Bryan Cranston reveals why Erik Per Sullivan declined Malcolm in the Middle revival
Much of the original Malcolm in the Middle cast is reuniting for a Disney+ revival, but Erik Per Sullivan, who famously played Dewey, will not be returning. Bryan Cranston recently revealed the reason behind Sullivan's absence during his appearance on the Fly on the Wall podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade.
Cranston, who reprises his role as the well-meaning father Hal, described revisiting the character as 'rewarding.' When asked about Sullivan, now 33, Cranston shared that he had reached out personally. '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.''
Despite the enthusiasm, Sullivan, who is currently pursuing a master's degree at Harvard, made it clear he has moved on from acting. 'He said, 'Oh God, no, I haven't acted since I was 9 or something. So I'm not into it,'' Cranston added.
As a result of his decision, the role of Dewey has been recast, with actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark (Wynonna Earp) stepping in. It remains to be seen whether the series will address this casting change in a meta or humorous way. The four-episode revival is set to premiere on Disney+ in December.
Cranston also noted that he had been advocating for a reunion for over a decade. Show creator Linwood Boomer was initially hesitant but eventually agreed after years of persuasion.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Bryan Cranston reveals why Erik Per Sullivan declined Malcolm in the Middle revival
Much of the original Malcolm in the Middle cast is reuniting for a Disney+ revival, but Erik Per Sullivan, who famously played Dewey, will not be returning. Bryan Cranston recently revealed the reason behind Sullivan's absence during his appearance on the Fly on the Wall podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade. Cranston, who reprises his role as the well-meaning father Hal, described revisiting the character as 'rewarding.' When asked about Sullivan, now 33, Cranston shared that he had reached out personally. '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.'' Despite the enthusiasm, Sullivan, who is currently pursuing a master's degree at Harvard, made it clear he has moved on from acting. 'He said, 'Oh God, no, I haven't acted since I was 9 or something. So I'm not into it,'' Cranston added. As a result of his decision, the role of Dewey has been recast, with actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark (Wynonna Earp) stepping in. It remains to be seen whether the series will address this casting change in a meta or humorous way. The four-episode revival is set to premiere on Disney+ in December. Cranston also noted that he had been advocating for a reunion for over a decade. Show creator Linwood Boomer was initially hesitant but eventually agreed after years of persuasion.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Labubu-maker Pop Mart diversifies into jewellery with new concept store
SHANGHAI: 'Blind box' toymaker Pop Mart, which has seen frenzied sales worldwide for products related to its ugly-cute Labubu character, opened its first jewellery store in Shanghai on Friday. The jewellery concept store, called Popop, sells accessories adorned with Pop Mart's top-selling characters, including Labubu, Molly and Skullpanda. While Chinese consumption remains subdued in the face of a prolonged property downturn and sluggish economy, Pop Mart's affordable and adorable toys have remained in high demand both at home and abroad, driving its share price up more than 200% so far this year. Investor Zhang Ming, 34, who owns Pop Mart stocks worth 100 million yuan ($13.92 million), flew from his base in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing for the opening to check out the new store type and decide whether to increase his shareholding in the company. 'I believe that the pricing and target audience for this brand are particularly well-suited, and I am confident that Pop Mart could potentially become China's version of Disney,' Zhang said, predicting that the company's market cap could double from its current $45.65 billion valuation. Along with some Disney characters and others related to anime, comics and popular video games, Pop Mart's characters are seen as fulfilling what has been called 'emotional consumption', which sees young consumers spend on affordable luxuries that bring joy into their lives. Fang Ke, 35, who has a birthday coming up this month decided to treat herself to a 699 yuan Labubu bracelet at the opening. 'I've loved Pop Mart for a long time; it's good-looking, brightly coloured, and also has a visual impact,' she said. 'My daughter likes it too.' At Popop, prices start at around 350 yuan for charms or a simple silver ring, and go as high as 2699 yuan for necklaces adorned with metallic models of the characters. Most pieces are priced at under 1,000 yuan. At a traditional Pop Mart store, the 'blind box' toys that the chain is best known for generally sell for 69 yuan and up, but consumers have shown a willingness to shell out much more for limited editions. Earlier this week, a Beijing auction house sold a human-sized Labubu figure for 1.08 million yuan, setting a new record and marking the toy's switch from craze to collectible.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Disney, NBCU wage war against AI: Midjourney gets slapped with lawsuit
The Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal have filed a lawsuit against AI company Midjourney, alleging that the company's image-generating service infringes on their copyrighted works. This legal action, lodged in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, marks the first significant lawsuit studios have initiated against an AI company. The lawsuit accuses Midjourney of functioning as a 'virtual vending machine' for unauthorized copies of copyrighted characters, specifically targeting Disney's and Universal's intellectual properties. The studios claim Midjourney generates high-quality, downloadable images featuring well-known characters like Disney's Darth Vader and NBCUniversal's Minions, in response to simple text prompts from users. These images, the lawsuit argues, are blatant copies, circumventing the need for the studios to invest in their creation. The complaint asserts that Midjourney's actions are a form of piracy, as the service generates copyrighted content without permission. The studios are seeking maximum statutory damages, an accounting of Midjourney's earnings from the alleged infringement, and injunctive relief to prevent further violations. At the heart of the lawsuit is the issue of AI training. Midjourney's use of copyrighted material to train its image-generation model is a contentious issue in the AI industry. The studios suggest that Midjourney's new video service could also be infringing their copyrights, making the matter even more urgent. Horacio Gutierrez, senior executive vice president of Disney, stated, 'Piracy is piracy, and the fact that it's done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing.' NBCUniversal's Kim Harris echoed the sentiment, calling the infringement 'blatant' and stressing the importance of protecting the work of artists and creators. The lawsuit highlights the growing tension between content creators and AI companies, as the Motion Picture Association has argued that existing copyright law should be sufficient to address these issues. However, the studios maintain that Midjourney's practices constitute clear copyright infringement. Representatives for Midjourney have not yet responded to requests for comment.
