For 11 acclaimed seasons from 1993-2004, Frasier made its mark as one of the most celebrated and beloved TV sitcoms of all time, hoovering up Emmys and other coveted awards like Frasier Crane knocked back sherries. While Kelsey Grammer’s cultured klutz of a psychiatrist was the lynchpin of the Cheers spinoff series, though, most Frasier fans will probably tell you that Niles Crane, Frasier’s younger brother, fellow psychiatrist, and besotted Daphne-worshipper, is their favorite character.
Nearly 20 years on from its original ending, Frasier is now back on our screens in the form of a streaming revival, available on Paramount Plus. Grammer is naturally back as the more mature Dr. Crane, with a range of new faces — including Jack Cutmore-Scott as Frasier’s thirtysomething son, Freddie — surrounding him to instill some fresh blood into the set-up and comedy. But is David Hyde Pierce once again involved as the one and only Niles?
Is David Hyde Pierce involved in Paramount Plus’ Frasier reboot?
Sadly, despite the will of the entire Frasier audience, David Hyde Pierce is confirmed not to be reprising his role as Niles in the Frasier reboot. Jane Leeves, who played Niles’ wife, Daphne Moon, is likewise believed to be skipping the new show due to scheduling conflicts. John Mahoney, known as the Crane boys’ father Martin, passed away in 2018. This leaves Peri Gilpin as the only member of the main cast of the first series to return, with the actress featuring in a recurring capacity as Roz Doyle.
Ever since the reboot was officially greenlit in February 2021, there was intense speculation over whether Pierce would return. Especially after he had replied with a polite but firm “no” when asked by Vulture if he would be interested in reprising Niles back in 2017. By 2022, it became apparent that it was likely he would give the reboot a miss. However, the actor — currently starring in HBO’s Julia — told Vulture in June that he hadn’t been formally approached yet, although he admitted he had no fierce desire to come back.
“No one has ever approached me about it so it’s not something I turned down,” Pierce explained. “But it was also not something I was looking to do, so I wasn’t an engine behind it, either… And in the years since, whenever the show is talked about — I don’t have a strong feeling that there’s anything more that I can think of that I need to say about the character.”
That said, Pierce did say he would be open to returning if he was presented with a particularly compelling reason to revisit Niles. But until then, he was happy to step aside and let them continue without him:
“I think if [the writers] came up with some way of telling the stories that intrigued me, then I might think, Oh, I could go back and do that. But in terms of my own drive and interest, no. I love those characters, but I don’t miss them.”
Clearly, concrete conversations took place over the next few months, though, as Grammer announced to People in November 2022 that Pierce had officially passed on the project. Thankfully, it doesn’t sound like there’s any ill will between the two Cranes as it seems Grammer embraced the creative challenge Niles’ absence caused.
“David basically decided he wasn’t really interested in repeating the performance of Niles,” Grammer revealed. “In a very funny way, it just took us to a new place, which was what we originally wanted to do anyway, which was a Frasier third act. It’s an entirely new life for him.”
With so few familiar faces involved, the Frasier reboot relocates the title character from his family home of Seattle back to Boston, the setting of Cheers and where his son Freddie resides. In a mirror of the set-up of Frasier season 1, in which Frasier reconnected with his father, the streaming series sees the roles reversed as Frasier reconnects with Freddie.
Frasier premieres Oct. 12 and airs new episodes of its 10-part first season on Thursdays through Dec. 7.