See Also: Marcia Cross People Guide, Nicollette Sheridan People Guide

Actors sometimes audition for one role, and then end up with another. Desperate Housewives was no exception, with Nicolette Sheridan (Edie Britt) revealing that she initially read for the role of Bree Van De Kamp.

"I thought the character was a very interestingly disturbed human being," Sheridan told the AirTran Airways Inflight Magazine, "but there was a part of me that felt I wasn't sure I wanted to play—for maybe seven years—this neurotic woman who could implode at any moment." Despite her reservations, she read for the role, but the director suggested that she read for what would become the role she landed—that of Edie Britt. "I took a deep breath and shed my jacket, which revealed quite a low-cut dress designed by Chloe. I thought, 'this is perfect, I come in as the mother of two, a good wife, and I leave as a tramp!"

This paved the way for Cross to take on the role of emotionally-demanding Bree. "Bree's a mass of repression," Cross said. "I think actors can play parts without knowing what's going on psychologically. For me, it's interesting because I think Bree is a woman who does live with a lot of repression—not technically obsessive-compulsive—but with a lot of different defense mechanisms to keep herself going and not falling apart; to keep herself from feeling her feelings as much as possible."

It's not all darkness for Bree in Desperate Housewives, as she often has comedic scenes in the show. But Cross admitted that when it comes to comedy has no specific way of acting. "I would never say I know how to play comedy," she said. "I play the character, and the fact that it's funny, to me, is a complete fluke. I'm always delighted when someone comes up to me and says, 'You're so funny!' I say, 'That's great!' But if I sit down and think about it, I really have no idea at how I arrive at 'funny.' I'm so not like a comedian who can figure out where it all stems from. I just play the part and intuit what feels right."

The full interview, which contains more from Cross on Desperate Housewives and how she got into acting, can be found here. Cross is also featured on the cover of the magazine.

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