Erik Per Sullivan, an American actor, rose to fame for his portrayal of Dewey in the hit Fox show Malcolm in the Middle. Despite being the youngest member of the cast, Sullivan’s performance captured the hearts of many fans during the show’s peak popularity.
Early Life
Erik Per Sullivan was born on July 12, 1991, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is the sole offspring of Fred and Ann, who hails from Sweden. Fred, who is of Irish heritage, is the proprietor of a Mexican restaurant named The Alamo. Thanks to his mother’s heritage, Sullivan is proficient in Swedish and travels to Sweden often.
From an early age, he delved into learning the piano and saxophone, while also achieving a black belt in Taekwondo. Sullivan received his education from Mount Saint Charles Academy in Rhode Island and Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. In 2009, he enrolled at the University of Southern California.
Erik Per Sullivan’s Career
In 2000, Erik Per Sullivan became well-known for his role as Dewey on the popular Fox sitcom, “Malcolm in the Middle.” He played the youngest of four sons to parents Lois and Hal, portrayed by Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Cranston.
His on-screen siblings were Francis, Reese, and Malcolm, played by Christopher Kennedy Masterson, Justin Berfield, and Frankie Muniz, respectively. Another brother, Jamie, was later added to the show in its fourth season.
At the start, Erik Per Sullivan portrayed Dewey as the calmer, more naive, and more delicate sibling, but as the show went on, his character evolved into someone more forceful and spiteful. “Malcolm in the Middle” aired for a total of seven seasons until 2006. For his performance, Sullivan received multiple nominations for Teen Choice and Young Artist Awards.
Erik Per Sullivan’s journey as an actor started in the late 1990s when he took on minor, uncredited roles in Michael Bay’s “Armageddon” and Lasse Hallström’s “The Cider House Rules.” In the year 2000, he landed a lead role in “Malcolm in the Middle” and also appeared as Tucker Banger in the first episode of ABC’s “Wonderland.”
In 2001, Sullivan made his debut on the big screen with significant roles in two movies: the comedy “Joe Dirt” where he portrayed a younger version of the lead character played by David Spade, and the psychological horror film “Wendigo” where he played the son of Patricia Clarkson and Jake Weber’s characters.
In 2002, he starred as the son of Diane Lane and Richard Gere in the steamy thriller “Unfaithful.” That same year, Sullivan also appeared as the younger version of Jerry Stiller’s character, Arthur Spooner, in an episode of the popular CBS sitcom “The King of Queens.”
In 2003, Erik Per Sullivan lent his voice to the character of Sheldon the Seahorse in the highly successful Pixar movie “Finding Nemo.” The next year, he portrayed the son of Dan Aykroyd’s villainous character in the comedy “Christmas with the Kranks,” which was adapted from John Grisham’s book “Skipping Christmas.” The film also featured Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julie Gonzalo, and M. Emmet Walsh.
After a break, Erik Per Sullivan resumed his voice acting career in 2007 by providing the voice for Mino in the fantasy movie “Arthur and the Invisibles,” which was a toned-down adaptation of Luc Besson’s “Arthur and the Minimoys.” He also played the lead role in “Mo,” an indie film that follows a young boy with Marfan Syndrome.
Sullivan’s last appearance as an actor was in the 2010 movie “Twelve,” a teenage crime drama directed by Joel Schumacher and based on Nick McDonnell’s novel, which was adapted by Jordan Melamed. The lead actors of the film were Chace Crawford, Rory Culkin, Emma Roberts, and Curtis Jackson.
Net Worth
Erik Per Sullivan, a former child actor, has accumulated a net worth of $5 million. He gained recognition for his role as Dewey, the younger brother on the Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.”
Additionally, he has made appearances in movies like “Joe Dirt,” “Unfaithful,” “Christmas with the Kranks,” and “Twelve,” and lent his voice to animated characters in “Finding Nemo” and “Arthur and the Invisibles.”
