Renee Perry is a fictional character

Fictional character

A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 created by television producer

Television producer

The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...

 and screenwriter

Screenwriter

Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...

 Marc Cherry

Marc Cherry

Marc Cherry is an American writer and producer, best known for creating the show Desperate Housewives.-Early life and career:...

 for the ABC

American Broadcasting Company

The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 television series Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives

Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...

. She is portrayed by Vanessa Williams

Vanessa L. Williams

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...

.

Personality

When Renee is first introduced, she is portrayed as a spoiled rich woman, appearing vain and insensitive. Renee ruffles the other women's feathers with her passive-aggressive behaviour initially but eventually becomes friends with her neighbours. Renee is shown not to like children at first but is later shown to have a soft side for them, even revealing she once dreamt about having children herself.

Renee is Lynette's old college friend and when she arrived in Fairview, she and Lynette become close friends again. It is later revealed that Renee slept with Tom 20 years ago but Lynette forgives Renee and their friendship remains strong. During season 7, despite some initial contrasts, she creates a strong friendship with the other women of Wisteria Lane

Wisteria Lane

Wisteria Lane is the fictional name of a street which the characters of the American drama television series Desperate Housewives live. Desperate Housewives storylines primarily centre around the residents of the street. Wisteria Lane is located inside Universal Studios Hollywood, and is actually...

.

Season 7

Renee Perry is Lynette Scavo

Lynette Scavo

Lynette Scavo is a fictional character on the series Desperate Housewives. The character is playedby actress Felicity Huffman, who won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the role in 2005, and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series...

's former college friend and sorority sister. Renee arrives in Fairview to visit Lynette and her family. Renee speaks of her exciting life as the rich wife of professional baseball player Doug Perry. She and Lynette banter but it soon turns hurtful with Renee insulting her in front of the other women, telling Lynette she hasn't succeeded in life and has let herself be tied down to a suburban life. Lynette decides to throw Renee out, but Renee then confesses to Lynette that Doug is divorcing her. Feeling bad, Lynette tells Renee she can stay. Lynette assumes Renee will eventually go back to New York, but instead, she rents Edie Britt

Edie Britt

Edie Britt Williams is a fictional character created by television producer and screenwriter Marc Cherry for the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...

's old house. Tom Scavo

Tom Scavo

Thomas "Tom" Scavo is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by actor Doug Savant.Tom originally was a recurring throughout the first season but became a regular in season two. Early storylines often revolve around Tom's working habits and that he is alway...

 and Renee share a secret that Tom insists Lynette can never know about. Renee and Bree

Bree Van De Kamp

Bree Van de Kamp is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Marcia Cross. Actress Marcia Cross was nominated from 2005 to 2007 for a Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy...

  go out clubbing and Renee ends up going home with Bree's handyman Keith. Bree, feeling jealous, calls Keith and tells him she needs him to fix her sprinklers. Renee is furious that Bree stole Keith out of her bed and tells her she'll enjoy taking her down. Renee learns Bree is a grandmother and uses the fact to her advantage, trying to sabotage Bree's relationship with Keith. Bree gets back at Renee by ruining her date with Keith. Renee realizes that Bree likes Keith more and the two women make peace. Renee has Gaby

Gabrielle Solis

Gabrielle Solís is one of four main characters on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She is portrayed by Eva Longoria...

 over for drinks to celebrate her $8 million divorce settlement. Gaby reveals that she has had a nose job and Renee reveals that she slept with her husband's divorce attorney to get the settlement. Renee then tells the women about Gaby's nose job. Doug then pays Renee a visit and tells her he wants her back. Gaby, furious at Renee tells Doug that Renee slept with his lawyer. Renee and Gaby get into a cat fight in the middle of a cabaret show and Renee ends up punching Gaby. Renee decides not to get back together with Doug.

Lynette and Renee start a new business in interior design, after a little persuasion from Renee.
Susan Delfino

Susan Mayer

Susan Delfino is a fictional character played by Teri Hatcher on the American Broadcasting Company television series Desperate Housewives. The character was created by television producer and screenwriter Marc Cherry and first appeared in the pilot episode of the series on October 3, 2004...

 overhears Renee crying and later at dinner, Renee tells her she's still in love with a guy that she had an affair with 20 years ago. Later that night, when Renee is drunk and about to fall asleep, she tells Susan that Tom Scavo is the guy. Susan tells Tom that she knows about the affair and suggest Tom asks Renee to move off the Lane. Renee is furious when she finds out and tells Susan she's not moving. Renee eventually tells Lynette about the affair. Apparently, Tom and Lynette had briefly broken up during this time. Lynette decides to forgive Renee and Tom. Renee is next furious that Bob Hunter

Bob Hunter (Desperate Housewives)

Bob Hunter is a fictional character created by television producer and screenwriter Marc Cherry for the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. He is portrayed by Tuc Watkins and first appeared in the season four episode "If There's Anything I Can't Stand" on October 21, 2007...

 and Lee McDermott

Lee McDermott

Lee McDermott is a recurring fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by Kevin Rahm.-Season Four:Lee first appeared in the fourth season in the episode "If There's Anything I Can't Stand." Susan Delfino tries to welcome Lee and his partner, Bob, to Wisteria Lane...

 did not hire her as their new interior designer after they announced plans to renovate a room for their adoptive daughter. They decide to give Renee a chance even though she's not maternal and end up being amazed at Renee's design. Renee reveals that she once thought about having children of her own. Renee then decides she wants to adopt a baby, but Lynette plots to stop her. While babysitting Paige, Renee goes on a date and pays the waitress to take care of the baby. Lynette figures it out and points out that Renee is obviously not ready to be a mother. When Beth Young shoots herself, Renee insists on going through with a party despite everyone saying it's in poor taste. Gaby attends the party, which is basically just people who work in the neighborhood and chastises Renee for this. Renee fires back at how selfish Beth was for taking her life and Gaby realizes that Renee's mother killed herself. Renee explains that she holds the party every year on the same day to show that she chooses life. In the season finale, Renee finds out that Doug is getting married again. She gets drunk and has a fling with her bartender, but it doesn't last long.

Season 8

When a new neighbor, Ben Faulkner moves into town she sets her sights on him. After discovering he has a soft spot for the elderly, Renee enlists the aid of Karen McCluskey

Karen McCluskey

Karen McCluskey Bender 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.-Overview:Karen McCluskey was born in 1943, quickly wed and...

, making it appear that Renee is a good friend of hers which Ben witnesses. However, when Ben brings Renee to a senior center, an elderly woman reveals to Renee that Ben is onto her game causing her to flee in frustration. As Ben chases after her, she confesses how she despises charity, and that after her mother's suicide Renee was bounced around from various relatives and had to depend on charity. Ben reveals he too hates charity but does it out of a similar experience, bringing them closer together.
Weeks later Ben comes over to ask out Renee on a proper date. After she makes him beg on his hands and knees, she accepts. She is also more than happy to visit Chinatown to pick up some love potion for their big date. That night, Renee takes a few swigs from the bottle and just when things are heating up on the couch, her throat starts to close up. The severe rash on her face then scares away young trick-or-treaters, and finally Ben takes her to the hospital. Ben comes in to visit. Renee confesses she wanted everything to be special for her and Ben's first night together.

Reception

Vanessa Williams

Vanessa L. Williams

Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...

's portrayal of Renee Perry and her storylines on Desperate Housewives both have received mixed reviews among critics and fans. Following the eventual cancellation of Williams's previous show Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty

Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...

where she starred as villain Wilhelmina Slater

Wilhelmina Slater

Wilhelmina Vivian Slater is a fictional character in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty. She is played by Vanessa Williams, who received a supporting actress award at the 2007 and 2008 NAACP Image Awards, a Best TV Villain award at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards and a supporting actress...

, it was immediately announced that Williams will be joining Desperate Housewives in its seventh season

Desperate Housewives (season 7)

The seventh season of Desperate Housewives, a television series created by Marc Cherry, began airing on September 26, 2010 and concluded on May 15, 2011. The deceased Mary Alice Young continues to narrate the events in the lives of her friends and Wisteria Lane residents, Susan Delfino, Lynette...

, many fans of the show anticipated her appearance shortly afterwards.

When the character finally made her debut appearance in the seventh season premiere "Remember Paul?

Remember Paul?

"Remember Paul?" is the seventh season premiere episode of the American comedy-drama television series Desperate Housewives, and the 135th overall episode of the series. It was originally broadcast in the United States on September 26, 2010, on the American Broadcasting Company...

", her performance received mixed reviews from critis. Tanner Stransky

Tanner Stransky

Tanner Stransky is a journalist and television critic for Entertainment Weekly. In 2005, he moved to New York City and took a job as an editorial assistant at Direct TV. He later received an offer from the New York Post to write about weddings and relationships...

 of Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly

Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

praised Williams' performance, stating that she brought back a "brand of bitchery" that had been missing from the series since Nicollette Sheridan

Nicollette Sheridan

Nicollette Sheridan is an English film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives and as Paige Matheson on Knots Landing.-Early life:...

's departure; additionally, he favorably compared the performance to Williams's portrayal of Wilhelmina Slater on Ugly Betty. Neal Justin of the Star Tribune

Star Tribune

The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...

commented that Vanessa Williams gave "a repeat performance" of her character on Ugly Betty. Damian Holbrook of TV Guide

TV Guide

TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...

also drew a comparison between Williams' performances in the episode and on Ugly Betty, stating the two characters "have the same stiletto-sharp tongue and prickly chemistry with everyone who enters her orbit." John Griffiths of Us Weekly

Us Weekly

Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...

gave the character a negative review, commenting that Williams delivered an underwhelming performance. When her character finally revealed her secret about having slept with Tom Scavo

Tom Scavo

Thomas "Tom" Scavo is a fictional character on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, played by actor Doug Savant.Tom originally was a recurring throughout the first season but became a regular in season two. Early storylines often revolve around Tom's working habits and that he is alway...

20 years ago, critics began to warm up to the character, praising the drama that surrounded her secret.