Whatever Happened to ‘Desperate Housewives’ Star Jesse Metcalfe?

Lauren Novak February 4, 5:30 pm

JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE, Jesse Metcalfe, 2006 — 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection

What To Know

Jesse Metcalfe began his acting career on the soap opera Passions before gaining fame as John Rowland on Desperate Housewives and starring in the hit film John Tucker Must Die.
He diversified his career with roles in TV series like Dallas and Chesapeake Shores, Hallmark movies, action films, and reality shows such as Dancing with the Stars and The Masked Dancer.
Metcalfe continues to act in films and television, with recent projects including On a Wing and a Prayer and an appearance on Law and Order in 2025.

For some, Jesse Metcalfe will always be the charming teen gardener who caught Gabrielle Solis’ eye on Desperate Housewives. But long before he popped up on Wisteria Lane, Metcalfe was already building a steady career. Now he’s 47, and while he’s not as ubiquitous as he was in the 2000s, he has continued working with some interesting new projects in the works.

How did Jesse Metcalfe begin his career?

Chris Haston/NBC/Everett Collection

Metcalfe’s television debut came in 1999, at the age of 21, when he joined the cast of Passions as Miguel Lopez Fitzgerald, a character whom he played until 2004. Just as his run on the soap opera was winding down, he was cast as John Rowland on Desperate Housewives, a character who quickly became a breakout favorite during the show’s hit first season. He appeared on and off throughout the series, making his final guest appearance in 2009, and even won a Teen Choice Award in 2005 for his performance. During this time, he also popped up in music videos, including 3 Doors Down’s “Let Me Go.”

His movie career took off in 2006 when he headlined John Tucker Must Die, a teen comedy that became a commercial success and introduced him to a whole new audience. Metcalfe spent the next several years experimenting with different genres, starring in thrillers such as Insanitarium, romantic dramas like The Other End of the Line, and the remake of Beyond a Reasonable Doubt opposite Michael Douglas and Amber Tamblyn. He also starred in NBC’s crime series Chase in 2010, playing a fugitive hunter during the show’s single-season run. Around this time, he began appearing in Hallmark projects, including Fairfield Road.

In 2011, Metcalfe joined TNT’s continuation of the classic series Dallas, stepping into the role of Christopher Ewing. Metcalfe remained with the show until its cancellation in 2014. That same period saw him take on roles in projects such as A Country Wedding, which became one of Hallmark’s top-rated titles when it premiered, and in the action-adventure films of the Dead Rising franchise.

Many fans discovered a different side of Metcalfe when he signed on to star in Chesapeake Shores in 2016. The series, which ran for multiple seasons, gave him the chance to play musician Trace Riley, a character whose storylines showed off both his acting and his real-life musical ability. Metcalfe wrote and performed some of the songs featured in the series, which allowed him to explore a passion he had kept mostly private. He continued working steadily during this time, appearing in thrillers such as Escape Plan 2: Hades, holiday favorites like Christmas Under the Stars, and later anchoring the Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries films for Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

Where is Jesse Metcalfe now?

Vertical Entertainment/Everett Collection

Even as he stayed busy with acting, fans saw Metcalfe step into reality television when he competed on season 29 of Dancing with the Stars in 2020 with partner Sharna Burgess. He finished in 12th place, but the series introduced him to new fans. In 2022, British audiences saw him appear as the Astronaut on The Masked Dancer. His personal life also occasionally made headlines, from his early relationship with Nadine Coyle to his long engagement to actress Cara Santana, which ended in 2020. He has been reportedly dating Helene Immel since 2023.

Today, Metcalfe continues to work consistently and is part of several new projects. His film credits in recent years include roles in On a Wing and a Prayer and Divine Influencer, and he has continued acting in television movies while branching out into more dramatic and action-oriented projects. On March 2o, 2025, he appeared in an episode of Law and Order as Sgt. Danny DeLuca, marking a return to network television in one of its longest-running franchises.