Justin Berfield, known for playing Reese in Malcolm in the Middle, steps back into the spotlight after a 20-year acting break. The 40-year-old actor reprises his role in the four-part revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, which premiered on Friday on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. Original cast members Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Frankie Muniz, and Christopher Masterson also return, though Erik Per Sullivan opted out.

Reasons Behind the Long Hiatus

Berfield began acting at age five and worked steadily, including seven years on the 2000s sitcom. He chose to step away to explore new paths. “I just wanted to change because I had started acting when I was five. Fortunately, I worked quite a bit, and I then got on Malcolm in the Middle, which was seven years,” Berfield stated. “I just grew up working constantly, and I wanted to try something different.”

During his break, Berfield transitioned to producing projects like The Country Bears, Romance and Cigarettes, Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive, and Sons of Tucson. He also traveled extensively before starting a family.

Family Life and Return to Acting

Berfield married Liza Almeida and became a stay-at-home dad to their two children, including a daughter born in 2020 and a second child a few years later. He keeps them largely out of the public eye but shares occasional glimpses on Instagram.

“I got married and had a couple of kids and then time flew by,” he explained. “Now it’s been 20 years, and we’re fortunate enough to be able to step back into it now.” Berfield brought his family to the New York premiere, allowing his eldest daughter to see him on set firsthand. “It was just really nice showing my eldest daughter just me working so she can actually see it’s better than just turning on the TV,” he said.

Seamless Return with Familiar Faces

Re-entering acting felt low-pressure for Berfield. “I’d stepped away from acting for 20 years now, so I didn’t have a lot of pressure,” he noted. “Obviously I had pressure on myself because I wanted to do a good job. I wanted people to enjoy the show, but it was more just me enjoying the moment too.”

Reuniting with the original cast, crew, and creator Linwood Boomer eased the process. “I had very little stress that it wasn’t going to be great because he wasn’t going to come back and do something that he didn’t feel was great,” Berfield said. “When he was on board, he wrote it with a few of the original writers.”

After wrapping production last May, Berfield reflected on Instagram: “Just reflecting on the final days on the Malcolm in the Middle Revival set. It was so amazing catching up with old friends and met some amazing new ones! We’re so lucky that we got to come back to these characters after 20 years and see where they’ve been. I had so much fun getting to go back to my old life as an actor…now it’s back to carpools and diapers!”