Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Frasier actor says they won’t return for reboot due to ‘gut feeling’

‘I’m not sure that I want to revisit that,’ original cast member said

Jacob Stolworthy
Friday 08 November 2024 12:32 GMT
Comments
Frasier season 2 trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

An original Frasier cast member has explained why they don’t want to return for the revival series.

Wendie Malick appeared in the hit sitcom’s original run, which lasted from 1993 to 2004, playing Ronee Lawrence in season 11.

In the show, Ronee was the childhood babysitter of Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) who was introduced in the show as a love interest of their father Martin (John Mahoney).

Frasier is currently enjoying a second wind, with the conclusion of the reboot’s latest season drawing to an end this week. While this season welcomed back original stars Peri Gilpin, Harriet Sansom Harris, Dan Butler and Edward Hibbert, many original stars – including Hyde Pierce – are not present.

Malick has now addressed a possible return to the show, but remained coy about the idea for a rather moving reason. The actor said she would not want to reprise the role of Ronee due to the fact that Mahoney died in 2018.

The actor, who appears in Apple TV+ series Shrinking as Dr Julie Baram alongside Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, told TV Insider: “It’s sort of like when people ask me about Just Shoot Me. Without George Segal, I just don’t think it would feel right.

“I had such a connection to John Mahoney playing his love interest and finally marrying him that I’m not sure that I want to revisit that.

Malick continued: “That was something that was such a lovely ride, and that season was so much fun and I was honoured to be part of it. And sometimes I think you feel like you took your character as far as you could, and then maybe you just leave it and savour those memories.

“Never say never, but that’s my gut feeling.”

Wendie Malick and John Mahoney as Ronee and Martin in ‘Frasier’
Wendie Malick and John Mahoney as Ronee and Martin in ‘Frasier’ (NBC)

Hyde Pierce, speaking about his potential involvement, with Vulture in June 2022 said: “That whole time of my life, the writing on those shows, the actors I got to work with – all of that is deeply important to me. And I would never disrespect that in such a way as to say just offhandedly, ‘Oh, no, thanks. I’m not going to do that again.’ It’s too valuable to me.”

However, the actor said that he “wouldn’t just do it” for the reason that the experience was such a “valuable” one.

Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free
Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free

“I believe it can be done without me, too – finding new stories to tell, in the same way that Frasier did after Cheers. They didn’t bring along the Cheers gang to make a new show.”

Frasier is available to stream on Paramount+.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in