Erik Per Sullivan declines 'buckets of money' for Malcolm in the Middle reboot

The beloved sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle" has officially returned to screens, but one original cast member has famously walked away from a significant payday.

Erik Per Sullivan, who portrayed the youngest brother, Dewey, for seven seasons, declined "buckets of money" to appear in the Disney+ reboot, titled "Life’s Still Unfair."

According to his former on-screen mother, Jane Kaczmarek, the 34-year-old has traded the Hollywood spotlight for a life in academia, currently pursuing a master’s degree in Victorian literature at Harvard.

While the four-episode revival reunites Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Kaczmarek, the role of Dewey has been recast with "Fargo" actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.

Muniz revealed that the "human touch" of the situation was handled with complete respect, noting that Sullivan is "very happy in the life that he’s created outside of the entertainment world."

Despite being photographed in public for the first time in nearly two decades last April, Sullivan remains firm in his decision to stay retired from acting, having last appeared on screen in the 2010 thriller "Twelve."

The new storyline follows a grown-up Malcolm raising a daughter, with Chris Masterson and Justin Berfield also returning as older brothers Francis and Reese.

Bryan Cranston reportedly took the lead in pushing for the project over the last decade, ensuring the original chemistry remained intact even with a new face in the family.

Muniz confirmed that Sullivan gave the production his blessing from "day one," allowing the show to move forward while he continues his studies of Charles Dickens in Boston.