We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Use Arrow Keys to Navigate

View Gallery

32 Slides

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Eva Longoria as Gabrielle Solis

Gabrielle Solis, a fiery former model turned shopaholic housewife, was perhaps the most iconic character of them all. We watched as she went from having a secret affair with her gardener to raising two diva daughters, all whilst wearing *the* most fashionable outfits on the show.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Eva Longoria in 2020

After Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria went on to have a successful acting career, starring in multiple TV shows and movies, including Devious Maids and Jane the Virgin. Longoria also launched her own clothing line and is a founding member of Time's Up, a charity which raises money to support victims of sexual harassment.

She married husband José Bastón in 2016, with the pair sharing their adorable three-year-old son, Santiago.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Marcia Cross as Bree Van de Kamp

Bree Van de Kamp wanted nothing more than to be the perfect housewife and have the perfect life. Unfortunately for Bree, her family really didn't play along, and we followed as she dealt with a fake pregnancy, the murder of her husband and so much more.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Marcia Cross in 2016

Since starring as Bree Van de Kamp, Cross appeared in an episode of Law & Order: SVU, and then joined ABC's Quantico. In 2018 she revealed she had battled anal cancer, but was successfully in remission.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Teri Hatcher as Susan Mayer

Susan Mayer really did pull the short straw when it came to sad storylines. Not only was her house set on fire, but her husband Mike died in her arms after being shot on their doorstep. Talk about tragic.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Teri Hatcher in 2020

Contrary to what we saw on-screen, Hatcher did not get along with her costars IRL, and they've basically been feuding ever since. After the show ended, Teri went on to have a few recurring roles on TV, and also voiced Dottie in the Disney animated film Planes, and its sequel. She also competed in season one of the BBC's Great Celebrity Bake Off!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo

When we say Lynette Scavo had a lot on her plate, we mean a lot. As well as raising five kids (including two very mischievous twin boys), Lynette dealt with a bout of cancer and and was kidnapped by a murderous teen. Give this woman a medal!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Felicity Huffman in 2019

Following her time on the series, Huffman earned three consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role in American Crime. She then went on to star in the series Get Shorty and When They See Us. But, in 2019 the actress made headlines when she was accused of paying someone $15,000 to take a college entry exam for her daughter. Huffman pleaded guilty to honest services fraud and was sentenced to 14 days in jail.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Nicolette Sheridan as Edie Britt

Described as the "most predatory divorcée" by the show's narrator, Edie Britt certainly spiced things up on Wisteria Lane. Despite her many schemes, affairs and scandals, Edie's death in series five came as one of the biggest shocks across the whole show. But Edie herself put it best when she said, "She died just the way she lived. The complete and utter centre of attention."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Nicolette Sheridan in 2019

Sheridan's character was killed off in series five amidst rising tensions between her and the show's creator, Marc Cherry. The situ resulted in an unsuccessful $20 million wrongful termination lawsuit. Lawsuit aside, Sheridan starred in a number of Hallmark movies, as well as the TV show, Dynasty.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Brenda Strong as Mary Alice Young

Mary Alice Young died by suicide in episode one of the show, and much of the first series focussed on the events that lead up to her death. She was also the show's omnipresent narrator, and although she voiced all eight seasons, Mary Alice only appeared on-screen in a few flashbacks.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Brenda Strong in 2017

After Desperate Housewives wrapped up, Strong went on to play Ann Ewing in the remake of Dallas. She also had a recurring role in Netflix's 13 Reasons Why, and starred in Scandal, The 100, Walking Dead and All Rise.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ricardo Antonio Chavira as Carlos Solis

Gabrielle's husband Carlos was quite the bad guy. Not only did he switch out her birth control pills to trick her into getting pregnant, he's also sent to prison for hate crimes against two gay men. Later in the show he loses his sight after being hit on the head during a tornado.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ricardo Antonio Chavira in 2018

After his stint as Carlos on DH, Chavira had recurring roles in Scandal, Jane the Virgin and The Santa Clarita Diet. In 2019, when costar Huffman was found guilty in the college admissions scandal, Chavira took to Twitter to express his disappointment at the short sentence. In tweets that were later deleted, he wrote (via Independent) “White Privilege. And I saw eight years’ worth of it, so I know what I’m talking about. Accountability and responsibility don’t mean s**t to these people.”

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Steven Culp as Rex Van de Kamp

Bree's first husband, Rex, dies in season one after being poisoned by George the pharmacist, who was in love (read: obsessed) with Bree. Rex makes several on screen appearances in flashbacks throughout the show, and also narrates an episode from beyond the grave in season three.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Steven Culp in 2019

Culp appeared on a number of well-known TV shows after DH, including NCIS, Criminal Minds, How to Get Away with Murder and American Horror Story: 1984. Most recently he starred as the attorney in Netflix's hit series, Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

James Denton as Mike Delfino

Mike Delfino was the *official* hottie of Wisteria Lane and first moved to the area in search of his missing wife. Later in the series he marries Susan Mayer and they have a son together. But the couple unfortunately don't get their happy ever after, and Mike is murdered on his doorstep by a loan shark after trying to help out a neighbour.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

James Denton in 2015

Following his time as Mike on Desperate Housewives, Denton went on to star in the TV adaption of The Good Witch, and also had a recurring role on Devious Maids.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Doug Savant as Tom Scavo

Lynette's husband Tom has a major midlife crisis in season three which leads to one failed pizzeria business and a broken marriage. Tom finds love with another woman, but after a year apart, he and Lynette decide to reconcile.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Doug Savant in 2020

After appearing on all eight seasons of DH, Savant kept busy with roles in popular TV shows including Criminal Minds, 9-1-1, Lucifer, NCIS and Dirty John.

Jade Biggs (she/her) is Cosmopolitan UK's Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. She also works on first-person features and investigative long-reads, taking a deep-dive into mental health, celebrity culture and women's rights. Jade has been a journalist and content writer for ten years, and has interviewed leading researchers and doctors, high-profile influencers and fitness experts. She is a cat mum to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram or Twitter. 

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLvSpqapp5yewaK6jZympmeloHymutOeqa2ZmaO6prrTaJ5sbmdqgHN9kGibnqugmr%2BiwMRmn6ito5rEqsLErGScmaOperi0xKucZpmimnq1tMSyZKenp2Q%3D