We’ve had some time to adjust to the news that Desperate Housewives is coming to an end. In the fall, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman helped us cope with the departure of Wisteria Lane from the nearby Universal Studios. The Desperate Housewives met the Television Critics Association for the last time this week, giving us a chance to catch up with other Housewives.
Eva Longoria became a star after the show introduced her as Gabby. Her rocky relationship with Carlos (Ricardo Antonio Chivera) has stood the test of eight seasons. As she says goodbye to Wisteria Lane, both the fake neighborhood on the studio lot and the real neighborhood of Universal Studios, she shared a few last thoughts with the press. Desperate Housewives airs Sunday nights on ABC.
Q: What will you miss the most about the Universal Studios lot where Wisteria Lane has been all these years?
EVA LONGORIA: Oh my gosh, well I know I’m going to miss the family that we’ve created, not only here in the cast but our crew. We’ve had the same crew for eight years, the camera guys, boom guys, craft services, grips and we’ve been through so many journeys together, marriage and babies and cancer and divorce. So much so to miss those faces you see, that’s probably what I’m going to miss.
Q: Have you had any favorite local spots outside the lot you’d go before or after work?
LONGORIA: No, because I go to work and go home.
Q: What’s been your favorite Gabby moment over the years?
LONGORIA: My favorite moments are still in the pilot, mowing the lawn. I did love slapping the nun in season two or three. There are so many and I’ve been naming so many today but just the memories of the cast. Most of my favorite memories about the show have to do with in my trailer, sitting with Marcia or sitting with Felicity and talking about life or going through problems, something like that.
Q: What has surprised you about her relationship with Carlos?
LONGORIA: We were saying today there’s nothing surprising about Carlos and Gabby. They’ve been through everything, up and down. He’s been in jail and blind, now he’s in rehab. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s going to be gay.
Q: How would you like to see it end for Gabby?
LONGORIA: I don’t have any idea. I don’t want to have an idea.
Q: What do you want to keep from the set?
LONGORIA: You know, I’m not saying what I’m taking because I’ve said it a couple times and ABC actually put a kibosh on everybody, going, “Nobody’s taking anything because it’s ABC Studio property.” Now I’m like dang it, I told them so now if it’s missing they’re going to know it’s me. But I do have a lot of souvenirs that I’ll definitely be stealing.
Q: Do you have a favorite award show look from all your appearances in the last eight years?
LONGORIA: Oh my God, I was just thinking about that, when we were the bells of the ball, all of those great looks that I’ve worn. Probably the red dress I wore to the Golden Globes. It was a Reem Acla, that’s my favorite.
Q: Who changed the most on the show?
LONGORIA: Probably me. Just everything I’ve been through. Everybody else who was here was in their 40s and had a really strong sense of themselves and who they were. I grew up on the show. I was 28 when I was cast. It was my first experience with fame and money and time management and stress and publicity and endorsements. All of that just hit all at once so it made me mature. And I had a strong sense of who I am but all of that kind of came down at the same time and it just really made me mature faster than I think you would normally, but I love the person I’ve evolved to. I think Marcia said that. The other day she goes, “The person you are when you started the show is not the person that stands before me.” And she said it in a beautiful way and I was like, “God, I have. I’ve learned two languages. I’m almost done with my masters degree, I was married, I was divorced.”
Q: What is your degree in?
LONGORIA: Chicano studies. I’m in my last semester.
Q: What has it been like to be scrutinized on the show for eight years?
LONGORIA: When we started eight years ago, television has changed so much. For a scripted show to get 25 million viewers [doesn’t happen now.] The critics loved us and then we got some knocks for certain episodes and certain lines about things. I think, I give kudos to Marc Cherry and ABC because they pushed the envelope at a time when ABC could take a risk at doing something different. You see that pattern now with the shows they want to do. Some pay off and some don’t but I’d rather they be loud. I’d rather you just fall on your face and be behind something. I remember going to the dry cleaners and we were on the thing, at the supermarket we were on the grocery bag. If we failed we would have failed in a big way. I like that ABC did that and continues to do that.
Q: What do you want to do next?
LONGORIA: I’m doing a lot of producing behind the cameras. I directed my first short film and I’m producing two shows for ABC, one for CW and one for NBC.
Q: What will you do when it’s all over?
LONGORIA: Cry.
