{{Short description|American former actor (born 1991)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Erik Per Sullivan | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|7|12}} | birth_place = Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | education = {{ubl|Mount Saint Charles Academy|Phillips Exeter Academy}} | alma_mater = {{ubl|University of Southern California|Harvard University}} | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1998–2010 | module = {{Infobox martial artist|child=yes | image = | height = | height_ft = | height_in = | height_cm = | height_footnote = | weight = | weight_lb = | weight_kg = | weight_footnote = | weight_class = | reach = | reach_in = | reach_cm = | reach_footnote = | martial_art = | style = | stance = | fighting_out_of = | team = | teacher = | trainer = | rank = {{color box|black}} 1st dan–Taekwondo | wrestling = | years_active = | box_win = | box_kowin = | box_loss = | box_koloss = | box_draw = | box_nc = | kickbox_win = | kickbox_kowin = | kickbox_loss = | kickbox_koloss = | kickbox_draw = | kickbox_nc = | mma_kowin = | mma_subwin = | mma_decwin = | mma_dqwin = | mma_otherwin = | mma_koloss = | mma_subloss = | mma_decloss = | mma_dqloss = | mma_otherloss = | mma_draw = | mma_nc = | am_win = | am_kowin = | am_subwin = | am_loss = | am_koloss = | am_subloss = | am_draw = | am_nc = | university = | students = | club = | school = | website = }}}}
'''Erik Per Sullivan''' (born July 12, 1991) is an American former actor. He is best known for his role as Dewey on the Fox series ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2006).
==Early life and education== Erik Per Sullivan was born on July 12, 1991, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the only child of his mother, Ann, born in Sweden and naturalized as an American citizen in 2007, and Fred Sullivan, of Irish descent,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Favour|first=Adeaga|date=March 18, 2020|title=Amazing facts you did not know about Erik Per Sullivan|url=https://www.legit.ng/1312469-erik-per-sullivan-bio-dewey-malcom-middle-today.html|access-date=March 18, 2021|newspaper=Legit.ng|language=en|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423152841/https://www.legit.ng/1312469-erik-per-sullivan-bio-dewey-malcom-middle-today.html|url-status=live}}</ref> who owned a Mexican eatery called The Alamo.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kim |first=Eunice |title=In the middle of a miracle |url=https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/news/2005/02/13/in-middle-miracle/41358765007/ |access-date=October 25, 2022 |date=February 12, 2005 |website=The Milford Daily News |language=en-US |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025114537/https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/news/2005/02/13/in-middle-miracle/41358765007/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Moran|first=Elijah|date=March 17, 2020|title=All You Need To Know About Erik Per Sullivan?|url=https://www.tech5hop.com/erik-per-sullivan/|access-date=March 18, 2021|website=Tech5hop.com|language=en-US|archive-date=May 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501200826/https://www.tech5hop.com/erik-per-sullivan/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.buddytv.com/info/erik-per-sullivan-info.aspx |title=Erik per Sullivan Biography |access-date=March 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005165442/http://www.buddytv.com/info/erik-per-sullivan-info.aspx |archive-date=October 5, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He speaks a little Swedish<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2008 |title=Erik Per Sullivan speaks swedish |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W52NyrWvpuk |website=The Daily Buzz, YouTube |access-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025114549/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W52NyrWvpuk&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live}}</ref> and his family visits Sweden almost every year.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sullivan |first1=Erik Per |date=March 18, 2008 |title=Exclusive: Erik Per Sullivan Answers Your Questions! |url=https://www.malcolminthemiddle.co.uk/2008/03/18/exclusive-erik-per-sullivan-answers-your-questions/ |access-date=October 25, 2022 |website=Malcolm in the Middle |language=en-US |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025114542/https://www.malcolminthemiddle.co.uk/2008/03/18/exclusive-erik-per-sullivan-answers-your-questions/ |url-status=live}}</ref> At a young age, he began studying piano and the saxophone.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 10, 2021|title=Erik Per Sullivan|url=https://www.buddytv.com/actors/erik-per-sullivan/|access-date=November 4, 2021|website=BuddyTV|language=en-US}}</ref> He has a 1st dan black belt in Taekwondo.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 27, 2009 |title=WVAH Fox 11: Erik Per Sullivan on Malcolm In The Middle |url=http://www.wvah.com/programs/malcolminthemiddle/erikpersullivan.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091127120920/http://www.wvah.com/programs/malcolminthemiddle/erikpersullivan.shtml |archive-date=November 27, 2009 |access-date=October 25, 2022}}</ref>
Sullivan studied at the Mount Saint Charles Academy, in Rhode Island, and Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. Beginning in 2009, he attended the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.<ref name=":0" /> By 2026, he was studying at Harvard University.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2026-04-06 |title=Dewey actor from ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ rejected ‘buckets of money’ for revival to stay in Harvard |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/dewey-actor-malcolm-in-the-middle-rejected-revival-stay-harvard/4006302/ |access-date=2026-04-07 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Career== From January 9, 2000, to May 14, 2006, Sullivan appeared in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' as Malcolm's younger brother Dewey. In 2005, along with ''Malcolm'' co-star Jane Kaczmarek, he wrote the afterword to the children's book ''Together'', which is about farming and was inspired by the nonprofit organization Heifer International.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 26, 2012 |title=Around the Web: Malcolm in the Middle, Headquarters Building, and a Successful Reading Fundraiser |url=https://www.heifer.org/blog/around-the-web-malcolm-in-the-middle-headquarters-building-and-a-successfuly-reading-fundraiser.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526110501/https://www.heifer.org/blog/around-the-web-malcolm-in-the-middle-headquarters-building-and-a-successfuly-reading-fundraiser.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com |archive-date=May 26, 2022 |access-date=May 1, 2022 |website=Heifer International |language=en |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Sullivan had a starring role in the 2004 movie ''Christmas with the Kranks'' and has played a variety of characters in film and on television, including the title role in the independent film ''Mo'' (2007), as well as voicing Sheldon the Seahorse in both the animated film ''Finding Nemo'' and its video game tie-in.
Sullivan's last acting credit was an appearance in the 2010 film ''Twelve'' when he was 18 years old. He has since kept a low profile, and has been absent from several ''Malcolm in the Middle'' cast reunions.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 19, 2012|title=Frankie Muniz tweets photos from "Malcolm in the Middle" reunion|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/frankie-muniz-tweets-photos-from-malcolm-in-the-middle-reunion/|access-date=April 6, 2021|website=CBS News|language=}}</ref> Sullivan also did not return for the show's revival, ''Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair'', with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark taking over the role of Dewey.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/malcolm-in-the-middle-revival-christopher-masterson-justin-berfield-dewey-recast-1236347654/ |title='Malcolm in the Middle' Revival: Christopher Masterson, Justin Berfield Returning; Dewey Recast With Caleb Ellsworth-Clark |first=Joe |last=Otterson |work=Variety |date=March 25, 2025 |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref> Kaczmarek said in 2025 that Sullivan was studying Victorian literature.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Why Was Dewey Recast in the 'Malcolm in the Middle' Revival? What We Know About the Character's Return — and Where Actor Erik Per Sullivan Is Today |url=https://people.com/why-was-dewey-recast-malcolm-in-the-middle-revival-11703587 |access-date=March 29, 2025 |magazine=People |language=en |date=April 2, 2025 |orig-date=March 26, 2025}}</ref> He turned down a chance at participating in the revival because it would take him away from his studies.<ref name=":1" /> Despite his lack of involvement, he has reportedly remained supportive of his former castmates and the show's legacy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Tionah |date=June 12, 2025 |title=Malcolm in the Middle's Erik Per Sullivan Getting Master's Degree at Harvard University |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1418648/erik-per-sullivan-getting-masters-degree-at-harvard |access-date=August 8, 2025 |website=E! Online}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1998 |''Armageddon'' |Kid with Rocket Ship |Uncredited |- |1999 |''The Cider House Rules'' |Fuzzy | |- |rowspan="2"|2001 |''Wendigo'' |Miles | |- |''Joe Dirt'' |Little Joe Dirt | |- |2002 |''Unfaithful'' |Charlie Sumner | |- |2003 |''Finding Nemo'' |Sheldon (voice) | |- |2004 |''Christmas with the Kranks'' |Spike Frohmeyer | |- |rowspan="2"|2006 |''Arthur and the Minimoys'' |Mino (voice) | |- |''Once Not Far from Home'' |The Little Boy |Short film |- |2007 |''Mo'' |Mo | |- |2010 |''Twelve'' |Timmy | |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |2000 |''Wonderland'' |Tucker Banger |Pilot |- |2000–2006 |''Malcolm in the Middle'' |Dewey |151 episodes |- |2001 |''Black of Life'' |Jimmy |Unknown episode |- |2002 |''The King of Queens'' |Young Arthur |Episode: "Shrink Wrap" |- |2006 |''Come On Over'' |Young Luis |Unknown episode |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Awards |- ! Year ! style="width:50px;"| Result ! style="width:150px;"| Award ! style="width:425px;"| Category ! style="width:200px;"| Nominated work |- | 2000 | {{won}} | YoungStar Awards | Best Young Ensemble Cast: Television | rowspan=9|''Malcolm in the Middle'' |- | rowspan=3| 2001 | {{nom}} | rowspan="2" | Young Artist Awards | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Drama or Comedy) |- | {{nom}} | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Young Actor Age Ten or Under |- | {{nom}} | Teen Choice Awards | TV: Choice Sidekick |- | rowspan=3| 2002 | {{nom}} | rowspan="2" | Young Artist Awards | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) |- | {{nom}} | Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Young Actor Age Ten or Under |- | {{nom}} | Teen Choice Awards | TV: Choice Sidekick |- | rowspan=2| 2003 | {{won}} | Young Artist Awards | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) |- | {{nom}} | Teen Choice Awards | TV: Choice Sidekick |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Erik Per}} Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male child actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:American male voice actors Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Swedish descent Category:Male actors from Worcester, Massachusetts Category:People from Milford, Massachusetts Category:Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Mount Saint Charles Academy alumni Category:American male taekwondo practitioners