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- Hindustan Times
Jesse Metcalfe breaks silence on rumored Desperate Housewives feuds years later: ‘I was just so thrilled to…'
Jesse Metcalfe is not weighing in on the long-rumored feuds from Desperate Housewives - because, according to him, he did not notice them. Speaking at the Southfork Experience: Dallas Panel: The Ewing Heirs on August 9, the actor looked back on his early days on the ABC drama. Metcalfe played John Rowland, the teenage gardener who falls into a steamy affair with Eva Longoria's character, Gabrielle Solis. Jesse Metcalfe played John Rowland, the teenage gardener who falls into a steamy affair with Eva Longoria's character, Gabrielle Solis.(Instagram/Jesse Metcalfe)
The role put him on the map, and he admitted he was more focused on surviving as a working actor at the time than paying attention to any off-camera tension, reports People.
'I was just happy to have a job. I went through an entire pilot season, I didn't book anything, and I tested for Desperate Housewives, which was a recast, right at the end of that pilot season, and ended up booking it,' Metcalfe said at the Panel.
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The show premiered in 2004 and ran eight seasons, fronted by Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, and Nicollette Sheridan. Sheridan's departure after season five stirred headlines at the time, but Metcalfe insists he never got caught up in the whispers.
Jesse Metcalfe says he was 'oblivious' to the drama
'There are a lot of stories about all the drama on that set between some of our lead females. And I was like, I was oblivious to it, basically, you know, because I was just so thrilled to be on a show and just so in the moment,' he explained.
He added that working alongside such a seasoned group of women was something he was 'very grateful' for. 'I was just kind of riding the wave, you know, because that show really broke me and I had everything coming at me and I was just enjoying it,' he said.
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Melcalfe on career pressures after fame
Metcalfe has been candid before about the role shaping - and at times limiting - his career. In 2020, he told Variety that his time on the series was 'everything I thought it would be and more.' But a year later, speaking to i-D, he admitted the constant pressure to play the shirtless heartthrob left him feeling boxed in. 'The industry tends to think if you look a certain way, that is all you have to offer,' he said.
The actor left the series in 2009 and described the following years as formative. 'It definitely built character. I had to really look within and figure out who I really was because that's the foundation,' he reflected.
With a reboot, Wisteria Lane, in development, Metcalfe told the Dallas panel he is not sure whether original cast members will return.
FAQs
Did Jesse Metcalfe notice the rumored drama on Desperate Housewives?
No, he said he was 'oblivious' and too focused on enjoying his role.
Who did Jesse Metcalfe play on Desperate Housewives?
He played John Rowland, Gabrielle Solis' teenage gardener.
Why did Nicollette Sheridan leave the show?
She exited after season five, following issues with creator Marc Cherry.
Did Jesse Metcalfe feel typecast on the show?
Yes, he said there was pressure to be shirtless on screen, which left him feeling limited.
Will he return for the Wisteria Lane reboot?
Metcalfe said he doesn't know if original cast members will be included.
