Edie Britt (previously
Williams,
McLain and
Roswell), portrayed by
Nicollette SheridanNicollette Sheridan is a British born American actress. She has appeared in movies and television, and is perhaps best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing....
, is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
in the American television series
Desperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry, who also serves as show runner, and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producers, as of the fourth season, are Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
. The series revolves around several housewives who live on the fictional
Wisteria LaneWisteria Lane is a fictional street appearing in the American television series Desperate Housewives. The set used for the street is Colonial Street on the Universal Studios backlot outside Los Angeles.-Premise within the show:...
, a suburbia. Edie Britt was introduced in the premiere of the series as an adulterous housewife, who has had many relationships with other women's husbands.
When she first appeared, Edie was a realtor and a serial divorcée. She had many relationships throughout the show's duration, most notably with Karl Mayer (
Richard BurgiRichard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. His notable roles include two troublesome ex-husbands, that of Amy Brenneman in Judging Amy and Teri Hatcher in Desperate Housewives; the cocky Elite Hunting client Todd in Hostel: Part II and the detective with heightened senses...
),
Mike DelfinoMichael "Mike" Delfino is the name of a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actor James Denton.- Season 1 :...
(
James DentonJames Denton is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Mike Delfino in the television series Desperate Housewives.-Early life:...
) and
Carlos SolisCarlos Solis is a fictional character on the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actor, Ricardo Antonio Chavira.-Early life:...
(
Ricardo Antonio ChaviraRicardo Antonio Chavira is an American actor, perhaps best known for his role as Carlos Solis on Desperate Housewives.-Early life:...
), the ex-husbands of lead characters
Susan MayerSusan Delfino is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by Teri Hatcher and is the main protagonist of the series. Susan's occupation is a teacher's assistant at her son's school and a former children's book illustrator. She is a known klutz...
(
Teri HatcherTeri Lynn Hatcher is an American actress who is best known for her roles as Lois Lane in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, as Susan Mayer in Desperate Housewives and as Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies...
) and
Gabrielle SolisGabrielle "Gaby" Solís is one of four main characters on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
(Eva Longoria Parker) respectively. Edie was promoted to the show's fourth female lead during its third season due to the absence of
Marcia CrossMarcia Anne Cross is an American actress, known for her portrayals of Bree Hodge on the TV show Desperate Housewives and Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the prime-time soap opera Melrose Place.-Career:...
(
Bree HodgeBree Hodge is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. She is professionally known as Bree Van de Kamp...
) on maternity leave, and after Cross's return, maintained her position as the fifth female lead. The character departed from the show during its fifth season. Edie is known to be the rival of
Susan MayerSusan Delfino is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by Teri Hatcher and is the main protagonist of the series. Susan's occupation is a teacher's assistant at her son's school and a former children's book illustrator. She is a known klutz...
, a feat ever since the show's first season.
Nicollette Sheridan originally auditioned for the role of
Bree Van de KampBree Hodge is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. She is professionally known as Bree Van de Kamp...
.
Season 1
Edie was introduced in the show's first season as a serial divorcée, with two marriages behind her at the beginning of the show. It is explained by her only friend Martha Huber (
Christine EstabrookChristine Estabrook is an American television and film actress. She has been featured in several motion pictures mostly in supporting roles...
) that she has a son, although he does not appear in the show until its third season. Both Edie and
Susan MayerSusan Delfino is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by Teri Hatcher and is the main protagonist of the series. Susan's occupation is a teacher's assistant at her son's school and a former children's book illustrator. She is a known klutz...
are attracted to new neighbor
Mike DelfinoMichael "Mike" Delfino is the name of a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actor James Denton.- Season 1 :...
(
James DentonJames Denton is an American film and television actor, best known for playing Mike Delfino in the television series Desperate Housewives.-Early life:...
), creating tension between the two which culminates in Susan accidentally burning Edie's house down. Edie is upset when Martha is murdered, and proves to be the only Wisteria Lane resident who wishes to give her a proper burial. Susan, aware that Martha knew she had started the fire and recorded the incident in her diary, admits the truth to Edie, who uses Susan's guilt as a way to join the housewives' poker group. Edie continues to hit on Mike, but he's only interested in Susan. Edie is upset when Susan and Mike move in together. Edie tries to get the women to convince Susan that Mike is bad for her, but Susan is sure he's the one. Susan later finds out her ex-husband, Karl Mayer (
Richard BurgiRichard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. His notable roles include two troublesome ex-husbands, that of Amy Brenneman in Judging Amy and Teri Hatcher in Desperate Housewives; the cocky Elite Hunting client Todd in Hostel: Part II and the detective with heightened senses...
), had cheated on her with Edie while they were married; using this knowledge, Edie goes on to date Karl, increasing the tension between the two of them.
Season 2
In the show's second season, Edie begins a relationship with Karl, Susan's ex-husband. Edie and Susan get in to many confrontations as Susan tries to get over some minor jealousy issues. Edie later discovers a wedding ring in Karl's briefcase (she doesn't know Karl is re-marrying Susan to get her health insurance) and suspects that Karl is going to propose. When Susan tells Karl that Edie thinks he's going to ask her to marry him, he eventually proposes to her. Susan's boyfriend ends up telling Edie about her and Karl's marriage and Edie gets angry at the two for lying to her. To punish Karl and Susan, Edie decides Karl will throw her a lavish wedding and Susan will be burdened with the arrangements. Edie, one morning, wakes up to Karl packing up and leaving. Before he can drive away, his car is hit by a dump truck. Edie then discovers that Karl slept with another woman while they were engaged and breaks the news to the other housewives. Edie is extremely upset and Susan, who feels guilty about unknowingly being the 'other woman', attempts to help her feel better. Edie begins forming a bond with Susan and this makes Susan feel even more guilty. Edie gets a confession leter from Susan by mistake and feels betrayed. She retaliates by burning down Susan's house. After discovering Edie burned down her house, Susan attempts to extract a confession from Edie whilst wearing a wire, but when Edie realizes this, the two fight, and Edie is badly stung by yellowjackets. Susan feels guilty when Edie is hospitalized, and declines to turn her confession over to the police, sparing Edie prison. Edie refuses to accept Susan's pity and vows to get revenge. Susan and Mike plan on getting married, but Mike is hit by a car in the second season's finale.
Season 3
In the show's third season, Edie is with Mike when he wakes up from his coma. She learns that Mike has retrograde amnesia and doesn't remember the last two years of his life. While helping Mike fill in the blanks of his memory, Edie constructs a horrible image of Susan and leads him to believe that Susan never loved him and that they were never happy together. Edie admits to Mike that she’s always had a thing for him and that she’s hurt how he never payed any attention to her. Susan comes by the hospital to give Mike flowers, but catches him having
sexSexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract. The two entities may be of opposite sexes or not, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with Edie in the hospital bed. Edie and Mike start a relationship, creating even more tension between her and Susan. Edie breaks it off with Mike when he is arrested for the murder of Monique Pollier. Edie's nephew, Austin McCann (
Josh HendersonJoshua Baret Henderson is an American actor and singer. Arguably, his most high-profile role to date has been that of Austin McCann on the ABC hit television series Desperate Housewives...
), comes to live with her. He begins a romantic relationship with Susan's daughter Julie. Susan doesn't want her daughter dating Edie's nephew, but Edie claims she can't do anything about it because they are in love. Edie and Susan later catch Austin having
sexSexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract. The two entities may be of opposite sexes or not, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with Bree's daughter Danielle Van de Kamp. He departs from Wisteria Lane when Danielle reveals she is pregnant with his child. Edie is also involved in a hostage situation with Lynette, Julie and Austin at a supermarket, but makes it out all right. Edie's son Travers is introduced for the first time, having been dropped off by his father for a month-long visit.
Carlos SolisCarlos Solis is a fictional character on the ABC television series, Desperate Housewives. The character is played by actor, Ricardo Antonio Chavira.-Early life:...
develops a fondness for Travers, which Edie uses to her advantage, beginning a relationship with him. Carlos wants to keep the affair a secret, which makes Edie think he's still in love with his ex-wife, Gabrielle. Edie tells Gabrielle about her and Carlos at Gabrielle and Victor's engagement party. Gabrielle is furious and wants Edie to stop seeing Carlos, but she refuses. Gabrielle tries to get her friends to freeze out Edie, but Edie makes that difficult. Edie considers going for full custody of Travers, but Carlos convinces her not to. When Travers is collected by his father, Edie would like for Carlos to move in with her. Carlos is renting from Mrs. Simms, who is in a nursing home. Edie visits her at the home and tells her that Carlos is an alcoholic, does drugs, and uses her home as a place to hook up with prostitutes. Mrs. Simms terminates the lease and Carlos is evicted. Edie offers Carlos a place to stay at her house, but he is suspicious that she was involved. Carlos tells Edie he doesn't love her. Edie offers to have a child if Carlos will stay with her, to which he agrees, unaware that Edie is still on the pill. When he discovers her deception, he confronts her and ends their relationship, with the season ending as Edie appears to commit suicide.
Season 4
In the first episode of season 4, it transpires that Edie's suicide attempt was faked, and was merely a bid for Carlos's attention. He agrees to resume their relationship, leading Edie to discover his secret offshore bank account containing $10 million. She uses this knowledge to blackmail him, asking him to marry her, unaware that Carlos is having an affair with Gabrielle. Edie goes on to announce their engagement, but discovers Carlos's betrayal when she, Carlos, Gabrielle, and Gabrielle's new husband Victor Lang (
John SlatteryJohn M. Slattery, Jr. is an American actor.Aside from his current Emmy nominated role as Roger Sterling on AMC's series Mad Men, some of his more notable television roles have included union organizer Al Kahn on Homefront; Senator Walter Mondale in the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon;...
) all suffer from
crabsThe pubic or crab louse, colloquially termed "crabs" is a parasitic insect species notorious for infesting human genitals. The species may also live on other areas with hair, including the eyelashes. They feed exclusively on blood...
. Edie hires someone to spy on Carlos and Gabrielle, and manages to get pictures of the two of them kissing. Edie attempts to get revenge by telling the IRS about his offshore account. She then discovers that Carlos has emptied and closed his offshore account so she turns the pictures over to Victor, knowing he will get revenge. Edie, still feeling vindictive, reveals to the police that Gaby and Carlos may be responsible for her husband Victor's disappearance. A tornado is about to hit Wisteria Lane and Carlos and Gabrielle plan on disappearing. Edie then gets her hands on a folder, giving her access to Carlos's offshore bank account. Gabrielle and Edie fight over the folder, but lose the papers in the tornado. They are forced to take shelter together in Edie's crawl space and are able to put aside their differences for a while. Carlos is blinded in the tornado. Edie finds out Carlos gave her fake jewelry when they were together and gets back at him by telling Gabrielle that Carlos's blindness is permanent, when she thought it was only temporary. When Bree and Orson Hodge (
Kyle MacLachlanKyle Merritt MacLachlan is an American actor.He graduated from the University of Washington in 1982 and, shortly afterward, moved to Hollywood, California to pursue his career...
) are having troubles, Edie lets Orson stay with her. Edie later shares a brief drunken kiss with Orson which is seen by Bree, who is looking for Toby the cat. Bree then confronts Edie about the kiss. When Edie says it meant nothing, Bree slaps her and a full scale war erupts between them. Bree sabotages Edie's business by hounding off potential house buyers. Edie visits Orson, who is now living alone at a hotel, to complain about Bree. When she enters the room, she discovers a piece of paper revealing that Bree's baby is really Austin and Danielle's. Edie threatens to tell everyone about it unless Bree does exactly what she wants. Bree tells her friends about her faked pregnancy and about Edie's threats. The housewives confront Edie and force her out of Wisteria Lane. On her way out, Edie calls Travers, and tells him she's going to be spending a lot more time with him from now on.
Season 5
Edie returns to Wisteria Lane, five years later, a new and transformed woman. When the housewives notice the change in Edie, they resume their friendship with her. (The
fifth seasonThe fifth season of Desperate Housewives, aired on ABC from September 28, 2008 until May 17, 2009. The fifth season is placed five years in the future, following the events of the season four finale. The season had started in the UK, 1 week after that episode had aired...
is set five years on from the fourth season finale.) Edie has a new husband, Dave Williams (
Neal McDonough-Life and career:McDonough was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, the son of Catherine and Frank McDonough, motel owners who emigrated from Ireland, with his mother coming from County Tipperary and his father from County Galway...
), who is persistent in convincing Edie to get along better with her neighbors. He kidnaps
Karen McCluskeyKaren McCluskey is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. The character is played by Kathryn Joosten, who won the Emmy Award twice for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005 and 2008....
's cat after she is rude to Edie, only returning him when Karen apologizes. When Karen attempts to investigate Dave's background, Edie realizes she knows very little about his past. Dave's doctor arrives in Fairview and confronts Dave at the White Horse Club, but Dave strangles him and sets fire to the building. We later learn that Dave only married Edie to have an excuse to move to Wisteria Lane and get revenge on Mike, who turns out had been involved in a car accident that killed Dave's wife and daughter. Edie starts to notice something is off about Dave and is irritated that he doesn't show interest in her. One night she wakes up and sees Dave talking to himself. Edie wants to know why he's acting so strangely and Dave tells her he used to be married before he met Edie and that his wife died. Edie is furious he never told her about this before and throws him out of the house. When Edie is locked in a basement with Susan, they have a heart to heart and Susan tells Edie not to treat men like tissue and to believe in happily ever afters. After they are freed she goes to Dave and tells him to move back in. When Dave tells Edie that Eli Scruggs, the neighborhood handy man, has died, she recalls the time that when she was having marital problems with her ex-husband, Umberto Roswell. In a flashback, while feeling insecure about her appearance, Eli reassures Edie and makes her feel better. After Umberto reveals he is gay and leaves Edie, who is man-hungry and drunk, Eli is there and she cheers herself up by having sex with him. While at a liquor store, Edie observes an encounter between Dave and Father Drance. Suspicious about her husband's motives, she does a research on his past after Father Drance calls her Mrs. Dash. Determined to know more about her husband's past, Edie goes to the local newspaper for information on Dave's family, only to learn that Dave had both a wife and daughter who were killed in a car crash. Later, when she asks Dave how he feels about children, he tells her that his "friend" had a daughter he loved who died in the crash and lives his life wondering what she would've looked like and how old she would've been; he also tells her that he would never have a child as it wouldn't be worth it. Edie is still determined to know a lot more about Dave's past. Upon receiving a news article on the fateful car accident and finally learning the truth about her husband's intentions, she confronts Dave when he returns home from his camping trip. As she attempts to call Mike to warn him, she is almost strangled to death by Dave. Tearful and disorientated, Edie manages to run away and drives down the lane. She almost hits Orson as he stumbles onto the road; swerving to miss him, she hits an electric post instead. Dazed and unaware that the power line had snapped and there was water underneath the car, Edie steps out. She receives an
electric shockAn electric shock can occur upon contact of a human body with any source of voltage high enough to cause sufficient current through the muscles or hair. The minimum current a human can feel is thought to be about 1 milliampere ....
, falls to the ground and dies a few minutes later. The housewives pay a visit to her son, Travers, to announce her death and to give him her ashes. On the journey up each of the housewives and Karen McCluskey share memories of Edie. In one flashback, Susan and Edie did get along in the beginning, until Susan finds out Edie is having sex with her neighbor Helen's husband. In another flashback, Edie takes Lynette out to cheer her up. In another flashback, Edie tells Bree to go see Orson once a month since he went to jail. In another flashback, Edie reveals to Gabrielle that she always knew she would never see 50. However, although Edie was right, Gabrielle convinced her that in 50 years time they would still go out clubbing wearing short skirts and still be the hottest ladies on the lane. And in a final flashback, Edie tells Karen McCluskey she knows what it's like losing a child. Once they arrive, however, Travers tells them that they were her closest friends and that they should spread the ashes wherever they see fit. Ultimately, her ashes are spread around Wisteria Lane. Edie was at peace about her death and had no regrets because she lived her life to the fullest and to her it was "a one of a kind life." Edie appears briefly in "
Everybody Says Don't"Everybody Says Don't" is the 110th episode of the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. It is the twenty-third episode of the show's fifth season and aired on May 17, 2009.-Guest Starring:* Richard Burgi as Karl Mayer...
" as a hallucination of Dave's, telling him to do away with his complicated and "boring" plan of killing Susan's son, M.J., on a fishing trip, and instead urging him to go and kill M.J. right then and there instead. She then disappears, along with all of Dave's other hallucinations.