"I Never Really Wanted To Go Back": "Frasier" Star Explains Absence From Reboot

[Ubiquitous]

“Frasier” star David Hyde Pierce explained his absence from the recent reboot
of the series and said as much as he loved the show he “really never wanted
to go back” after the original show ended in 2004.

The 64-year-old actor, who famously played Dr. Frasier Crane’s brother Niles
Crane on the popular NBC sitcom, said he realized when they were in talks
about the reboot on Paramount+ that chapter was behind him, Deadline magazine
reported.

“I never really wanted to go back,” Pierce said. “It’s not like I said, ‘Oh,
I don’t ever want to do that again.’ I loved every moment. It was that I
wanted to do other things.”

“And when we got into real talks about the reboot, I had just started on the
‘Julia’ TV show and was working on a musical and going to do another musical,
not this one [Here We Are],” he added. “And I just thought, ‘I don’t want to
be committed to a show and not be able to do stuff like this.'”

David Hyde Pierce On Not Joining The ‘Frasier’ Reboot: “I Wanted To
Do Other Things” https://t.co/OlPZOs6PWK

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) December 11, 2023

“And I also thought, ‘They don’t actually need me,'” Pierce continued.
“Frasier has moved on to a new world. They have new characters. And I think
I’m right. It’s doing great. And the new people they have are great.”

The “Frasier” reboot launched in October on the streaming site with Kelsey
Grammer reprising his role as the lovable Dr. Frasier Crane, a radio
psychiatrist. The original NBC sitcom ran for 11 seasons and scored dozens of
Emmy awards.

Grammer previously said he’s “thrilled” with the reboot, saying he’s “excited
to play Frasier again,” People magazine noted.

“We’ve been working on it honestly for about six or seven years,” Grammer
said. “It’s been on the slow burner. We were like, this is not a bad idea.
Maybe this is a good idea!”

When asked about why Pierce wasn’t coming back, Grammer previously said,
“David basically decided he wasn’t really interested in repeating the
performance of Niles.”

“We’ll certainly be responsive about the fact that there was a brother and
such,” he added. “But the new world for Frasier is one of new friendships —
and some new twists and turns he didn’t know were still in there.”

--
Let's go Brandon!

[Rhino]

On Wed, 13 Dec 2023 04:30:48 -0500

“Frasier” star David Hyde Pierce explained his absence from the
recent reboot of the series and said as much as he loved the show he
“really never wanted to go back” after the original show ended in
2004.
The 64-year-old actor, who famously played Dr. Frasier Crane’s
brother Niles Crane on the popular NBC sitcom, said he realized when
they were in talks about the reboot on Paramount+ that chapter was
behind him, Deadline magazine reported.
“I never really wanted to go back,” Pierce said. “It’s not like I
said, ‘Oh, I don’t ever want to do that again.’ I loved every moment.
It was that I wanted to do other things.”
“And when we got into real talks about the reboot, I had just started
on the ‘Julia’ TV show and was working on a musical and going to do
another musical, not this one [Here We Are],” he added. “And I just
thought, ‘I don’t want to be committed to a show and not be able to
do stuff like this.'”
David Hyde Pierce On Not Joining The ‘Frasier’ Reboot: “I
Wanted To Do Other Things” https://t.co/OlPZOs6PWK
“And I also thought, ‘They don’t actually need me,'” Pierce
continued. “Frasier has moved on to a new world. They have new
characters. And I think I’m right. It’s doing great. And the new
people they have are great.”
The “Frasier” reboot launched in October on the streaming site with
Kelsey Grammer reprising his role as the lovable Dr. Frasier Crane, a
radio psychiatrist. The original NBC sitcom ran for 11 seasons and
scored dozens of Emmy awards.
Grammer previously said he’s “thrilled” with the reboot, saying he’s
“excited to play Frasier again,” People magazine noted.
“We’ve been working on it honestly for about six or seven years,”
Grammer said. “It’s been on the slow burner. We were like, this is
not a bad idea. Maybe this is a good idea!”
When asked about why Pierce wasn’t coming back, Grammer previously
said, “David basically decided he wasn’t really interested in
repeating the performance of Niles.”
“We’ll certainly be responsive about the fact that there was a
brother and such,” he added. “But the new world for Frasier is one of
new friendships — and some new twists and turns he didn’t know were
still in there.”

That all seems like a pretty good reason for David Hyde Pierce to bow
out of the Frasier revival. I can't hate him for that. Still, it would
be nice if they could work in a guest appearance at some point
asssuming (hoping!) Frasier is renewed. I have to think something
could be worked out that would be minimally intrusive on his other
commitments.