Former ‘Baywatch’ star David Charvet fought one-dimensional typecasting before landing at ‘Melrose Place’

David Charvet, who gained fame in the 1990s, recently shared his experiences about transitioning from ‘Baywatch’ to ‘Melrose Place’. The 53-year-old actor spoke about how Heather Locklear helped him adjust to his new role when he joined the Fox drama in 1996.

According to People, before landing his role on ‘Melrose Place’, Charvet spent three full seasons playing Matt Brody on ‘Baywatch’. The beach-focused TV show gave him his first big break in Hollywood, but he wanted to prove he could do more as an actor, unlike some of his co-stars who faced different challenges after the show ended.

“The truth is that I was always fighting in auditions to always have to prove myself because I wasn’t just a guy running on the beach, a challenge many actors face when trying to break out from their early defining roles,” Charvet said, explaining his struggle against typecasting. He added that he had “some talent, not a lot, but some.”

How Heather Locklear welcomed the newcomer to Melrose Place

When Charvet arrived on the ‘Melrose Place’ set, he found strong support from the show’s biggest star, Heather Locklear. She took him under her wing, telling him, “David, don’t worry. I got you. I’ll be here for you.” Charvet described working with Locklear as “an actual dream come true,” praising her kindness and professional experience.

Though most cast members welcomed him, some playfully teased the former ‘Baywatch’ star. His co-stars even placed a sandbox next to his trailer “just in case I missed home,” a joke Charvet found amusing. Despite the teasing, he remembered everyone being “really cool and very kind and very supportive.”

The role on ‘Melrose Place’ came from creator Aaron Spelling, an offer Charvet considered a great honor. It marked an important point in his career as he worked to expand beyond his ‘Baywatch’ image. The show was among the most popular on television at the time.

During his time on ‘Melrose Place’, Charvet even discovered he had a surprising fan in Elton John. At an event, the famous singer requested to meet Charvet backstage and showed detailed knowledge of his character’s storyline. Charvet stayed with the show from 1996 to 1998 before eventually leaving Hollywood in 2013 to focus on raising his children with ex-wife Brooke Burke.