Latest news with #FelicityHuffman
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Felicity Huffman's comeback: How Desperate Housewives' glamorous relaunch may save fan-favourite's floundering career after college admissions scandal saw her jailed
The actress that brought Desperate Housewives' legendary Lynette Scavo to life is now back on our screens - after six years out of the spotlight following a scandal that saw her jailed for 11 days. All came crashing down for Felicity Huffman in 2019 when the New York-born star, renowned for being a series fan-favourite, was exposed being involved in the Varsity Blues college admissions controversy when she fudged her daughter, Sophia's SAT score to snag her a spot at a prestigious school. Pleading guilty to the crimes, the actress, 62, went on to serve just under a fortnight in prison and do 250 hours of community service, with the ordeal blowing a hole in an otherwise starry career. With a reputation marred by controversy, the star was forced to take an involuntary break from acting - and while she's since braved comebacks, it hasn't been easy. Now however, amid the beloved series' relaunch, Felicity looks to have been offered a second chance, having landed her first water-tight acting job since the debacle - which also embroiled A-listers like Lori Laughlin - threatened to extinguish her reputation for good. In May, she appeared in a leading role in The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy playing the 'extraordinary true story' of Rena Chynoweth, the former of 'a manipulative polygamist group leader'. It marked her second major production in a comeback that has taken her six years to land, with the actress having previously described how her 'old life died' after the scandal came to light. Last year, she opened up in a rare interview since the incident, confessing that she felt as if her 'old life has died'. Felicity, who was at the time preparing to star in Hir in London's West End as the radical and liberated mother of a transgender son, told The Guardian that she was 'still processing' what happened, but was 'grateful' for the second chance. The play marked her return to work after bribing college officials $15,000. Reflecting how how she felt performing in front of an audience who knew about her past, she said: 'I walk into the room with it. I did it. It's black and white.' When asked how she was following the scandal, she answered that she founded it 'a loaded question'. Felicity said she is 'still processing' how she is doing after the ordeal, but added that she feels 'grateful to be here' and is happy as long as her family are doing well. The publication reported that Felicity has 'barely worked' since she was jailed and reflecting on the change to her career, she said: 'I did a pilot for ABC recently that didn't get picked up. It's been hard.' 'Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I'm lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land,' she said. In May, she appeared in a leading role in The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy playing the 'extraordinary true story' of Rena Chynoweth, the former of 'a manipulative polygamist group leader' In the years following the reputation shattering ordeal, she has worked to repair her wrongdoings, but initially struggled to make ends meet beyond a handful of roles in flopped productions. Last year, she took on a role in the spin-off series, Criminal Minds: Evolution playing Dr. Jill Gideon, the ex-wife of Jason Gideon, who was played by Mandy Patinkin on the original show. After scoring the role in its second series, her husband, fellow actor, William H. Macy, praised his wife for doing a 'great job' and said he was 'really glad she's working'. Felicity has also made an appearance in a small handful of productions since, including being cast in a pilot for a spinoff of ABC's 'The Good Doctor' opposite Kennedy McMann - though it didn't make it beyond the first episode. In 2020, she starred in an untitled pilot for ABC, performing as the owner of a minor league baseball team, but again, the show failed to progress. She starred as Tammy MacDonald in the 2019 dark comedy, Tammy's Always Dying, about an alcoholic who is diagnosed with terminal cancer . The film, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival slumped in the reviews, scoring just a 5.7 out of 10 on IMDb. It's a far cry from some of her former wins in the industry, with the Desperate Housewives actress having once been nominated for an Oscar while playing a trans woman in the drama, Transmerica. She played the villainous prosecutor Linda Fairstein in When They See Us, a miniseries about the Central Park Five, a group of young black New York boys who were wrongfully imprisoned for the rape of a jogger in New York (pictured) Prior to college scandal and after Desperate Housewives came to a close in 2012, she had taken on a number of roles, including Cake in 2014 with Jennifer Aniston, Rudderless in 2014, and the series, American Crime, in 2015. And amid news of the scandal in May 2019, Felicity was simultaneously receiving acclaim for her TV and film roles. She played the villainous prosecutor Linda Fairstein in When They See Us, a miniseries about the Central Park Five, a group of young black New York boys who were wrongfully imprisoned for the rape of a jogger in New York. Then in July 2019, she was seen in Otherhood, a comedy film directed by Cindy Chupack, alongside Angela Bassett. But it would prove her last before a long break. Seven years after she wrapped on Desperate Housewives, Felicity was sentenced to 14 days in jail who her involvement in the college admissions scandal. The actress paid Rick Singer $15,000 to fudge her daughter Sophia's SAT scores in order to land her a place at college and was among a group of wealthy, famous parents swept up in the ordeal. Felicity paid $30,000 in fines and spent 11 days in jail after being charged with fraud in 2019. In her first public remarks outside of the courtroom, she said she thought it was 'a joke' when FBI agents turned up at her mansion to arrest her. 'They came into my home, they woke my daughters up at gunpoint - again, nothing new to the black and brown community - then they put my hands behind my back and handcuffed me. 'I asked if I could get dressed. I thought it was a hoax. I literally turned to one of the FBI people in a flak jacket and a gun and I go 'is this a joke?' Felicity said she regretted the scheme but felt she had no choice at the time because Sophia, who she previously said has a learning disability, would not have been accepted otherwise. 'It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future. And so it was sort of like my daughter's future, which meant I had to break the law,' she said. 'I think I feel the people I owe a debt and an apology to is the academic community and to the students and the families that sacrifice and work really hard to get to where they are going legitimately.' 'I want to use my experience and what I've gone through and the pain to bring something good,' she said. Felicity and Macy hired Singer to help Sophia improve her scores in order to get into college. She claims the scheme was not obvious at first, but became plain when Singer told them Sophia would not be accepted into any schools without greasing the wheels. 'After a year, he started to say your daughter is not going to get into any of the colleges that she wants to,' the actress expressed in an interview with Eyewitness. 'And I believed him. And so when he slowly started to present the criminal scheme, it seems like - and I know this seems crazy at the time - but that was my only option to give my daughter a future. 'And I know hindsight is 20/20 but it felt like I would be a bad mother if I didn't do it. So - I did it.' Sophia was unaware that her parents had paid for someone to alter her test answers after she completed the SATs. The scheme involved Singer paying off a handful of discreet test supervisors who would inflate students' scores once they had completed the exam. On the day of the SAT test, she said Sophia was nervous and asking if they could go for ice cream afterwards. 'She was going, "Can we get ice cream afterwards?"' Felicity recalled. 'I'm scared about the test. What can we do that's fun? And I kept thinking, turn around, just turn around.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Felicity Huffman Shares Her Thoughts On 'Desperate Housewives' Reboot
Felicity Huffman took a stroll down Wisteria Lane — at least in spirit — by weighing in on the upcoming 'Desperate Housewives' reboot. Long before Bravo's housewives were flipping tables and stealing spotlights, Huffman and her band of perfectly imperfect suburbanites hit the ground running in 2004 on ABC, redefining what it meant to live behind a white picket fence. Now, years later, 'Scandal' star Kerry Washington will executive produce an upcoming revival, 'Wisteria Lane.' Washington's involvement sparked discussion on Wednesday's episode of 'Good Morning America' when Huffman was asked to share her thoughts. 'Can I ask you about 'Desperate Housewives?'' co-host Robin Roberts eagerly asked, noting the buzz surrounding the new take on the beloved drama. 'Isn't that great,' Huffman said almost instantaneously. 'They're going to do Wisteria Lane with women of color — and I am all for it.' After voicing her support, Huffman joked that she 'will be doing craft services for the project.' In case there were still any doubts about her enthusiasm, Huffman doubled down with a heartfelt nod to Washington. 'I just think it's wonderful, and I'm a huge fan of Kerry's,' she added. Co-host Michael Strahan followed up, asking who she thought might take her former role. 'Oh my God, I have no idea. I think a lot of people could do it better than I did,' Huffman said modestly. 'I can't wait to see it.' Felicity Huffman Says Her 'Old Life Died' After College Admissions Scandal Felicity Huffman Could've Kept Quiet, Instead She Spoke Out And Removed All Doubt Felicity Huffman Lands First Post-Prison Acting Gig After College Admissions Scandal
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Felicity Huffman Reacts To Kerry Washington's ‘Desperate Housewives' Spinoff
Kerry Washington's pending spinoff of the acclaimed Desperate Housewives television series has support from one of the show's leading cast members. Felicity Huffman, who starred in the series as Lynette Scavo, earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and nominations for three Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal. 'Isn't that great? They're gonna do Wisteria Lane with women of color, and I am all for it,' Huffman said Wednesday on Good Morning America. 'I just think it's wonderful, and I'm a huge fan of Kerry's.' She continued to detail when asked who she thinks could fill Scavo's shoes, 'Oh my god, I have no idea. I think a lot of people could do it better than I did, so I can't wait to see it.' Earlier this month, Washington confirmed that her production company, Simpson Street, is reimagining the Desperate Housewives mystery as Wisteria Lane through Onyx Collective after Deadline exclusively reported the news. Sources informed the outlet that there are no current plans for characters from the original series to appear on Wisteria Lane. 'I can't say too much — it's very newly announced, it's in development,' detailed the actress at the time, 'The idea is that it's new times, there's new challenges, it's like — what happens on that cul-de-sac now? It's really exciting.' According to Deadline, Wisteria Lane was written by Natalie Chaidez, and is described as a fun, sexy, darkly comedic soap/mystery in the vein of Desperate Housewives, set among a group of five very different friends — and sometimes frenemies — who all live on a picture-perfect cul-de-sac. The original series was created by Marc Cherry and aired for eight seasons on ABC from October 2004 until May 2012. More from Tyler Perry, Shonda Rhimes Celebrate Kerry Washington Receiving Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame Kerry Washington Takes Command In New 'The Six Triple Eight' Trailer: Watch Kerry Washington Invests In Black-Owned Social Media Platform Spill
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
What has Felicity Huffman done to her face? Shamed star shows off new fresh look 6 years after Varsity Blues scandal
Felicity Huffman showed off a fresh new look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday. The Desperate Housewives alum, 62, put her glowing complexion on display and looked rejuvenated as she headed for an appearance on Good Morning America. The actress — who's been working to re-establish her acting career six years after being involved in the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal — wowed in a flowing white coat with a white button-up and navy pants underneath. Her platinum blonde hair was elegantly swept into an updo, with a few strands softly framing her radiant face. Her youthful appearance led to speculation about whether she's undergone any recent facial cosmetic enhancements. has reached out to Huffman's representative for comment. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Felicity Huffman, 62, showed off a fresh new look as she stepped out in New York City on Wednesday; (R) Pictured in 2024 in London Huffman added height to her outfit with a pair of black peep-toe heels. She accessorized with large gold hoops. The actress appeared on GMA to discuss her role in 'The Thirteenth Wife: Escaping Polygamy', a two-part Lifetime movie set to premiere May 31 and June 1. Directed by Michael Nankin, it tells the true story of Rena Chynoweth, an American woman who was involved with a polygamist fundamentalist Mormon group known as the Church of the Lamb of God, led by Ervil LeBaron. Chynoweth is known for her involvement in the 1977 murder of Rulon C. Allred, the leader of another polygamist group. Six years after the Varsity Blues scandal led to her imprisonment, Huffman has been actively working to rebuild her career. Last year Huffman opened up about how the scandal has affected her, admitting it feels like her 'old life has died.' Huffman, who was at the time preparing to star in Hir in London's West End as the radical and liberated mother of a transgender son, discussed her comeback with The Guardian. The play marked Felicity's comeback to acting after she was imprisoned for 11 days in 2019, after bribing college officials $15,000 to fudge her daughter's SAT scores. Discussing how she feels about everyone in the audience knowing the guilty verdict of her trial, Felicity said: 'I walk into the room with it. I did it. It's black and white.' Felicity said she is 'still processing' how she is doing after the ordeal, but added that she feels 'grateful to be here' and is happy as long as her family are doing well. The publication reported that Felicity has 'barely worked' since she was jailed and reflecting on the change to her career, she said: 'I did a pilot for ABC recently that didn't get picked up. It's been hard.' Her youthful appearance led to speculation about whether she's undergone any recent facial cosmetic enhancements 'Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I'm lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land.' Discussing the reaction she has had since the news of the scandal broke, Felicity said that while some people have been kind to her, others have not. One person who has supported her is American playwright David Mamet, who wrote an open letter about her incarceration. David suggested that Felicity should have received the Texas Verdict, which essentially means: not guilty, but don't do it again. Felicity said that is was 'kind and brave' of David to defend her, but she didn't admit whether she agreed with his verdict or not. In December 2023, Felicity finally broke her silence on the scandal, saying she felt she had 'no option' but to break the law. Felicity paid $30,000 in fines and spent 11 days in jail after being charged with fraud. She had paid Rick Singer $15,000 to alter her daughter Sophia's SAT scores in order to land her a place at college and was among a group of wealthy, famous parents swept up in the scandal. Actress Lori Loughlin was also jailed for paying for both her daughters to be accepted into USC. Lori and husband Mossimo Giuliani had their daughters masquerade as sports stars, propping them up on rowing machines to fudge applications that presented them as athletes. In her first public remarks outside of the courtroom, Felicity told ABC that she thought it was 'a joke' when FBI agents turned up at her mansion to arrest her. 'They came into my home, they woke my daughters up at gunpoint - again, nothing new to the black and brown community - then they put my hands behind my back and handcuffed me. 'I asked if I could get dressed. I thought it was a hoax. I literally turned to one of the FBI people in a flak jacket and a gun and I go "is this a joke?"' Felicity said she regretted the scheme but felt she had no choice at the time because Sophia, who she previously said has a learning disability, would not have been accepted otherwise. Sophia went on to study drama at Carnegie Mellon. 'It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future. And so it was sort of like my daughter's future, which meant I had to break the law,' she said. 'I think I feel the people I owe a debt and an apology to is the academic community and to the students and the families that sacrifice and work really hard to get to where they are going legitimately.' Felicity and her husband William H. Macy hired Singer to help Sophia improve her scores in order to get into college. She claims the scheme was not obvious at first, but became plain when Singer told them Sophia would not be accepted into any schools without greasing the wheels. 'After a year, he started to say your daughter is not going to get into any of the colleges that she wants to.' 'And I believed him. And so when he slowly started to present the criminal scheme, it seems like - and I know this seems crazy at the time - but that was my only option to give my daughter a future.' 'And I know hindsight is 20/20 but it felt like I would be a bad mother if I didn't do it.' 'So - I did it,' she said. Sophia was unaware that her parents had paid for someone to alter her test answers after she completed the SATS. The scheme involved Singer paying off a handful of discreet SAT test supervisors who would inflate students' scores once they had completed the exam. Singer, the mastermind, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in January 2023. After 16 months in federal prison, he was released in August 2024.
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Felicity Huffman reacts to Kerry Washington's ‘Desperate Housewives' reboot
Approved by Lynette Scavo. Felicity Huffman reacted to the news that Kerry Washington is developing a 'Desperate Housewives' reboot during an appearance on 'Good Morning America' Wednesday. 'Isn't that great? They're gonna do Wisteria Lane with women of color, and I am all for it,' Huffman, 62, said while promoting her new Lifetime movie 'The Thirteenth Wife: Escaping Polygamy.' 8 Felicity Huffman attends A New Way Of Life 2022 Gala in Los Angeles in December 2022. Getty Images 'I'm gonna do craft service for it,' she joked of her involvement in the reboot, adding, 'But I just think it's wonderful. And I'm a huge fan of Kerry's.' When asked who she'd like to play Lynette in the remake, Huffman replied, 'Oh my god, I have no idea. I think a lot of people could do it better than I did, so I can't wait to see it.' 8 Felicity Huffman as Lynette Scavo in 'Desperate Housewives.' © 2004 ABC, INC. 8 Kerry Washington seen outside 'Good Morning America' in New York City on May 2. GC Images 'Desperate Housewives' aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012, starring Huffman, Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross and Teri Hatcher. For her role as the stay-at-home mom, Huffman won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005. 8 Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman in 'Desperate Housewives.' ©ABC/Courtesy Everett Collection 7 years after the show ended, Huffman was charged in the nationwide 2019 Varsity Blues college admissions scandal. She admitted to shelling out $15,000 to have someone else take her daughter Sophia's SATs. The Oscar nominee served 11 days in jail in Oct. 2019. She subsequently paid a $30,000 fine and completed 250 hours of community service. 8 Felicity Huffman arrives at 'Good Morning America' on May 28. GC Images In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Huffman said about the reboot, 'First of all, I'm a huge fan of Kerry Washington's. She's so talented and such a force. But I think it's great they're doing Wisteria Lane with women of color. It's exactly what's needed, it's exactly the stories we need to be told. So I am all for it.' But Huffman admitted she thinks it would be 'distasteful' if she appears in the reboot. 'I think it should just live on its own,' she stated. 'I think [creator] Marc Cherry is involved, so it'll certainly have that voice.' 8 Felicity Huffman and Vanessa Williams in 'Desperate Housewives.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Last month, it was announced that Washington, 48, and the Disney-owned Onyx Collective were developing a reboot of the comedy-drama-mystery series with 'The Flight Attendant' showrunner Natalie Chaidez. The 'Desperate Housewives' remake will be a 'fun, sexy, darkly comedic soap/mystery' set around 'a group of five very different friends and sometimes frenemies who all live on a picture-perfect cul-de-sac called 'Wisteria Lane,'' according to Variety. 8 Kerry Washington attends the 2025 Met Gala. Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue However, fans of the original series quickly slammed the reboot news on social media. 'Stop ruining the classics and come up with something original,' one fan wrote on X. 8 Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross and Eva Longoria in 'Desperate Housewives.' © 2004 ABC, INC. 'The same thing that happened to sex and the city is about to happen to desperate housewives,' another person tweeted, referencing 'And Just Like That.' While appearing on 'The View' earlier this month, Washington said about the remake, 'The idea is that it's new times. There are new challenges.' 'It's like, what happens on that cul-de-sac now?' she added. 'It's really exciting.'
