‘90s heartthrob David Charvet reveals why he fled Hollywood after ‘Baywatch' fame
Former 'Baywatch' star David Charvet walked away from Hollywood to work in construction — and has no regrets.
'I don't miss the fame,' Charvet, 53, told People. 'I don't miss the workload that we had because we used to work a lot, and it's very hard to raise a family that way. I commend all of the actors who have families that are able to balance that.'
9 David Charvet with Nicole Eggert in 'Baywatch.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Pamela Anderson and David Charvet in 'Baywatch.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
Charvet famously dated 'Baywatch' co-star Pamela Anderson, 58, in 1992. The French born actor was on the show from 1992 to 1995, playing Matt Brody.
'I miss the camaraderie that I had with the people on the sets,' he told the outlet. 'I had old-school producers and old-school people that worked as a unit, and it was a real family.'
In the 2017 'Baywatch' movie, Zac Efron played that character.
9 David Charvet in California in June 2025.
WCP,4cnrs / BACKGRID
After 'Baywatch,' Charvet was on 'Melrose Place' from 1996 to 1998. He also appeared on shows like 'Seduced and Betrayed' and the 2009 ABC reality show 'The Superstars' and briefly had a music career in France.
Charvet tied the knot with actress and model Brooke Burke in 2011, and welcomed daughter Heaven, now 18, and son Shaya, now 18, before they divorced in 2020.
9 Brooke Burke-Charvet and David Charvet attend Operation Smile's Annual Smile Gala – Inside at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California, on September 9, 2017.
WireImage
9 David Charvet, Taylor Kinney, and Mike Doyle attend the Operation Smile 8th Annual Park City Ski Challenge in Park City, Utah, on March 23, 2019.
Getty Images for Operation Smile
9 David Charvet in 'Baywatch.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
The actor fled Tinseltown to focus on his construction business, Jones Builders Group, because he wanted to spend more time with his family.
'It was one way for me to leave Hollywood and to still be creative,' he told the outlet about his business, which builds luxury homes in Los Angeles.
'It was also one way for me to ensure that I would be home every morning and home every night so that I could raise my two children.'
9 Nicole Eggert, David Hasselhoff, Alexandra Paul, David Charvet, and Pamela Anderson in 'Baywatch.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
9 David Charvet in 'Baywatch.'
Courtesy Everett Collection
9 Brooke Burke and David Charvet with children Heaven and Shaya during the Operation Smile 8th Annual Park City Ski Challenge on March 23, 2019 in Park City, Utah.
Getty Images for Operation Smile
The former '90s heartthrob said he noticed that films and TV shows were increasingly being made outside of LA, which would have taken him away from his loved ones.
'The goal was when I got my children, when they were born, was that I was going to be hands-on. I promised Brooke that I would be that man,' he explained. 'I wouldn't change anything.'
'I have to say that what I've experienced with my kids and what I've experienced in the last 17 years has definitely made me a better man,' Charvet continued. '[It] has made me understand what it is to have real relationships and be able to treat people kindly and have more of a humble approach in life.'
'Baywatch' ran for 11 seasons from 1989 to 2001. The show also starred David Hasselhoff, Jeremy Jackson, Yasmine Bleeth, the late Michael Newman and Nicole Eggert.
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