‘Desperate Housewives’ Stars Gush Over Felicity Huffman During Virtual Reunion

The stars of Desperate Housewives are still fans of castmate Felicity Huffman, even after her role in the college admissions scandal. Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, Vanessa Williams, Dana Delaney and Brenda Strong had nothing but good things to say about Huffman, who served 11 days in prison and had to pay a $30,000 fine. The quintet of stars reunited for Stars In The House, a YouTube series launched to help The Actors’ Fund during the coronavirus pandemic.

The reunion did not include Huffman, Nicolette Sheridan or Teri Hatcher, reports Entertainment Tonight. Cross and Longoria praised Huffman’s performance as Lynette Scavo on the ABC series, which ran from 2004 to 2012. Huffman won an Emmy for the role in 2005 and earned another nomination in 2007. Cross and Longoria were particularly fond of Huffman’s performance during Lynette’s cancer storyline.

“I just feel like Felicity Huffman is a flipping genius. She’s just an unbelievable actress,” Cross said. “We were a true dramedy. We were always a joke, and then that gravity would take you by surprise and that’s what I loved about the show, we got to do two things,” Longoria chimed in. “But when Felicity had this storyline, she sunk her teeth into it — she had so many questions… She’s the acteur.”

Longoria also described how difficult it was to act alongside Huffman because she would get involved with watching Huffman’s performance and lose track of her own lines. “I remember getting goosebumps when I did a scene with Felicity in the hospital during that storyline… Oh my God, I was just watching her and then I’d forget my lines ’cause she was so amazing,” Longoria recalled.

Longoria said she has “such a strong connection” with Huffman. “We’ve all created these amazing friendships outside the show that are lasting forever,” Longoria added. Longoria earned a Golden Globe nomination for the show in 2006, while Huffman earned Golden Globe nods in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Last year, Huffman pleaded guilty to her role in the college admissions scandal. According to the indictment, she paid $15,000 to help her and husband William H. Macy’s daughter Sofia, 19, get into a college by cheating on an SAT exam. Huffman, 57, served her prison sentence in October.

Longoria was one of Huffman’s biggest supporters during the scandal. In August 2019, she praised Huffman’s response, telling Entertainment Tonight, “I think she has a heart that is bigger than the sun and that’s the Felicity I know and that’s the woman I choose to support and love. She was humbled by what happened and I think she did handle it with as much grace as she could in that situation.”