Meet the Real-Life Families of the “Desperate Housewives ”Cast as the Series Turns 20

The salacious TV drama premiered 20 years ago today and since then, many of the stars have gone on to have spouses and kids of their own

For eight seasons, Desperate Housewives entertained viewers as the show explored the not-so-picture-perfect lives of the women on Wisteria Lane. 

“It was a decade of my life and it was the No. 1 show in the world,” one of the show's stars, Eva Longoria, said during an appearance on Today with Hoda and Jenna in June.

"I just remember the first time I went to London, I had never been to London before and there was a big crowd of people outside the hotel,” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Gosh, who’s here? Is Bono here? Somebody important must be here!’ And the driver was like, ‘… You…’ And I was like, ‘No, somebody like, big. Like a big deal!’”

“And he didn’t understand that I didn’t understand," she continued, "the global reach of that show."

Since the series wrapped, many of the stars have gone on to grow and raise their own families while staying busy on- and off-screen. Continue reading for a deep dive into the stories of the beloved star’s spouses and children.

Eva Longoria’s Husband, José Antonio 'Pepe” Bastón,' and Their Son Santiago

Actress and producer Eva Longoria (Gabrielle Solis) and Latin media mogul José Antonio “Pepe” Bastón tied the knot in 2016. After dating for three years, the two wed at Bastón’s home in Valle de Bravo, Mexico.

In 2018, the couple welcomed their son, Santiago Enrique Bastón. Longoria, now 49, was never “focused on” having a baby until she became a stepmom to Bastón’s three kids from a previous relationship.

“No matter how fast time flies, you’ll always be my baby!” wrote Longoria on Instagram in June. “Happy 6th birthday to my sweet Santi. Love you so much!!”

Felicity Huffman’s Husband, William H. Macy, and Their Daughters Sophia and Georgia

Actors Felicity Huffman (Lynette Scavo) and William H. Macy first met in the early 1980s. The couple dated on and off for 15 years before they wed in 1997. Together they have two daughters: Sophia, born in 2000 and Georgia, born in 2002.

“Our marriage is a fairytale marriage,” Macy told Willie Geist in an interview for Sunday Today in 2019. “I loved her the second I saw her.”

Later that year, the family came under fire for their involvement in the college admissions scandal. Huffman, now 61, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. In May 2019, Huffman pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to fix her daughter’s incorrect SAT answers. 

“My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her,” Huffman wrote in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty.”

Marcia Cross’ Husband, Tom Mahoney, and Their Twins Eden and Savannah

Marcia Cross (Bree Van De Camp) married stockbroker Tom Mahoney in San Gabriel, Calif., in 2006. The couple welcomed fraternal twin girls, Eden and Savannah the next year. 

In 2009, Mahoney was diagnosed with throat cancer, which has since gone into remission. Cross, now 62, revealed she had been undergoing treatment for anal cancer in 2018. Doctors have since linked the two diagnoses to the same strain of HPV, or human papillomavirus. 

“As I sat at my twin daughters’ graduation yesterday, I was so grateful to be alive and well and thought that if I could give that gift to another person it would all be worth it,” Cross told CNN of sharing her story in 2019.

Teri Hatcher’s Daughter, Emerson

“I’ve always made mothering the priority of my life,” actress Teri Hatcher (Susan Mayer) said during a 2006 appearance on The View. “Over my career, over everything.”

Hatcher and her ex-husband, actor Jon Tenney, welcomed their daughter Emerson Rose Tenney in 1997. The couple was married for nine years between 1994 and 2003. After the divorce, they continued to co-parent Emerson.

Emerson attended Brown University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing in May 2020. She followed in her parents’ footsteps and pursued a career in the entertainment industry, writing scripts and directing her first animated short film, Vibrantea.

In January, Emerson and her mom, now 59, were seen twinning at Berlin Fashion Week.

Brenda Strong’s Husband, John Farmanesh-Bocca, and Her Son Zak

Brenda Strong (Mary Alice Young) tied the knot with her husband John Farmanesh-Bocca in 2015. The two had met while working together on a play. 

In December, Strong, now 64, celebrated her husband’s birthday with a post on Instagram.

“Your huge and generous heart brings joy to all who are lucky enough to know you,” she wrote in the caption. “Being your wife is the privilege of my life. I get to laugh every day, have thought provoking conversations, be creative and have the most amazing adventures in the most amazing places with you.”

Strong has one son, Zak Henri, 29, with ex-husband Tom Henri. Zak became an actor, with his most notable roles in the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore romcom Blended and the shows Awkward and Budheads.

Ricardo Chavira’s Wife, Marcea Dietzel, and Their Children Tomás and Belén

Ricardo Chavira (Carlos Solis) married longtime girlfriend Marcea Dietzel in 2007, while Desperate Housewives was on air. Together, the actor, now 53, and his wife have two children, Tomás Antonio, 21, and Belén Elysabeth, 16.

James Denton’s Wife, Erin O’Brien, and Their Children Sheppard and Malin

In 2002, James Denton (Mike Delfino) married fitness trainer Erin O’Brien. The next year, they welcomed their son, Sheppard. Daughter Malin joined the family in 2005. 

A month after Desperate Housewives wrapped, the family moved to the Minneapolis suburbs to be closer to O’Brien’s family and to get out of L.A.

“I knew the value of growing up in a smaller town,” Denton told yahoo!life in 2022. “L.A. is tough. I think kids judge each other a little more harshly and everybody’s parents seem to be in the business in some aspect and it’s just much easier in a small town for them.”

The family made a return to showbiz in 2022. Denton, now 61, played a retired pop star in Hallmark’s Perfect Harmony and his character’s son was played by his real-life son, who's now 21. 

“He’s a really good actor who doesn’t try to do it,” Denton told Fox News in 2022. “When this [movie] came about, he’s a great musician, much better player than I am, so we wrote a role for him and it just kind of grew and grew because he was so good.”

Doug Savant’s Wife, Laura Leighton, and Their Children Jack and Lucy

After starring alongside each other for five seasons on Melrose Place, costars Doug Savant (Tom Scavo) and Laura Leighton got married in 1998.

“We were friends on the set, but then it became, ‘Oh my God, this person I think is so perfect is right here,' " Savant, now 60, told PEOPLE in 2007. “The best thing that happened to me as a result of Melrose was meeting my wife.”

Together, the couple has two children, Jack, 23, and Lucy, 19. Savant also has two daughters from his previous marriage: Arianna, 32, and Madeline, 31.

Jesse Metcalfe’s Girlfriend, Helene Immel

Jesse Metcalfe (John Rowland) and girlfriend Helene Immel made their first official appearance as a couple at the 2024 LA Art Show Opening Night Party in February. Immel, 30, is a singer and luxury real estate agent originally from Germany. 

In December, Immel celebrated Metcalfe’s 45th birthday on Instagram. 

“Here’s to many more hikes with you. Happy birthday baby @realjessemetcalfe”

Nicollette Sheridan

Nicollette Sheridan married Deceptions co-star Harry Hamilin in 1991. Hamlin filed for divorce a year later. In December 2015, she married businessman Aaron Phypers but ended up filing for divorce six months later. She also dated singer Michael Bolton on and off in the early '90s and again in the mid-2000s.

But more recently, Sheridan has been spending time with her nephew, Devo.

“Our favorite things … laughing, talking, playing, horses and loving each other up!” she wrote on Instagram alongside a Reel of the two.

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