Justin Berfield is sharing his thoughts on the Malcolm in the Middle revival and the downside of the show’s return.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair reunited the core cast of the beloved comedy except for Erik Per Sullivan, who played Dewey, who was recast with Caleb Ellsworth-Clark.

After the original series wrapped its seven-season run in 2006, Per Sullivan opted for a quiet life out of the Hollywood spotlight. However, with the reboot underway, people have become interested in Per Sullivan’s whereabouts since the show’s ending, which is something Berfield is not happy about.

“I actually feel bad because he wants to stay out of the business, and I’ve been seeing, like, paparazzi shots of him,” Berfield said on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast. “I’m like, just leave Erik alone. He didn’t want to come back to the show. No hard feelings. Everyone loves him.”

Mandel asked Berfield if the actor who played Dewey regretted his decision not to return to the series.

“No,” Berfield answers, adding, “I know they asked him a whole bunch. They asked him like four or five times, and every time he was like, ‘No.'”

Malcolm in the Middle centers on Frankie Muniz’s character, who is dragged back into his family’s orbit after Hal and Lois demand his presence at their 40th-anniversary party.

The Hulu series stars Bryan Cranston (Hal), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm), Jane Kaczmarek (Lois), Christopher Kennedy Masterson (Francis), Justin Berfield (Reese), and Emy Coligado (Piama). They’re joined by new cast members Keeley Karsten (Leah, Malcolm’s daughter), Vaughan Murrae (Kelly, Malcolm’s youngest sibling), Kiana Madeira (Tristan, Malcolm’s girlfriend), and Caleb Ellsworth-Clark (as Dewey).

Watch Berfield’s interview on Howie Mandel’s podcast in the video below.