Jesse Metcalfe: Toy Boy to School Hunk

It's about time! Dark and handsome cutie Jesse Metcalfe, Eva Longoria's hot highschooler/gardener on TV's "Desperate Housewives" finally hits the big screen. In John Tucker Must Die, Jesse plays an egotistical, jock/king on campus who dates in multiples and can do no wrong. Sophia Bush, Ashanti, Brittany Snow and Arielle Kebbel are out to teach the womanizer a lesson. In person, Jesse is every bit as gorgeous as he is on TV and film but he's got a friendly, accessible, far-from-snooty vibe that makes this attractive hunk even more desirable.

When we sat down with Jesse in Beverly Hills recently, he looked preppy-ish in black I-Zod polo shirt, jeans and a great tan. Supposedly hooked up with Brit singer of Girls Aloud Nadine Coyle, Jesse told us all about Brit versus American girls, how he keeps a long distance romance going, guys he knows who are like Tucker, what he was really like in high school, what it was like being on set wearing red thong underwear and his fave '80's high school movies. If you've been looking for inside info on this hunk... read on...

TeenHollywood: Were you intimidated to be the only guy with a bunch of girls in this movie?

Jesse: I wouldn't say intimidated but, definitely, I didn't know what to expect coming on a set with five beautiful women. I was clearly outnumbered so I had to come in pretty docile and just kind of try to find my place and fit in. There were definitely a lot of conversations where I was like 'Uhhh, I'm not gonna try to get into this conversation. I think I'm gonna give them their space'. There would be a lot of late nights on set where the girls would be talking and I was sitting in my chair twiddling my thumbs. They're all incredible girls, really cool, really distinct and different personality-wise. They were all a pleasure to work with. There wasn't any ego on this set at all. It was just fun and relaxed. I think Betty [Thomas, the director] had a lot to do with setting that tone and atmosphere too.

TeenHollywood: How much can you relate to your character?

Jesse: Every actor has to find a way to relate to his character and I think the person I am now, or maybe more so the person I was two years ago, was pretty close or closer to John Tucker. But, the person I was in high school, polar opposite. I was not John Tucker in high school.

TeenHollywood: I read that you dyed your hair different colors? Were you like an alt rocker or...?

Jesse: Yeah, I was a kind of artsy, alternative kid but, at the same time, I played sports and I was kind of caught in the middle between being a jock and artsy guy. I definitely wasn't a dork or a geek but I was more of an outsider. I dated the same girl from a neighboring school for three out of my four years of high school. I never had a girlfriend at the high school that I went to. Really, I only had like three really good friends. So, I'd say I was a bit of an outsider and I definitely wasn't J.T., definitely wasn't John Tucker.

TeenHollywood: Tucker is a star basketball player. Did you play on the basketball team?

Jesse: Yeah, I did. I played one year but I played recreational basketball in leagues growing up until high school where I played one season but the coach and I really didn't get along so I ended up not playing. I played baseball. Baseball and basketball was all I played in high school. I ran cross county for half a season and was like 'this sucks!'

TeenHollywood: Did you model Tucker after anyone you knew?

Jesse: Yeah, I really kind of modeled the character and my performance after Matthew Broderick in Ferris Buehller's Day Off. That's the quintessential teen movie of my generation if we're talking about a comedy. And, I also took a couple of cues from Can't Buy Me Love, one of my favorites. I took those two films because those were two characters that were super cool, the popular guys in school but were also, at the same time, very likable. I wanted this character to be likable and I think I pulled that off. I took a couple of small cues from my personal John Tucker from my high school and then I threw some of myself in there.

TeenHollywood: Who was it? What did you take from him?

Jesse: Can't name names. I took, I think one, the way he walked and I should probably say too, the way he talked to girls, the smooth manner in which he buttered them up. But I threw some of myself in there too.

TeenHollywood: How did you feel in those scenes where you are supposed to be estrogen-loaded, girlie and upset?

Jesse: That was a scene where I went 'how am I gonna do this?' But, my acting coach helped me out with it a little bit. She gave me the ends and outs of PMS, the symptoms and I just kind of took my cues from her and threw myself into it. It actually worked. It thought it was pretty funny. I think that was the hardest thing to do.

TeenHollywood: If you were going to date one of the types of girls from the movie, which type would you go for?

Jesse: I'd have to take a little bit from each of them. I'd say, from Brittany, she has an unassuming quality about her, a humility that makes her very charming and that appeals to me. Ashanti is very sexy, very sultry. What guy doesn't want that in a girl? Sophia has great style, great taste in music and she's very intelligent and opinionated and that's something I like in a person. I like a girl that knows her mind and is confident. I'd say Arielle, she just strikes me as the all-American girl. She's really sweet and really fun. That's the attribute I take from her if I were building my perfect woman. She's a really fun, down to earth girl.

TeenHollywood: Hot Jenny McCarthy plays Brittany's young mom. What about her?

Jesse: Jenny McCarthy is crazy and hilarious. She's got an amazing sense of humor. It's good that a girl has a great sense of humor. At least, good if she can laugh at my jokes, even if she's not cracking up.

TeenHollywood: Are we going to see your backside in every movie you do? [We refer to his "Desperate Housewives" gardener and a thong scene in this film].

Jesse: [laughs] I don't think so. I hope not anyway. I hope, after this film, to be moving on to...

TeenHollywood: Different parts of your anatomy?

Jesse:[laughs again] Different parts of my anatomy. I see where your mind is at. But, I definitely am looking forward to playing some more interesting, more dynamic, more complex roles, I'm definitely looking for a role I can sink my teeth into acting-wise.

TeenHollywood: What were your thoughts when you first read the thong scene in the script?

Jesse: That scene wasn't initially in the script and Betty kind of sprung that one on me. She broached the idea very delicately. I didn't have a problem with it. I thought it was going to be one of the funnier moments in the film and it was probably going to end up being a big theme in the film. But, it's definitely a risk. Any actor reads that, they're going be like 'this could be disastrous and fall flat or it could be hilarious'. I think, seeing the finished product, it turned out pretty hilarious. I think it worked.

TeenHollywood: How weird was it to try that thong on? Aren't they made for women?

Jesse: My thong in particular was customized. I can't speak about any other guys' thongs but I can tell you that mine was customized. Actually, the funny thing is that the fitting was probably more embarrassing than actually shooting the scene. But they gave me a couple and I tried them on in the privacy of my trailer. One of them worked out pretty well.

TeenHollywood: Okay, we promise we're changing the subject. Did you find in high school that guys try to get revenge when they are dumped or is it just girls?

Jesse: I think it's both guys and girls. I'm not really the kind of guy who tried to get revenge. I always thought that the best revenge was just acting like you don't care. That's the best revenge, right? If you really want to piss somebody off. But, in high school, just because I had the same girlfriend for most of my high school years, I wasn't that aware of that kind of stuff. But I know that in junior high we were pretty brutal. Like, if one of your guy friends was breaking up with someone, then like three of his friends would get together and go up to the girl in the cafeteria at lunch and go [claps hands and points] 'You're booted!' right in her face and everyone would start cracking up. We were vicious in junior high [laughs].

TeenHollywood: We hear everyone celebrated Sophia Bush's birthday while on set. Give us the info.

Jesse: Well, Ashanti did sing to Sophia on set be we ended up taking Sophia out to dinner and the champagne was flowing and we had a great time, it was pretty cool.

TeenHollywood: So you guys did hang out a bit in Vancouver?

Jesse: Oh yeah. We DID Vancouver! Vancouver is awesome. I was out there doing a couple of episodes of "Smallville" and I was there for like two months and I love it. It's a lot of fun.

TeenHollywood: What kinds of music would you take with you on a road trip?

Jesse: I'm big into classic rock. Rolling Stones is my all time favorite band. In the shower this morning I was listening to 'November Rain', 'Guns and Roses'.

TeenHollywood: Do you have an interesting ringtone on your phone?

Jesse: Yeah, I have Bob O'Reilly, The Who when my phone rings. I'm a pretty big classic rock fan. I like some bands from now too, like the Arctic Monkeys. I like Wolf Mother. They're awesome. They're kind of retro too so I guess that fits with my music theme but I like rap too and I like blues. I like a lot of good stuff.

TeenHollywood: What's your best pick up line?

Jesse: That's a tough one because I don't use pick up lines. Just whatever comes out.

TeenHollywood: Best break-up line then?

Jesse: I need some space. The John Tucker break up line. 'I need some me time. I need to do some me work'.

TeenHollywood: Are you comfortable with the whole heartthrob sex symbol image?

Jesse: I guess there are worse things you can be called. I don't know if it's something you become totally comfortable with, for me anyway, I'm not totally comfortable with it. But yeah, it's fine. At the same time it's a label that can keep you away from the kind of roles that an actor would want to play further on in his career. It might be a label that I'd try to get away from or shed over the next few years of my career but, for right now, I don't have a problem with it.

TeenHollywood: You have a pretty solid relationship with Nadine. So was it love at first sight or lust at first sight?

Jesse: I was mesmerized at first sight. I don't know if I believe in love at first sight, I don't think I do. I think you can feel strongly about someone after a first meeting but if that evolves into love it's kind of coincidental.

TeenHollywood: What's the most romantic thing you've ever done for a girl?

Jesse: Probably a surprise trip to the Bahamas. I took my first girlfriend to the Bahamas – I just kind of sprung it on her. That was pretty romantic. That was a good time. I think it's the little things that show you care on a daily basis. Or leaving little notes is nice or gifts. Taking your girl out to dinner, showing her a good time and treating her well. Those kinds of things.

TeenHollywood: How do you cope being in a long distance relationship?

Jesse: So far it hasn't been too tough. There are moments when I miss her but I've been flying back there – I've gone back there three times in the last two months and she was just out here. She's coming back in for the premiere so we're making it work.

TeenHollywood: Is there a difference dating a European girl compared to American girls?

Jesse: Yeah. I think European girls are more confident, more laid back. They let things flow a lot more. American girls are more uptight and more insecure.

TeenHollywood: You and Nadine were pictured house hunting. What kind of place are you looking for?

Jesse: I'll give you the skinny on that photo. We were standing outside of my friend's house who's trying to sell his house.

TeenHollywood: So you're not house-hunting on either side of the pond at the moment?

Jesse: No. LA's my home. I love LA but London's great. I wouldn't mind having a place there. Maybe because it's a change of pace, maybe because it's different - the grass is always greener thing. But I like the people, it's like New York, it has more of a New York feel to it, more metropolitan, a lot of great clubs, great restaurants. I really like to be there.

TeenHollywood: Do you have any hobbies?

Jesse: I play guitar, I sing a little bit, I write a little bit of music, it's something I do on the side and something I may like to do professionally some time in the future. Folksy, blues, kind of alternative rock. Kind of like the White Stripes but it can also be acoustic and folksy like Ryan Adams.

TeenHollywood: You could do a song with Girls Aloud.

Jesse: Maybe I could write something for them. I was thinking it could be kind of cool if I came out as a guest guitarist.

TeenHollywood: You made gardeners cool. Hopefully, they're grateful.

Jesse: Well, having worked as a gardener in the past and having worked for my father's landscaping business for seven years growing up I can tell you that there are not a lot of Eva Longoria's out there [laughs].

TeenHollywood: Did you expect "Housewives" to be such a breakout success for you personally?

Jesse: No, I didn't. Initially I thought it seemed like a nighttime soap, cleverly written, funny, but no, I didn't think it was going to be as big as it was and I didn't think my role was going to be such a standout. There's talk of me coming back but it's still up in the air.

TeenHollywood: When you and Nadine are together, what's the funniest thing you've had to deal with regarding fans?

Jesse: For me, I wouldn't say it's funny but we went to see Mission Impossible 3 and we're walking out of the theatre and someone made a call and said we were there and there was paparazzi outside and we were trying to dodge the paparazzi and it was late at night and we were in the street and couldn't catch a cab. A million people were coming up to her. This was in London.

TeenHollywood: And for you?

Jesse: Older women come up to me a lot. Not Eva Longoria types. You just gotta grin and bear it. It is bizarre. The show has been such a phenomenon that these women all over the country and all over the world are taking pride in calling themselves desperate housewives and embracing that idea. From time to time when you're taking your picture with someone, they will give you a little squeeze.

TeenHollywood: What's next for you?

Jesse: I've been very selective. I've turned down half a dozen things. Some things came right away after I was done shooting. I came back into town and shot a few episodes of "Housewives". There's been some talk of me coming back for a third season. I'm weighing that out but basically, I've been reading scripts and trying to find the right thing. I've heard a lot of stories where people like Heath Ledger after doing Ten Things I Hate About You didn't work for like a year and a half or something, waiting for the right roles. I'm definitely a type 'A' personality that likes to be always moving forward and I feel like work really anchors me but I'm just looking for the right thing. There's a couple of possibilities on the near horizon so we'll see what happens.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.