Jesse Metcalfe Says His Desperate Housewives Role Wouldn't Work in Today's 'Oversensitive World'

"I think a lot of good is coming from this critical, oversensitive world," Jesse Metcalfe said

Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse Metcalfe. Photo: J. Kempin/Getty

If Desperate Housewives was created today, Jesse Metcalfe might be out of a job.

Metcalfe reflected on his infamous role on the hit ABC drama —which saw him starring as teen gardener John Rowland, who had an affair with married housewife Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) — saying he doesn't think his character would work now "because we’re in an oversensitive world right now."

But "a lot of good is coming from this critical, oversensitive world," he told Variety in a new interview. "We're thinking critically about a lot of issues that need to be addressed."

"I do feel like when there's a movement, the pendulum tends to swing too far in the other direction and then it takes some time for everything to come back to equilibrium," he continued. "And we're in one of those moments right now."

Metcalfe, 41, also looked back fondly on his time on the series, saying, "It was everything I thought it would be and more."

"For someone with minimal acting experience that grew up in a small town in Connecticut, being a working actor, making the money I was making, living the lifestyle I was living — it was exciting. It was very fulfilling," he said.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Jesse Metcalfe and Eva Longoria in Desperate Housewives. Ron Tom/Walt Disney Television via Getty

As for whether or not Desperate Housewives could join the string of reboots returning to television, Metcalfe had his own idea of how to bring the cast back together.

"Do you know what I think would be cool? A film like they did with Sex and the City," he suggested.

Desperate Housewives, which first aired in 2004 and ran for 8 seasons before ending in 2012, followed the lives of four women whose lives were anything but idyllic despite the perfect facades they portrayed.

The show also starred Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer, Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo and Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp.

The series has received a number of awards over the years, including a Golden Globe for best television series — comedy or musical in 2005 and 2006.

Since Desperate Housewives, Metcalfe, who recently split with fiancée Cara Santana after more than 10 years together, has appeared in a number of films and tv series including John Tucker Must Die, Dallas, 2 Broke Girls and more.

The actor is also gearing up for the release of his film Hard Kill, which will premiere in drive-in move theatres on Aug. 21.

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