David Charvet carved a name for himself with roles in shows including "Baywatch" and "Melrose Place" but, at the height of his career, walked away to work in construction.
Now the actor has opened up about his decision, explaining to People that he left showbiz to raise his kids, daughter Heaven Rain, now 18, and son Shaya Braven, now 17.
As the outlet noted, Charvet founded Jones Builders Group alongside his business partner in 2008. The company focuses on building luxury homes in the Los Angeles area.
"It was one way for me to leave Hollywood and to still be creative," he said of his construction life. "It was also one way for me to ensure that I would be home every morning and home every night so that I could raise my two children."
Looking back, Charvet said he realized that with so many films and TV shows moving production outside Los Angeles, continuing in entertainment would conflict with the kind of parent he had promised himself he would be.
"The goal was when I got my children, when they were born, was that I was going to be hands on. I promised Brooke that I would be that man," he said of his then-wife Brooke Burke.
Charvet and Burke announced in 2018 their divorce after seven years of marriage. In a blog post, Burke shared that she was "deeply saddened" by the split.
"I have struggled with trying to find worthy words to speak to this life change my family is going through, but I do want to share my personal thoughts," she wrote at the time, according to People. "You may have heard that David and I are divorcing. We have tried to keep our separation private for some time out of respect for our children and family. Although I believe this is a positive change, I am deeply saddened because I loved being married."
Burke added that it took her a long time "to differentiate between giving up and letting go and even longer to recognize when it was time to do so."
"We are still a family full of love, simply redefining our dynamics. I believe this is a necessary decision for my entire family unit," she wrote.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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