Doug Savant made a name for himself as the openly gay character Matt Fielding on the original 'Melrose Place' from 1992 to 1997. After reportedly leaving when producers backed off from addressing Matt's sexuality, Savant stayed busy with made-for-TV movies and guest spots on shows like 'JAG' and 'The Love Boat: The Next Wave' until he re-emerged, in 2004, as Tom Scavo on 'Desperate Housewives.' Now Savant's promoting '36½ Reasons to Laugh,' a book that helps raise money for underprivileged children who need dental care. He dished with AOL TV on the new 'Melrose,' how Matt Fielding changed television (and his career) -- and addressed those pesky rumors that the ladies of Wisteria Lane don't get along.
What's your take on the new 'Melrose Place'?
I've seen the pilot, and I think it's brilliantly shot. I think they've got some great new cast members, and I'm hoping a new generation of viewers bond with them like they so wonderfully did with us. But more than anything, I think my wife [Laura Leighton] is just smokin' hot. She looks great on the show. She's holding her own. And the audience is just so psyched to see Sydney Andrews again. It's amazing that after all these years there's still such an attachment to Sydney and all the original characters on 'Melrose Place.' My wife keeps saying that we need to take a family photo on the set of the show because it has such a place in our personal history. It's where we met, and now we have kids, and we think it's sort of ironic.
Even though they killed off your character, have you been approached about making a guest appearance?
Well, here's the thing ... I've not been approached. But maybe that's because they know I'm happily owned by the wonderful people at 'Desperate Housewives.' We shoot 10 months out of the year on our show, so there's not really an opportunity for me to go over there and play on their set. But, you know, of course I would be humbled and honored if they did ask. I would do it if I could. I'd be happy to bring Matt back. But, as you said, I would be bringing him back to life because they killed him off.
Do you think Laura might ever appear on 'Desperate Housewives'?You know, Marc Cherry keeps flirting with that idea. He's had a couple of thoughts, and every now and then he'll go, "We could do this." At some points he jokes about wanting to have Bill Macy, Felicity Huffman's husband, and my wife Laura play a couple Tom and Lynette are out to dinner with. Marc likes that funny, awkward dynamic of where reality ends and TV life begins.
On the original 'Melrose' there was a lot of controversy surrounding a kiss your character shared with another man, and it was eventually edited out. These days that would seem totally tame. Do you think of yourself as a trailblazer in that respect?
[Laughs] That's very funny. I don't think I would call myself a trailblazer. I would never. But I'm very proud that I was part of the evolution of gay characters on network television, and at the time I was a bit of a lone wolf. So, I wouldn't say a trailblazer, but I was a lone wolf at the time for being one of the few, if only, gay characters on network television. So, it was exceptional in nature and I was, and I'm still to this day, proud that I played that character in those times and was part of the evolution of gay characters in network television. But, as you just said, boy, we've come a long way ...
People thought that because you played a gay character that you were gay ...Yeah, that is very true because it was so exceptional in nature at that time. The assumption was, well, if you're willing to play gay on television, you must be gay. It took a long time to educate people. During the '90s, when I was on the show, never did I come out and tell people whether I was straight or gay. It was an ethical issue. I wasn't going to disassociate myself or act like I was somehow ashamed of that. Like, "Oh, I play a gay guy, but I'm really straight." I knew what I was, and I didn't care whether people thought I was gay or not. They could think what they want. I came into their homes every week on television and I was a gay character, so I'm assuming they assumed I was gay. Well, that's OK.
Did you run into any roadblocks after leaving the show because of the role?
I continued to work after 'Melrose' but, yeah, I think there were inherent roadblocks and difficulties with network executives. Not really the audience, but network executives were really trying to get past the association of this actor with that character who was gay. Most of those people, though, don't really tell you that to your face. No one at the time was saying, "Oh, you are really not working because you played Matt on Melrose." It wasn't until I had a conversation with some network executives where I flat out asked the question. I said, "Do you think that it's an issue for producers, that I played a gay character?" And before I could even finish the sentence, this executive, who was at the FX channel at the time, said, "Oh yeah, that's a problem." I was shocked that he answered so honestly and so quickly. Because typically people would go, "No, I just think it's just got to be the right part" or what have you. So, it would be a lie if I told you it wasn't an issue at all. But I'm really glad that now, after six years on 'Desperate Housewives,' that I have successfully overcome that, and the audience association, I pray, is that they want to see Doug Savant and don't just associate me with Matt Fielding or Tom Scavo.
Speaking of Tom Scavo, will the dynamics on 'Desperate Housewives' change now that the cast has been shaken up?
Well, we have some new characters. Drea de Matteo from 'The Sopranos' has joined our cast. Jeffrey Nordling from '24' has joined our cast. And, so, things change. I'm a guy who doesn't like change. [Laughs] I like to see the same people. I mean, even back when Rex Van de Kamp, played by Steven Culp, died during season 1, I didn't like that. So, I don't like that Nicollette Sheridan left or that Steven Culp had to go -- or that any of these wonderful people sort of enter and exit the show. So, I miss the old guys, but I do love our new cast.
So those rumors that some castmates don't get along aren't true?
I mean, there were some growing pains when the show first started. You know, people were feeling insecure or what have you, but all that quickly went away, and it's a really friendly, wonderful place to work. We have people visit the set all the time and see firsthand that there's no awkwardness. It's just a real nice group of people. I never call my work a family or anything like that, because it's not. But it's a damn good place to work.
What Happened to the Melrose Residents?
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Thomas Calabro
Played: Dr. Michael Mancini
Then: The Brooklynite's got his first break when he took over the lead role of Oberon in a Fordham University production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' when fellow student Denzel Washington dropped out. Through the '80s and early '90s, he bounced around in small spots on TV shows like 'Law & Order' and 'Father Dowling Mysteries' before landing his most famous role, as the responsible MD, husband and building superintendent turned sexual mad man. Was it the stress, amnesia or booze that sent him over the edge?
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Thomas Calabro
Played: Dr. Michael Mancini
Now: The only original cast member to stay with the program to the bitter end, he even directed four episodes and will reprise his role as the "good" doctor in the new series. In his 10-year hiatus from 'MP,' Calabro has guest-starred on a number of TV shows, including 'Nip/Tuck,' 'Cold Case,' 'Greek' and 'Without a Trace.' According to his website, he's also developed a number of TV show pitches with pal Scott Baio.
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Andrew Shue
Played: Billy Campbell
Then: Along with his famous sister Elisabeth, Shue attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J. The siblings were inducted into the high school's Hall of Fame alongside other famous alum Max Weinberg and Lauryn Hill. He played soccer for Dartmouth while working as an extra in films. After graduating, he had a few small roles before starring seven seasons as Billy, struggling writer and Allison's roommate/friend/lover/foe.
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Andrew Shue
Played: Billy Campbell
Now: While still working on 'Melrose Place,' Shue played for the major league soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy. In five games, he tallied one assist. In 1997, he played a wife beater in 'The Rainmaker,' and left 'MP' a year later. Those were his last sizable roles. Since then he's focused on activism with his organization Do Something and online entrepreneurship with his company CafeMom. He did play small roles in two soccer-themed films: 'Gracie,' in which he worked with Elisabeth and brother John, and 'Goal! III.'
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Heather Locklear
Played: Amanda Woodward
Then: While attending UCLA, the L.A. native dabbled in acting and modeling. Before long, she began landing bit parts in shows like 'CHiPS' and 'Eight Is Enough.' Aaron Spelling took a liking to Locklear and cast her as Sammy Jo Dean in the second season of 'Dynasty' and as Officer Stacy Sheridan in 'T.J. Hooker' a year later. In all, she appeared in seven Spelling-helmed series, including 'Matt Houston,' 'Fantasy Island,' 'The Love Boat,' 'Hotel' and of course 'Melrose Place.'
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Heather Locklear
Played: Amanda Woodward
Now: After 'Melrose,' she joined 'Spin City' until the show's cancellation. But the years since her 2007 divorce from second rocker hubby Richie Sambora (Tommy Lee was her first) have been rough for Locklear. She's been in rehab for "anxiety and depression" and arrested for reckless driving. Recently she co-starred with Billy Ray Cyrus in the straight-to-dvd 'Flying By.' One bright spot has been her relationship with former 'MP' co-star Jack Wagner.
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Josie Bissett
Played: Jane Andrews Mancini
Then: The Seattle native began her career in front of the camera at the age of 12 as a model in print ads and TV commercials. At 16, she moved to Japan to further her career, before heading to Hollywood to make her mark. Josie soon landed the role of Cara on 'The Hogan Family,' where she spent two seasons before she was cast on 'Melrose Place' as the doctor's wife and a budding fashion designer. Her divorce and problematic younger sister quickly spun her life into crazy town.
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Josie Bissett
Played: Jane Andrews Mancini
Now: After divorcing, getting engaged, being raped by her ex-fiancé, burying her ex-fiancé alive and getting robbed at gunpoint (not necessarily in that order), Jane left 'Melrose' but returned for the final season. Bissett left the biz while she raised two children with former co-star Rob Estes. She resumed her career in '03 with a guest spot on 'Law & Order: SVU'; she's since scored a regular role on 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager' and wrote a children's book. Bissett, whose marriage to Estes ended in '06, will reprise Jane in the new 'Melrose Place.'
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Doug Savant
Played: Matt Fielding
Then: The Burbank boy began getting roles in the '80s teen flicks like 'Secret Admirer,' 'Teen Wolf,' 'Trick or Treat,' and 'Masquerade,' before gaining notice as young Mack Mackenzie on 'Knots Landing.' Small roles on everything from 'Fact of Life' to 'Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence' followed, until he landed one of the first mainstream gay roles on television. 'Melrose Place' became one of the first primetime network programs to show a gay hate crime, AIDS and two guys kissing (or it would have if Fox hadn't cut the scene at the last minute).
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