‘Desperate Housewives’ star James Denton reveals why he moved his family away from Hollywood
Denton, who played Mike Delfino, wanted his kids to grow up in a 'more normal suburban American neighborhood'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fans of "Desperate Housewives" couldn’t get enough of actor James Denton, who played Teri Hatcher’s dreamy love interest and plumber Mike Delfino on the ABC drama.
The series, set on the fictional Wisteria Lane, aired for eight seasons until it ended in 2012 -- and took Denton’s Hollywood life with it.
The 58-year-old actor gave a rare interview from his home in Minnesota on Thursday, and in it, explained why he and his wife made the "conscious decision" to leave Hollywood behind after the show ended -- and why he hasn't looked back since.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ultimately, it all came down to what the pair felt was best for the well-being of their two children.
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"Their mom was born here in Minnesota so we thought maybe we should get the kids out of L.A.," Denton explained on Australia's "The Morning Show." "[Los Angeles] is not a great place for kids. It's tough. The schools are really expensive, so we decided as soon as ‘Housewives’ ended, we'd come up here and let them grow up in a little more normal suburban American neighborhood."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Denton has still managed to remain active in Tinseltown despite his departure, most recently starring in "The Good Witch" on The Hallmark Channel.
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He also spent time on the Lifetime drama series, "Devious Maids."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During his chat with "The Morning Show," Denton said his longevity on "Desperate Housewives" had actually hindered his ability to land different roles following the show’s finale.
James Denton said he left Hollywood following the end of 'Desperate Housewives' because Los Angeles 'is not a great place for kids.' (Getty)
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"I had trouble getting seen for anything that was, like, a suit and tie role, or maybe a politician," Denton explained. "Anything like that that wasn't blue-collar, I had a little trouble right after ‘Housewives.’"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Although he played the hunky Delfino in the soapy drama, Denton said fellow "Housewives" co-star Felicity Huffman had foreshadowed his Hollywood exile at a cast meeting during the final season.
"We were all going to acting jail for a little while," Denton recalls Huffman telling the cast.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Because you get a little bit typecast, but that's a small price you pay for being on a show that was that popular," Denton said, adding, but "you'll never hear me complain."