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Casting Notes

Friday, July 4th, 2008

Good morning, everyone! Happy 4th of July… hope your day is going to be a great one! Me? I’m going for a more low-key kind of day at home. I thought before I go veg out for the day, I’d share some more casting news that was announced during my absence.

It’s been very busy on th ecasting front lately. While many current and former stars are getting shows and guest appearances, new cast members are being added to the Lane. Kristin from E! announced that the kid re-casting is basically done. Rumors suggest the twins are being played by 20-year-olds. I can see it… makes it much easier to get the job done if you don’t have to worry about taking time out to send a couple of teenagers to class. I just hope whoever they cast actually looks like they could be teenagers. Gabrielle Carteris on 90210, anyone? ::shudders::

neal-mcdonough.jpgFor all you Mike and Edie fans, there is some good news for you: both are returning. I know Nicolette was pretty much a lock, but James Denton himself was unsure if he was coming back or not. He’s going to be pretty active sharing custody of Maynard with Susan, while Edie will get a new love interest. That part will be played by Neal McDonough, who I remember from the series Boomtown. He has also had parts on Traveler, the Tin Man miniseries and I Know Who Killed Me. Let’s not judge him too harshly for the last one, huh? A guy’s gotta eat….

gale-harold.jpgFinally, we have Gale Harold. He will be playing Ken, the new man in Susan’s life. If he looks familiar to you, you’ve probably seen the short-lived FOX series Vanished. As you can see, there’s going to be a lot of new faces on the Lane this year. I’m excited to see how it all turns out. What do you think? Post your thoughts in the comments and make your voice heard! Til next time…. take care!

Alfre Woodard Has a New Series!

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

alfre-at-the-fashion-votes-event-june-16th.jpgFirst off, sorry for the absense. Some technical difficulties beyond anyone’s control. But, I’m here now and ready to share all the latest about Wysteria Lane!

While she’s been active in film and TV for years now, I first saw Alfre Woodard when she appeared on Desperate Housewives as Betty Applewhite, a mother who gives new meaning to the phrase tough love. Many fans were unimpressed by the plot, but I enjoyed it and her performance. She has this presence on screen that is hard to ignore. Still, the mystery was over by the end of season 2 and Alfre was off television. Until now.

She’s going to be co-starring in a new NBC series this fall called My Own Worst Enemy. Christian Slater is the lead in what is described as a new take on the Jekyll and Hyde story. Hmm…. that sounds kind of familiar, no? Anyway… Alfre will be playing his boss who also has a secret life. Guess all that time on Wysteria Lane is about to pay off

The series is reported to be scheduled for Mondays at 10 PM, so there will be no scheduling conflict for Housewives fans wanting to check out a former cast member. In other casting news, she’s also expected to be in the upcoming film The Family that Preys. In that one, Alfre is rumored to be playing the working-class friend of a socialite. Their long friendship is going to be tested, however, by their children’s problems. Sounds like quite the part I’ll update you on the film as more information comes out.

Well, that’s about all for today. Don’t worry, though, I’m just getting started Look for plenty more recaps, news and other stuff to come this week.

Richard Burgi Does it Again!

Friday, June 20th, 2008

He’s the ex-husband we love to hate, Karl Mayer. Over the past few years, Richard Burgi has been an important part of the show and Susan’s character development. Now, he’s in demand elsewhere, too! You guys might remember me telling you about his appearance on the show Reaper. He played a trouble making womanizer who kept escaping from Hell. His new role is a bit more “normal”.

It’s been announced that he will be guest starring on the FX series Nip/Tuck. He’ll be playing a character named Logan Ayers. Logan’s a suave plastic surgeon who is a bit… shall we say OCD in the bedroom. There’s no word yet on when the episode will be airing, but he’s reportedly already completed one day of filming. He’ll be going back for another day of work on the 23rd.

I’ve personally never watched the show, but I’m curious to see his episode. He’s been really enjoyable in the few parts I’ve seen him in so far. He can pull off being a jerk while still being likeable somehow, a very tough thing to do.

Here’s a little example of that…. a scene from the episode where Susan goes to Lamaze class and ends up running into Karl:

I don’t know whether to smack him or shake his hand… how about you? I’d love to hear other people’s thoughts on the character as well. By the way… before I leave, I’d like to direct you to a fellow blogger’s latest post regarding the Emmys. Less than a month to go before we find out who was nominated for what. Good luck to the Housewives cast and I’ll see you all on Monday with recaps, news and more.

Aloha!

Monday, June 16th, 2008

Good morning, everyone! Well, it’s Monday and you know what that means. No, I’m not talking about heading back into the office. I mean, it’s time to dish about our favorite show! I hope you all had a great weekend and you’re ready to get down to business. I know I am!

felicity-and-william.jpg

First off, Marcia, Eva and Teri aren’t the only ones who have been out and about lately. Felicity Huffman traveled to the Islands to attend the 2008 Maui Film Festival. She was on hand to accept the Nova award in honor of her many TV, film and theatre roles. She also screened her latest movie, Phoebe in Wonderland. Felicity plays the mother of a young girl who has trouble following rules. That wasn’t all, though! Felicity also managed to squeeze in some fun in the sun with her husband and daughters. Gotta love the Macy family. They’re definitely on my list of favorite celebs for being so low-key and normal.

Anyway…. on another part of the Islands, a local TV station gave us some insight into one of the newest cast members: 6-year-old Kaili Say, who plays one of Gabby’s daughters. Kaili and her 10-year-old sister, Brandi, had spent months in LA doing print work in addition to small acting jobs and were about to go back home when the word came Kaili had won the part. Needless the say, the family has decided to stay put. Good luck to the Say family! It can be hard to be a kid in Hollywood.

Finally, Dana Delaney revealed in a recent interview that, barring an actor’s strike, the cast will be returning to work on July 7th. I was surprised to learn that Marc Cherry actually filled her in on what was up with her mystery before hand. I thought he was pretty secretive about that kind of stuff. She also assured all the Edie fans out there Nicollette will be back. Good to know Edie really does still have a place on the show. She’s fun.

Well, that’s all for now. Stay tuned throughout the week for any breaking news, recaps and other stuff. Take care and see ya next time!

Bloopers and More!

Thursday, June 5th, 2008

Good morning, Housewives fans. I hope everyone’s doing well today. Since it’s still early, why don’t we start the day off with a laugh? I found these great bloopers from the season 3 DVD on youtube.

I just love those, don’t you? There’s plenty more where those came from. Check out all the seasons on DVD to get even more bloopers and other cool features. I was watching a Marc Cherry interview on one of them and was surprised to learn there is quite a bit of ad-libbing going on.

So, do you all remember the other day when I mentioned the fire that broke out at Universal? Well, there’s an update being reported at different outlets. Apparently, the fire was started accidently by workers who were using a blow torch to make some changes to one of the sets. When all seemed to be well an hour later, they took a break only to come back to a mess. Bad water pressure has also been faulted for the fact the fire went on so long.

Finally, he may not be stalking Katherine anymore, but that doesn’t mean he’s staying out of trouble. Gary Cole, who played her evil ex, has been cast in a new ABC pilot. According to the news, he’s playing a prisoner who is the head of a family of trouble makers. His stint in the big house supposedly will inspire his wife to make the rest of the family change their wicked ways. The first role I every saw Gary Cole in was as Mike Brady in the Brady Bunch movies, so these latest parts have come as a bit of a shock. I must say, though, he’s great as a villain.

I guess that’s about it for now. Til next time, take care and have a good one!

This and That

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Good morning, everyone! I’ve got some news to share, but first things first. I was browsing youtube when I came across a clip from season one, episode 11 (”Move On”). For anyone who can’t see the clip properly, let me set the scene….

Susan, Karl, Mike, Julie and some of her friends are at a karaoke bar, watching Julie and a couple other girls sing. As Julie and the girls decide to leave and go check out a dance floor on the second floor, Edie shows up. Needless to say, Susan is not very happy. Karl tells her if she can bring Mike, he can bring her. Edie is called and she gets up to sing “I’ve Never Been to Me”. When she gets back, she ends up blabbing about a drunken kiss and she Karl had shared a few years before. Susan, who is obviously mad about this, gets called up to sing and she ends up losing it right in the middle of her song.

What makes the scene for me is Teri’s delivery of her rant against Karl in between the lyrics of “New York, New York”. She manages to do it all without missing a beat and I love that Teri isn’t afraid to look silly for the sake of a good bit. Here it is:

In other Housewives news, we have a reunion of the moms in the works. Leslie Ann Warren, who played Susan’s mother, is now playing the lead character’s mom on the new USA series In Plain Sight. Nichole Hiltz, who was Lily’s birth mother on Housewives, will be playing the lead’s sister. Kinda cool, huh? It’s a show about a woman who works for the witness protection program.

Finally, Felicity Huffman also has a new part in the works. She’s signed on to star in a movie version of the British miniseries The Politician’s Wife. It’s about a woman who plots her revenge after her husband has an affair. Hmm… sounds a bit like Lynette to me. She did make threats before about what she’d do if Tom ever strayed. Well, that’s about all for now. Take care and I’ll see you next time!

News Brief

Friday, May 30th, 2008

dougray-scott.jpg Hello, everyone! I thought I’d take a break from the DVD talk and fill you guys in on some stuff going on with the cast. First up is Dougray Scott. You may remember him as Ian, the guy Susan was dating while Mike was in that coma. He may not be on the Lane anymore, but he’s still been pretty busy. He is currently starring in a remake of Jekyll and Hyde as the title character. It’s billed as a modern retelling of the classic story and airs on the ION network. You can catch it on June 6th at 7PM eastern time.

That’s not all He also stars in a remake of the 10 Commandments on the same channel. That will air on June 1st at 7 PM eastern. He’ll be playing the part of Moses. Still haven’t had enough? Catch him in Dark Water Boy on FX. That airs on June 2nd at 12 AM and 10 AM.

Now that her gig at Wendy’s is done, Eva is turning her attention to more glamorous duties. She’s going to be the host on the ALMA awards again. The ceremony is held every years to honor the best entertainers in the Latin community. She’s also going to be the show’s executive producer. It will be taped in August for broadcast in September. I’ll keep you updated as the show gets closer.

Finally, let’s take a look at the rumor mill, shall we? There are reports out there that Beyonce has been given a guest spot on the series and her father is hoping to make it into something more long-term. Is this for real? Time will tell and I’ll be here to pass along all the info as it is released. Well, that’s it for now. See you next time

The New Neighbor?

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Good morning, everyone. Hope you’re all enjoying the holiday weekend. Since we’re back to seeing reruns again, I thought I’d take some time to talk about the Season 1 DVD set for those who don’t have it. I got the chance to borrow it recently and I’m enjoying it a lot. It has, of course, all the episodes plus some great features. There are interviews, commentary, behind-the-scenes stuff and more.

dvd-cap.jpgOne of my favorite features is “Oprah Winfrey is the New Neighbor”. It’s a skit in which Winfrey plays Karen Stofer, a woman longing for a simpler life away from the big city and the pressures of a running huge company. Guess she didn’t check out the area carefully enough… Anyway, the skit briefly features the Housewives themselves introducing themselves to her. Once they leave, Karen decides to go to the store and get some sugar so she can make a special dessert in honor of their first night in a new home. Her husband talks her into borrowing some from the neighbors because “people in the suburbs live for that stuff.”

Oprah then goes on a mission to get sugar, getting spliced into scenes from the first season. She interacts with Susan after she was locked out of the house naked, watches Lynette yelling at the kids and other stuff. She runs home to tell her husband there is something very wrong with this neighborhood. Later, she goes on a walk and comes across a sight that causes her to demand they leave immediately.

I thought it was pretty amusing to see a relatively normal person getting thrown into the world of Wysteria Lane and realizing these people are seriously messed up… but isn’t that the fun of the show? Well, I’m out of here. There’s plenty more of the way this week, so stay tuned!

Desperate Housewives Out and About

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Good morning, everyone! Later on today, I’ll be giving you the actor/actress of the week. For now? Let’s check it on where some of the cast has been showing up lately.

brenda-and-eva.jpg

This picture of Eva and Brenda was taken on April 28th. They were Events of the Heart’s “You Gotta Have Heart” premiere in Westwood, California. It’s always a bit surprising to me to see Brenda next to the other cast members, since she’s so much taller.

marcia-and-elizabeth.jpg How’s this for a random paring? That’s Elizabeth Berkley (yes, the chick from Saved by the Bell and Showgirls) chatting with Marcia during the Feed 100 reception at Whole Foods in LA. That took place just a few days ago, on May 19th.

Finally, Felicity Huffman was spotted at the Rogan for Target event at Barneys in Beverly Hills on May 15th. I gotta say that the filming break looks like it’s agreeing with everyone.

felicity-at-rogan-for-target.jpg

Andrea Bowen’s not just sitting around now that Julie’s on her way to college. Besides the album I mentioned a few posts back, she’s appearing in the play Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenaged Blockhead. It’s a twisted take on the Peanuts gang, where Andrea will be playing Charlie Brown’s sister. The show opens June 7th at Hudson Backstage Theatre in LA. She’s also considering an offer from Dancing with the Stars.

Are you fearless about spoilers and wanna hear some gossip about next season? Well, read on. (more…)

This and That

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

Good morning, everyone! So, how about that finale? I have to say that’s one of the best episodes yet in a season I already really liked. Looks like I’m not alone, either. According to various media outlets, Desperate Housewives came out a winner this year. It beat CSI to become the most-watched scripted series this season, ending the crime drama’s 5-year reign. Not only that, the finale averaged 16.8 million viewers this week.

In other not-so-great news… AFTRA is apparently having a tough time coming to an agreement with the Producer’s union over new contracts for their actors. SAG has already bowed out of the negotiations for now. Is another strike in the cards for Hollywood, already trying to recover from the writer’s walk out? Only time will tell. If there is one, it won’t start until the end of June and would mostly affect films for now, as the TV season just ended. Just like the writers, the actor’s unions are making new media (the internet/cell phones) the big issue in the talks. I’ll post updates as I find them. Hopefully, this will all be resolved quickly so we can get a more normal season in the fall.

eva-at-kung-fu-panda-premiere.jpg

The housewives are definitely keeping themselves busy during their summer break. They’re popping up in all kinds of places lately, from film premieres to charity events. The picture above shows Eva Longoria at the premiere of Kung Fu Panda. The picture below shows Teri Hatcher at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Poker Fundraiser.

teri-plays-poker.jpg

Finally, check out the Housewives on TV! Felicity Huffman’s movie Snap Decision will be on Lifetime Movie Network on the 23rd at 4 PM eastern. Marcia Cross and Doug Savant can be seen on Soapnet repeats of Melrose Place. Episodes will begin airing again on May 27th at 12 PM eastern. Doug can also be seen on a repeat of CSI. That will air tonight at 7 PM eastern and again at midnight. How is that for timing? Well, I’m out of here for now. Check back tomorrow to see what Felicity and Marcia are up to during their time off. See ya then!

Getting “Desperate”?

Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Don’t. Just because the finale is upon us, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see your favorites on TV regularly. Besides the reruns on Lifetime of earlier seasons, the cast is going to be all over your TV and I’ll be keeping you up-to-date on when.

During the rest of this week, you can see Teri Hatcher on The View and The Late Show with David Letterman on the 16th.

Marcia Cross will star in a Seinfeld episode on the 17th. That will air on TBS at 6:30 PM.

Look for Eva Longoria Parker on HBOSGe. Her movie The Sentinal will air on the 16th at 9:45 AM and 11 PM.

Wanna see Brenda Strong instead of just hearing her do the voice-overs? Now’s your chance. She’s going to be in a Seinfeld episode airing on TBS today at 5:30 PM. You can also catch her on HBOSGe in The Deep End of the Ocean.

Reaper isn’t the only place to see Richard Burgi. You can also catch him in Just Shoot Me on TBS. That will air on the 16th at 2:30 PM.

Catch Orson himself, Kyle McLaughlen on the 17th when he stars in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me on IFC. That will air at 11:15 PM.

Dana Delaney will be on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on the 15th at 11:35 PM as well as guest starring on an episode of Cheers. You can see that on TVLand on the 16 at 8 AM. Don’t forget her role in Tombstone, either. That airs on SHOe at 8 AM on the 18th.

By the way…. I’m sure many of you are aware that Marcia was a regular on Melrose Place in the 90s. She played Dr. Kimberly Shaw, someone who makes Bree look like the definition of well adjusted. Well, here’s a clip I found of her from the show. It’s arguably her most famous scene in the whole serious. Well, with the exception of the time she blew the whole building up…

Richard Burgi’s Been a Bad Boy….

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Well, last night the awesome Mr. Richard Burgi guest starred on the CW series Reaper. The series is about a young guy whose parents made a deal with the devil that now forces him to act as the Grim Reaper and send souls on their way to Hell. Burgi’s character, who is ironically named Mike, is one of those souls. Only thing is, he’s apparently got an in with the chick who takes the souls, because she keeps helping him escape.

richard-burgi-on-reaper.jpg

He was pretty good in this part. The character starts off as a seemingly fun and harmless guy who likes to mess around with lots of women. Soon, though, he’s shown to be much nastier and doesn’t have too much of a conscience. Much dodging and a big fight later, he’s finally captured and sent back for good. Burgi managed to mix the fun, slightly wacky personality of the character (which made me think of Karl once or twice) with a more sinister undertone that I really enjoyed. Kudos for him!

By the way… there seemed to be a cute little shout-out to his regular gig in the episode. At one point, Mike is caught in a very nice neighborhood much like Wysteria Lane after being shoved out of a women’s house cause her husband has just gotten back. She even tosses a pair of pants at him, bringing to mind that famous scene of Gabby and John trying to hide what they’ve been up to from Carlos. If you want to see it for yourself, the episode will repeat on the 20th at 8 PM Eastern. That’s all for now! Check back tomorrow morning for more about what the cast has done outside of Wysteria Lane.

Nathan Fillion and Dana Delaney join “Housewives” cast

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007

There’s casting news off the “Desperate Housewives” and I’m loving what I hear! It sounds like Nathan Fillion and Dana Delaney will be moving to Wisteria Lane playing a new couple who are shrouded in mystery (of course!). Dana will be playing Katherine Mayfair, a woman who has lived on Wisteria Lane before but moved away with her daughter Dylan suddenly and mysteriously. 12 years later, she’s back with her new husband Adam, played by Nathan Fillion who has a some mystery in his past as well. I’ve heard that the sparks fly between Katherine and Bree, due to their similar personalities. Woo! Sounds great huh? Meanwhile, check out this cool promo for the new season, I know you’ll agree with me that it is very intriguing!

Dana Delaney is coming to Wisteria Lane

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

Dana DelaneyDid you know that actress Dana Delaney was offered (and turned down, obviously) the role of Bree THREE times?  True story.  But currently, she’s being offered another role altogether.  Producers of “Desperate Housewives” are currently in talks with the former “China Beach” star about her signing a contract to play Bree’s sister this next season.  And it sounds like the character would be a pretty juicy one:

Katherine, a former neighbor who is coming home after being away for more than a decade married to a younger man (described as “the best-looking gynecologist in town”), comes back home to Wisteria Lane along with her 17-year-old daughter — who is said to be a bit of a troublemaker herself. In keeping with the always prim and proper character of Bree herself, Katherine is also described as a conservative Republican — but one with a “mastery of passive/aggressiveness.”

I, for one, hope the deal comes through and we see Dana coming to Wisteria Lane this fall.  A sister for Bree, that would be just wonderful.  I’d like to see a woman who can challenge Bree’s uptight-ness, wouldn’t you?

About Desperate Housewives

Are you a rabid "Desperate Housewives" fan? Whether you've been tuning in since day one or if you're a new devotee, you'll find all you need and want to know about your favorite show right here. This blog covers episode recaps, news about the stars, spoilers, gossip and speculation. So if one hour a week isn't enough to indulge your fixation, be sure to stop by!

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