Get the latest on Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, and their costars.

What happened to the *Desperate Housewives *cast? See the ladies of Wisteria Lane, then and now

Get the latest on Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, and their costars.

April 16, 2026 6:00 p.m. ET

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo, Marcia Cross as Bree van de Kamp, Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis, and Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer on 'Desperate Housewives'. Credit:

When *Desperate Housewives* premiered on ABC in October 2004, it was an instant sensation. A sharp satire of suburbia, the dramedy examined the everyday lives of women sharing the (cursed) neighborhood of Wisteria Lane. They grappled with infidelity, career setbacks, and a shocking number of murders while trying to maintain a facade of perfection.

The series, which ran until 2012, had plenty of ups and downs throughout its 180-episode run, but what kept viewers coming back was the cast. Led by Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, and Eva Longoria, the stars fully inhabited their characters through their lightest and darkest moments.

Now, more than 20 years since *Desperate Housewives* first aired, a reboot produced by *Scandal*'s Kerry Washington is currently in development. That seems like more than enough reason to take a look at where the cast of the addictive ABC soap is now.

Teri Hatcher (Susan Mayer)

Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer on 'Desperate Housewives'; Teri Hatcher attends the world premiere of 'Coraline' in newly remastered 3-D at BFI Southbank on Aug. 11, 2024, in London, England.

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Teri Hatcher revived her career by playing Susan Mayer, a divorced mom who's open to finding love with a new man — specifically the local plumber, Mike. She won a Golden Globe and earned an Emmy nomination in 2005 for the role.

Hatcher proved she was the perfect choice to play Susan right from the start. "It was one of the best auditions of my career. The kind you leave and on the elevator ride down to the parking lot you think, 'Well, that couldn’t have gone any better,'" she told EW in 2012.

During *Desperate Housewives*, Hatcher voiced Coraline's mother — and, of course, the villainous Other Mother — in *Coraline* (2009). Following her eight-season run on the soap, she took on a recurring gig as Queen Rhea on *Supergirl *and has starred in a series of TV movies.

Hatcher was married to Marcus Leithold from 1988 to 1989. She married actor Jon Tenney in 1994; they divorced in 2003 and share a daughter, Emerson, with whom she hosts a *Desperate Housewives* rewatch podcast along with Hatcher's TV daughter, Andrea Bowen.

Felicity Huffman (Lynette Scavo)

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo on 'Desperate Housewives'; Felicity Huffman attends A New Way of Life gala at Skirball Cultural Center on Dec. 3, 2022, in Los Angeles, Calif.

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Felicity Huffman won an Emmy for playing Lynette Scavo, the overburdened mother who dreams of getting back to working life.

As Huffman recalled in the cast’s 2012 EW interview, she connected with the character during her audition: "I was kind of drowning in motherhood like Lynette, and that’s what really got me the part, so I should thank my children."

In *Desperate Housewives*' second year, Huffman took on a starring role as a transgender woman in *Transamerica* (2005), which landed her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination.

While she’s appeared sporadically in films like *Georgia Rule* (2007) and *Cake* (2014), the actress has found a more consistent home on the small screen. She earned three Emmy nominations for her performance on ABC's *American Crime*, and later played Central Park Five prosecutor Linda Fairstein on Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-winning miniseries *When They See Us*. She most recently joined the second season of Fox's medical drama, *Doc*.

She and fellow thespian William H. Macy married in 1997 after dating for 15 years. They have two daughters, Sophia and Georgia.

In 2019, Huffman was involved in a college admissions scandal involving entrance exams, with the actress pleading guilty to paying a college admissions consultant $15,000 to have a proctor change one of her daughter's answers after she took the SAT. Huffman served 11 days in prison, and her conviction was later reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Marcia Cross (Bree Van de Kamp)

Marcia Cross as Bree Hodge on 'Desperate Housewives'; Marcia Cross attends the 6th annual Daytime Beauty Awards at Autry Museum of the American West on Sept. 30, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

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Marcia Cross earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as Bree Van de Kamp, a buttoned-up wife and mother who always tries to project a perfect image — even when her life is falling apart.

Cross had high expectations for the drama early on. "I said to [showrunner Marc Cherry] before I got the part, 'If I do this, I would really want her to have some underbelly that was very interesting,'” she told EW in 2012. “I’d seen on *Oprah* where all these women were addicted to Vicodin. Now, that’s a real story! Anybody who’s got to hold it together that tightly, there’s probably some angst underneath."

Since the suburban satire concluded, Cross has maintained a presence on the small screen with roles on *Quantico*, *You*, and *Monarch*.

The actress revealed in 2018 that she was in remission from anal cancer, and has used her platform to raise awareness for the disease. She's also advocated for various causes, including a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

Cross married stockbroker Tom Mahoney in 2006. She later gave birth to twin daughters, Savannah and Eden.

Eva Longoria (Gabrielle Solis)

Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis on 'Desperate Housewives'; Eva Longoria attends the History Channel History Talks at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Sept. 21, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Randee St. Nicholas/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Kayla Oaddams/FilmMagic

Eva Longoria rose to fame on *Desperate Housewives* as Gabrielle Solis, a lonely wife willing to stray outside her marriage for attention.

When Longoria auditioned, she was mainly known for her stint on *The Young and the Restless*. She turned out to be a natural for the part, telling EW in 2012, "I went in for the audition and Marc [Cherry] was like, 'What’d you think of the script?' I was like, 'I didn’t read the script. I just read my part.' He said right then and there that he knew I was Gaby — it was the most selfish thing I could have said."

She went on to appear in films like *Overboard *(2018) and *Dora and the Lost City of Gold* (2019), as well as season 4 of Hulu’s hit caper *Only Murders in the Building*, in which she played a fictionalized version of herself. In 2025, she hosted the food and travel reality show *Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain.*

In addition to onscreen work, she's also been active behind the camera. Longoria teamed up with Cherry to produce Lifetime’s soapy satire *Devious Maids*. After getting her feet wet directing episodes of *Black-ish*, *The Mick*, and *Why Women Kill*, she helmed her feature debut, *Flamin’ Hot *(2023), a fictionalized retelling of the invention of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Longoria was married to* *actor Tyler Christopher from 2002 to 2004, and to NBA star Tony Parker from 2007 to 2011. In 2016, she married José Bastón. The couple has one son, Santiago.

Nicollette Sheridan (Edie Britt)

Nicollette Sheridan as Edie Britt on 'Desperate Housewives'; Nicollette Sheridan attends a holiday celebration with the stars of 'It's a Wonderful Lifetime' at the Maybourne Beverly Hills on Nov. 28, 2023, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Nicollette Sheridan is Edie Britt, a thrice-married real estate agent who makes life more difficult for the four central housewives.

The actress left *Desperate Housewives* on bad terms after five seasons, accusing showrunner Marc Cherry of hitting her on the head on set and writing her character off the show in retaliation when she reported it.

Following her departure, Sheridan found a new home on the Hallmark Channel, starring in several movies for the network. She also appeared on the *Dynasty* reboot and starred in the 2023 Lifetime movie *Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas*.

Sheridan tied the knot with actor Harry Hamlin in 1991; the union lasted one year. In 2015, she married Aaron Phypers, but the couple split after six months, officially getting divorced in 2018. She was also notably engaged to singer Michael Bolton from 2006 to 2008 after having dated on and off.

James Denton (Mike Delfino)

James Denton as Mike Delfino on 'Desperate Housewives'; James Denton attends Hallmark Channel's 'Christmas on Cherry Lane' New York screening at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Dec. 7, 2023, in New York City.

Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Craig Barritt/Getty Images

James Denton plays Mike Delfino, the hunky and mysterious plumber who marries Susan twice over the course of the show.

Denton recurred on the NBC drama *The Pretender* before moving to Wisteria Lane. In 2015, he took a leading role in Hallmark’s fantasy series *Good Witch*.

Naturally, his status as a Hallmark Channel favorite led to a string of its famed Christmas movies. He reunited with *Housewives* costar Teri Hatcher for *A Kiss Before Christmas *(2021), and competed on the French version of *Dancing With the Stars* in 2024.

Denton wed Jenna Lyn Ward in 1997, but the marriage ended in divorce. In 2002, he married Erin O'Brien; the pair has two children, Sheppard and Malin.

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Doug Savant (Tom Scavo)

Doug Savant as Tom Scavo on 'Desperate Housewives'; Doug Savant attends a 'Rocketman' pre-Grammy celebration at Verse on Jan. 23, 2020, in Toluca Lake, Calif.

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Doug Savant plays Lynette's husband, Tom Scavo, who struggles to keep up with his growing family.

Savant’s first claim to fame was *Melrose Place* in the groundbreaking role of Matt Fielding, one of the first out gay lead characters in mainstream TV history.

Since his time on *Desperate Housewives*, he's appeared on shows like *Criminal Minds*,* The X-Files*, and *The Cleaning Lady*, as well as the 2025 TV movie *I Was a Child Bride: The Courtney Stodden Story*.

The actor married Dawn Dunkin in 1983. They had two children, Arianna and Madeline. The couple split in 1997. A year later, Savant married his *Melrose* costar, Laura Leighton, with whom he shares two kids, Jack and Lucy.

Ricardo Antonio Chavira (Carlos Solis)

Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis on 'Desperate Housewives'; Ricardo Chavira arrives for the season 3 premiere of 'Truth Be Told' at the Pacific Design Center on Jan. 19, 2023, in West Hollywood, Calif.

Danny Feld/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Ricardo Antonio Chavira plays Carlos Solis, who’s fiercely protective of his wife, Gabrielle — sometimes too much.

After the show's conclusion, he landed a recurring role on *Jane the Virgin* and played governor–turned–doomed president-elect Frankie Vargas on *Scandal*. The native Texan also enjoyed runs on *Santa Clarita Diet* and *Selena: The Series. *

Chavira tied the knot with Marcea Dietzel in 2007. They share two children, son Tomás and daughter Belén.

Jesse Metcalfe (John Rowland)

Jesse Metcalfe as John Rowland on 'Desperate Housewives'; Jesse Metcalfe attends the boohoo Collective launch party at Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails on Aug. 29, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

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Jesse Metcalfe plays John Rowland, the young gardener who has an affair with Gaby in season 1. He was part of the original main cast and returned occasionally in subsequent seasons.

In a March 2026 episode of the *Not Skinny But Not Fat* podcast, Metcalfe revealed he had actually been fired after the first season because there was nowhere else to go with his story.

He shared, “Our creator, Marc Cherry, was kind of like, ‘This isn’t *Desperate House Gardeners*, this is *Desperate Housewives*, so unfortunately you’re not going to be a series regular moving forward on the show. We're gonna bring you back intermittently.’”

Metcalfe first caught attention on the supernatural soap *Passions* and broke into movies as the title character in *John Tucker Must Die *(2006). He joined a true TV legacy on the revival of *Dallas* as Christopher Ewing, the adopted son of Bobby and Pam Ewing.

The actor jumped to the Hallmark Channel as the star of *Chesapeake Shores*. He’s since made a home on the network, appearing in several *Martha's Vineyard Mysteries* installments and many Christmas TV movies.

Metcalfe has also found a foothold in faith-based films, including the Dennis Quaid vehicle *On a Wing and a Prayer *(2023).

Kyle MacLachlan (Orson Hodge)

Kyle MacLachlan as Orson Hodge on 'Desperate Housewives'; Kyle MacLachlan attends the world premiere of Disney and Pixar's 'Inside Out 2' at El Capitan Theatre on June 10, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Bob D'Amico/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Kevin Winter/WireImage

Kyle MacLachlan plays Bree's second husband, Orson Hodge, who gradually reveals his darker side throughout the series.

During and after *Desperate Housewives*, MacLachlan popped up on the small screen on shows like *How I Met Your Mother*, *Portlandia*, and *Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D*. He also reprised his iconic role as Agent Dale Cooper on Showtime's* Twin Peaks: The Return*.

Most recently, he appeared in the films *Inside Out 2* and *Blink Twice, *both released in 2024, and currently stars on Amazon’s post-apocalyptic drama *Fallout* and FX's *The Lowdown*. He hosts a podcast called *What Are We Even Doing?*, on which he interviews younger artists.

MacLachlan married publicist Desiree Gruber in 2002. They have one son, Callum.

Vanessa Williams (Renee Perry)

Vanessa Williams as Renee Perry on 'Desperate Housewives'; Vanessa Williams visits the SiriusXM Studios on Sept. 18, 2024, in New York City.

Matthew Rolston/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Vanessa Williams visits the SiriusXM Studios

After stepping into the spike heels of the wicked Wilhelmina Slater on *Ugly Betty*, Vanessa Williams joined the show’s seventh season as Renee Perry, a troublemaking new housewife.

Following her two-season run on the series, she earned credits of numerous shows while also enjoying a prolific career on the stage. In 2024, she helped open the West End production of *The Devil Wears Prada *musical* *as overbearing editor Miranda Priestly.

Williams and her first husband, Ramon Hervey II, were married from 1987 to 1997. They share three children: Melanie, Jillian, and Devin. She had another child, Sasha, with her second husband, NBA veteran Rick Fox; they were married from 1999 to 2004. In 2015, she wed Jim Skrip, but they split in 2021.

Brenda Strong (Mary Alice Young)

Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young on 'Desperate Housewives'; Brenda Strong attends the WORDTheatre Gala Fundraiser at Santa Monica Bay Woman's Club on Nov. 2, 2023, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Andrew Eccles/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images; Unique Nicole/Getty Images

Brenda Strong was the voice of Mary Alice Young, a housewife who dies by suicide in the pilot episode and narrates the show from beyond the grave. She earned two Emmy nominations for her voice-over performance.

While Strong was usually unseen, her narration was a crucial component of the show. She later played Ann Ewing in the *Dallas* reboot and featured prominently on *Fear the Walking Dead*, *Supergirl*, and *13 Reasons Why*.

Longtime TV viewers may also remember the former Miss Arizona winner from her memorable recurring characters on *Seinfeld* and *Sports Night*.

Strong married Tom Henri in 1989, but the pair split in 2011. She and director John Farmanesh-Bocca tied the knot in 2015.

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Source: “EW Comedy”