Jesse Metcalfe reveals he was fired from 'Desperate Housewives' after Season 1 Jesse Metcalfe, who played the role of John Rowland, the hunky gardener in the first season of the ABC series, disclosed on Tuesday’s episode of Amanda Hirsch’s podcast that he was let go from the show after its initial season. During the episode, Metcalfe explained that the creators of the show, including showrunner Marc Cherry, did not have a clear direction for his storyline beyond the first season. “After the first season they didn’t really know where else to take my storyline,” he said. Metcalfe’s character, John Rowland, was a teenager involved in an affair with Gabrielle Solis, portrayed by Eva Longoria. The role quickly established Metcalfe as a heartthrob and earned him three Teen Choice Award nominations in 2005. He won the breakout star category, marking a significant turning point in his career. However, Metcalfe revealed that the pressure to maintain his physique due to the show’s sexualized portrayal of his character became overwhelming. Despite being removed as a series regular, Metcalfe returned as a guest star in several later seasons. He also secured a lead role in the 2005 film “John Tucker Must Die,” which was released by 20th Century Fox. At the time, Metcalfe expressed confidence in his transition to film, stating, “I was just kind of riding the wave… I was going to be a movie star.” The show, which aired from 2004 to 2012, became a cultural phenomenon and ran for eight seasons. Metcalfe’s performance as the young gardener was instrumental in launching his career, though the role also brought scrutiny over his physical appearance. In an interview with Vice’s i-D magazine in 2021, he reflected on the challenges of maintaining his image.#eva_longoria #jesse_metcalfe #desperate_housewives #marc_cherry #20th_century_fox
