Why Hallmark Star James Denton Ditched His Life In Hollywood

James Denton's portrayal of Mike Delfino on "Desperate Housewives" made him a household name. In fact, it's a role he's still recognized for, but he's come a long way since the show's end in 2012. In the years that have followed, he's become a Hallmark Channel favorite, juggling holiday movies with a lead role on "Good Witch," but while his career continues, his priorities have shifted. Denton, who married Erin O'Brien in 2002, welcomed his first child, son Sheppard, less than a year before his debut on "Housewives." Their daughter, Malin, was born in 2005, and, as he told Today, balancing his personal and professional life proved to be easy as he had plenty of downtime while shooting.

Even so, fatherhood did transform him from a self-centered actor focused on his career to a devoted papa. "As soon as you have kids, all the priorities just completely flip," and that's a good thing. "It's really healthy, I think, that the focus goes off of yourself and onto these other little people that are totally your responsibility," he told Today. And once his commitment to the show was over, he was able to focus on them even more, becoming one of many celebs who moved out of Hollywood for a sweet reason. Here's why Hallmark star James Denton ditched his life in L.A. — and has no regrets about it.

"Desperate Housewives" made James Denton one of the biggest stars on TV, but when the series wrapped in 2012, he decided to take a (physical) step back from Hollywood. While he has continued to act steadily since then, he and his wife, Erin O'Brien, moved away from Tinseltown to be closer to her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. "I wanted to get my kids out of L.A.," the actor told People in 2014. As he explained, their new hometown offered peace and quiet and plenty of opportunities to spend quality time with family. Speaking of his two kiddos, Sheppard (born in 2003) and Malin (born in 2005), he mused, "They won't always want Dad around as they get older, but for now, they do — I want to make the most of it." The couple also took things one step further by purchasing a second home in rural Montana that was even more isolated. "I only have one chance to be a good dad to them," Denton said, and he planned to make the most of it.

Indeed, the perks of living in a small town have only grown since his kids hit their teens. "With social media, they've got enough to deal with without being [in Los Angeles]," he told Yahoo Life in 2022. "I think kids judge each other a little more harshly and everybody's parents seem to be in the business in some aspect."

James Denton and Erin O'Brien (a musical theater actress) may have taken their kids out of Hollywood, though it seems both Sheppard and Malin are interested in following in their parents' footsteps. Sheppard, for one, decided to take acting classes in college (while pursuing a major in psychology) and is no stranger to the Hallmark Channel. Indeed, he landed his first role on the network opposite his dad in 2016's "For Love & Honor," and in 2022, he played Denton's son in "Perfect Harmony." Speaking with Fox News, Denton gushed about working with Sheppard, saying, "It was a dream come true." He also applauded his son's talent and told Yahoo Life that Hallmark was equally impressed. "The head of the network called me and said, 'Your son is stealing this movie from you,'" he shared. Even so, it may not turn into a full-time gig. Speaking of Sheppard, he added, "He's really good, but he's smart enough to know it's a tough way to make a living, and I don't think he's gonna pursue it."

As for Malin, she landed the lead role of Donna in her high school's production of "Mamma Mia," and according to her proud papa, she slayed. "[She] brought the house down, which is wonderful because she's never done anything like that," he told Fox News, adding, "They get all their talent from [Erin] and maybe a little bit of the acting for me — I'm giving her all the credit!"