This is a list of recurring actors on the American television show Desperate Housewives. Every actor credited in two episodes or more is included in the article.
Main cast
Characters are listed in the order they were first credited in the series.
Starring Actor Character Season S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 Teri Hatcher Susan Mayer colspan="8" Felicity Huffman Lynette Scavo colspan="8" Marcia Cross Bree Van de Kamp colspan="8" Eva Longoria Gabrielle Solis colspan="8" Nicollette Sheridan Edie Britt colspan="5" James Denton Mike Delfino colspan="8" Steven Culp Rex Van de Kamp colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="2" Ricardo Chavira Carlos Solis colspan="8" Mark Moses Paul Young colspan="2" Recurring colspan="1" Brenda Strong Mary Alice Young colspan="8" Andrea Bowen Julie Mayer colspan="4" Also starring RecurringJesse Metcalfe John Rowland colspan="1" colspan="3" Recurring Cody Kasch Zach Young colspan="2" Recurring Alfre WoodardBetty Applewhite colspan="1" Doug Savant Tom Scavo Recurring colspan="7" Richard Burgi Karl Mayer Recurring colspan="1" colspan="2" Recurring Kyle MacLachlan Orson Hodge Recurring colspan="4" RecurringDana Delany Katherine Mayfair colspan="3" Neal McDonough Dave Williams colspan="1" Shawn Pyfrom Andrew Van de Kamp Recurring Also starring colspan="1" Recurring Drea de Matteo Angie Bolen colspan="1" Maiara Walsh Ana Solis colspan="1" Kathryn Joosten Karen McCluskey Recurring Also starring colspan="1" Also starring Vanessa Williams Renee Perry colspan="2" Kevin Rahm Lee McDermott Recurring colspan="1" Also starringTuc Watkins Bob Hunter Recurring colspan="1" Also starringJonathan Cake Chuck Vance Recurring colspan="1" Charles Mesure Ben Faulkner colspan="1" Madison De La Garza Juanita Solis Recurring Also starring colspan="1"
Supporting
Actor Character Season S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8 Joy Lauren Danielle Van de Kamp Katz Recurring Also starring colspan="4" Mehcad Brooks Matthew Applewhite colspan="1" Also starring Brent Kinsman Preston Scavo Recurring Also starring Max Carver Also starring colspan="3" Shane Kinsman Porter Scavo Recurring Also starring Charlie Carver Also starring Zane Huett Parker Scavo Recurring Also starring Joshua Logan Moore Also starring Roger Bart George Williams Recurring Also starring Harriet Sansom Harris Felicia Tilman Recurring Recurring colspan="1" Page Kennedy Caleb Applewhite Also starring NaShawn Kearse Also starring Josh Henderson Austin McCann Also starringLyndsy Fonseca Dylan Mayfair Also starring colspan="1" Rachel Fox Kayla Scavo Recurring Also starring Kendall Applegate Penny Scavo Also starring Darcy Rose Byrnes Also starringJeffrey Nordling Nick Bolen Also starring Beau Mirchoff Danny Bolen Also starring Mason Vale Cotton M.J. Delfino Recurring Also starring
In season 6, Andrea Bowen, Kathryn Joosten and Beau Mirchoff were only credited in the episodes they appear in. Kathryn Joosten was credited as "Also Starring" in season 6, except for episode 6×23 in which she was credited as "Starring". In season 7, Kathryn Joosten, Kevin Rahm, Tuc Watkins, Charlie Carver, Joshua Logan Moore, Darcy Rose Byrnes, Madison De La Garza and Mason Vale Cotton were only credited in the episodes they appear in, although De La Garza was credited in episode 7×05 in which she did not appear. Joy Lauren and Rachel Fox were not credited in episode 4×01. Roger Bart was credited as "Also Starring" from episode 2×02 to 2×09 and as a "Special Guest Star" in episode 2×24. Page Kennedey was credited as "Also Starring" in episodes 2×03, 2×05, 2×06 and 2×07, before being replaced by NaShawn Kearse. NaShawn Kearse was credited as "Also Starring" from episode 2×08 to 2×24, replacing Page Kennedey. However, he was credited as Nashawn Kearse in episodes 2×08, 2×09 and 2×10. Josh Henderson was credited as "Also Starring" from episode 3×01 to 3×16. Jeffrey Nordling was not credited in episode 6×06.
Guest cast
A Ian Abercrombie – Rupert Cavanaugh (1 episode, season 3) Isabella Acres – Jenny Hunter-McDermott (3 episodes, seasons 7–8) Jillian Armenante – Rachel (2 episodes, season 8) Rochelle Aytes – Amber James (3 episodes, season 7) Anthony Azizi – Robert Falati (2 episodes, season 3)
B Charlie Babcock – Stu Durber (6 episodes, seasons 2 and 5) Scott Bakula – Trip Weston (5 episodes, season 8) Cecilia Balagot – Grace Sanchez (4 episodes, season 7) Daniella Baltodano – Celia Solis (50 episodes, seasons 4–8) John Barrowman – Patrick Logan (6 episodes, season 6) Justine Bateman – Ellie Leonard (5 episodes, seasons 4 and 8) Joy Bisco – Melanie Foster (1 episode, season 2) Orson Bean – Roy Bender (23 episodes, seasons 6–8) Polly Bergen – Stella Wingfield (10 episodes, seasons 3–5, and 7) Emily Bergl – Beth Young (14 episodes, seasons 7–8) Julie Benz – Robin Gallagher (6 episodes, season 6) Daniela Bobadilla – Marisa Sanchez (2 episodes, season 8) John Bobek – Tucker (2 episodes, season 3) Michael Bofshever – Kenny Stevens (2 episodes, season 3) Lesley Boone – Lucy Blackburn (2 episodes, season 5) Terry Bozeman – Dr. Lee Craig (6 episodes, seasons 1–3) Jill Brennan – Tish Atherton (5 episodes, seasons 1–3) Pat Crawford Brown – Ida Greenberg (24 episodes, seasons 1–4)
C Marie Caldare – Lila Dash (4 episodes, season 5) Scott Allan Campbell – Detective Sloan (2 episodes, season 2) Ridge Canipe – Danny Farrell (2 episodes, seasons 2–3) Chris Carmack – Tim Bremmer (1 episode, season 4) Ryan Carnes – Justin (11 episodes, seasons 1–2) Dixie Carter – Gloria Hodge (7 episodes, season 3) Christina Chang – D.A. Emily Stone (3 episodes, season 8) Maree Cheatham – Ceal (1 episode, season 2) Jake Cherry – Travers McLain (5 episodes, season 3) Nick Chinlund – Detective Sullivan (5 episodes, seasons 1–2) Emily Christine – Ashley Bukowski (2 episodes, season 1) Christine Clayburg – Reporter (6 episodes, seasons 3, 6 and 8) Gary Cole – Wayne Davis (6 episodes, season 4) Maria Cominis – Mona Clarke (11 episodes, seasons 1–3, 5–6 and 8) Frances Conroy – Virginia Hildebrand (3 episodes, season 5) Brett Cullen – Detective Burnett (2 episodes, season 1)
D Gregg Daniel – Dr. Sicher (2 episodes, season 1) Mark Deklin – Bill Pearce (2 episodes, season 3) Michael Dempsey – Detective Murphy (8 episodes, seasons 6–8) Reed Diamond – Gregg Limon (2 episodes, season 8) Paul Dooley – Addison Prudy (3 episodes, season 2) Jeff Doucette – Father Crowley (10 episodes, seasons 1–6) Nike Doukas – Natalie Klein (3 episodes, seasons 1 and 8) Shawn Doyle – Mr. Hartley (2 episodes, season 1) Jennifer Dundas – Rebecca Shepherd (2 episodes, season 3) Michael Durrell – Myron Katzburg (3 episodes, season 3)
E Edward Edwards – Dan Peterson (2 episodes, season 1) Jayne Entwistle – Marilyn (3 episodes, season 8) Christine Estabrook – Martha Huber (10 episodes, seasons 1, 5, 7–8)
F Patrick Fabian – Frank (2 episodes, season 8) Stephanie Faracy – Miss Charlotte (2 episodes, season 7) Mike Farrell – Milton Lang (3 episodes, seasons 3–4) Miguel Ferrer – Andre Zeller (5 episodes, season 8) Nathan Fillion – Adam Mayfair (12 episodes, season 4) Joely Fisher – Nina Fletcher (5 episodes, season 2) Stephen Ford – Travers McLain (1 episode, season 5) Kurt Fuller – Detective Barton (5 episodes, season 2)
G Albert Garcia – Luis (2 episodes, season 2) Jason Gedrick – Rick Coletti (6 episodes, seasons 3–4) Ellen Geer – Lillian Simms (4 episodes, seasons 3–4 and 8) Mary Pat Gleason – Elenora Butters (2 episodes, seasons 1 and 5) Juliette Goglia – Amy Pearce (2 episodes, season 3) Currie Graham – Ed Ferrara (9 episodes, seasons 2–3) Brian Austin Green – Keith Watson (15 episodes, season 7) Melissa Greenspan – Cindy (4 episodes, seasons 7–8) Todd Grinnell – Alex Cominis (6 episodes, seasons 5 and 7) Bob Gunton – Noah Taylor (10 episodes, seasons 1–2)
H Armie Hammer – Barrett (1 episode, season 4) Larry Hagman – Frank Kaminsky (2 episodes, season 7) Melinda Page Hamilton – Sister Mary Bernard (3 episodes, season 2) Jay Harrington – Dr. Ron McCready (7 episodes, season 2) Rachael Harris – Sandra Birch (1 episode, season 4) Harriet Sansom Harris – Felicia Tilman (28 episodes, seasons 1–2 and 7) Gale Harold – Jackson Braddock (14 episodes, seasons 4–5) Kathryn Harrold – Helen Rowland (3 episodes, seasons 1–2) Megan Hilty – Shayla Grove (2 episodes, season 5) Nichole Hiltz – Libby Collins (3 episodes, season 2) Michael Hitchcock – Mr. Doyle (1 episode, season 2) Ernie Hudson – Detective Ridley (7 episodes, season 3)
I Michael Ironside – Curtis "Curt" Monroe (2 episodes, season 2) Gregory Itzin – Dick Barrows (2 episodes, season 7)
J Bruce Jarchow – Sam Bormanis (4 episodes, season 2) Peter Jason – Jeff (2 episodes, season 3) Jolie Jenkins – Deirdre Taylor (2 episodes, season 1) Carla Jimenez – Carmen Sanchez (4 episodes, season 7) Leslie Jordan – Felix Bergman (2 episodes, season 8)
K John Kapelos – Eugene Beale (4 episodes, season 2) Lainie Kazan – Maxine Rosen (5 episodes, season 7) Dagney Kerr – Ruth Ann Heisel (3 episodes, seasons 1–2) Brian Kerwin – Harvey Bigsby (2 episodes, season 3) Heidi Klum – Herself (1 episode, season 6) Shirley Knight – Phyllis Van de Kamp (5 episodes, seasons 2 and 4)
L John Lacy – Detective Beckerman (2 episodes, season 1) Sal Landi – Donny the Loan Shark (5 episodes, season 8) Sharon Lawrence – Maisy Gibbons (3 episodes, season 1) Scotty Leavenworth – Kirby Schilling (2 episodes, season 5) Gloria LeRoy – Rose Kemper (2 episodes, season 5) Mary Margaret Lewis – Renee (2 episodes, season 3) Ruby Lewis – Chloe Carlson (2 episodes, season 8) Beth Littleford – Dana (2 episodes, seasons 7–8) Sam Lloyd – Dr. Albert Goldfine (8 episodes, seasons 1–2) Wayne Lopez – Clyde (3 episodes, seasons 3) and Air Marshal (1 episode, season 2) Aaron Lustig – Craig Lynwood (3 episodes, season 7) Jennifer Lyons – Cecile (2 episodes, season 2) Jane Lynch – Maxine Bennett (1 episode, season 2)
M Justina Machado – Claudia Sanchez (2 episodes, season 8) Tanner Maguire – Zach Young, age 4 (4 episodes, seasons 1–2) Marlee Matlin – Alisa Stevens (1 episode, season 1) Valerie Mahaffey – Alma Hodge (8 episodes, seasons 3 and 8) Carol Mansell – Pat Ziegler (4 episodes, season 2) Alec Mapa – Vern (5 episodes, seasons 2–3) John Mariano – Oliver Weston (2 episodes, season 2) Dakin Matthews – Reverend Sykes (7 episodes, seasons 1–4, 6–8) Helena Mattsson – Irina Korsakov (3 episodes, season 6) Billy Mayo – Detective Lyons (5 episodes, seasons 4–5) James Luca McBride – Al Kaminsky (3 episodes, season 4) and Cop at Applewhite's (1 episode, season 2) Eddie McClintock – Frank Helm (3 episodes, season 2) Michael McDonald – Steven (1 episode, season 2) Melinda McGraw – Annabel Foster (3 episodes, season 1) Laurie Metcalf – Carolyn Bigsby (4 episodes, season 3) Penelope Ann Miller – Fran Ferrara (1 episode, season 2) Rolando Molina – Hector Sanchez (3 episodes, season 7) Tim Monsion – Dr. Cunningham (2 episodes, season 2) Felice Heather Monteith – Nurse Marcy (2 episodes, season 3) Chloë Grace Moretz – Sheri Maltby (2 episodes, season 3) Betty Murphy – Alberta Fromme (5 episodes, seasons 1–3) Harry S. Murphy – Mr. Lentz (3 episodes, seasons 1–2)
N Bob Newhart – Morty Flickman (3 episodes, seasons 1–2) John Haymes Newton – Jonathan Lithgow (2 episodes, season 1) Daran Norris – Phil (1 episode, season 8)
O Conor O'Farrell – Detective Copeland (3 episodes, season 1) Gail O'Grady – Anne Schilling (4 episodes, season 5) Shannon O'Hurley – Mrs. Truesdale (2 episodes, seasons 1–2) Peter Onorati – Warren Schilling (2 episodes, season 5) Lupe Ontiveros – Juanita "Mama" Solis (8 episodes, seasons 1 and 8) Ion Overman – Maria Scott (3 episodes, season 5)
P Sam Page – Sam Allen (7 episodes, season 6) Dougald Park – Xiao-Mei's doctor (3 episodes, seasons 2–3) Andrea Parker – Jane Carlson (11 episodes, season 8) Adrian Pasdar – David Bradley (3 episodes, season 2) Alejandro Patino – Ralph (5 episodes, season 2) Sarah Paulson – Lydia Lindquist (2 episodes, seasons 4 and 8)