended at 14. He wasn't interested in acting at all. He goes to school at a very prestigious American university that he's asked us all to be quiet about. And he loves Charles Dickens. He's doing graduate work in Victorian literature. I admire it because so many people think being in show business is just the greatest thing in the world. It's not for everybody."

Though he was invited to step back into Dewey's shoes for "Life's Still Unfair," he declined, preferring to hold fast to the quiet and peaceful existence he built for himself. But there's no hard feelings — his former cast members respect his decision, and he's all for having someone else portray Dewey. Frankie Muniz told New York Post, "We had his blessing from day one to have the role be in the show and recast it. So I hope people aren't too upset that he didn't come back, but it was by his choice."