Source: www.assignmentx.com
Published: April 22, 2012

The actress on the seminal ABC series plus comparing DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and MELROSE PLACE

If a take on the set of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES is interrupted by a ringing cell phone, you may be sure that the offending sound will not be the fault of actress Marcia Cross. Not that she won’t pick up – you just won’t hear it first.

“Mine’s on silent and I answer it,” the actress laughs. “It doesn’t have time to ring.” This may be because in real life, Cross is the mother of two young children and, like most working parents, wants to be no more than a phone call away if they need her.

Cross, a native of Massachusetts, has been on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES from its 2004 beginnings as the prim and proper Bree Van De Kamp Hodge, who finally has begun to let her hair down socially and sexually as the years progressed.

Like her colleagues, series creator Marc Cherry and actresses Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Eva Longoria, Cross has bittersweet feelings about the end of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, which airs on ABC Sundays at 9 PM, after eight eventful seasons. Among the things she’ll miss, Cross points out, is proximity to Cherry. “He lives right next door.”

This is almost literally true – the Wisteria Lane set, an actual cul-de-sac constructed at Universal Studios in North Hollywood, is walking distance from Cherry’s home.

Cross will also likely miss the hot romantic scenes she got to play as Bree. Recalling her onscreen romance with Brian Austin Green, who played Bree’s hunky blue-collar boyfriend Keith in Season Seven, Cross first says jokingly of Cherry, “He made me do it!” Regarding Green, she adds, “I started blushing whenever we acted together. Seriously. We did a scene and I was just like, ‘He’s touching me …’ I’m like,” she indicates blushing and re-enacts a nervous, “Hunnh.”

As far as what Cross would like to do in the last episode, she says, “I made a joke that I wanted to walk around in a bikini.” She looks pointedly at Cherry. “But it was a joke, so do not put that one in there, thank you.”

The actress isn’t particularly keen to talk about the end of the series before it occurs. “I know,” Cross agrees when Huffman notes that discussing the finale ahead of time is like having a funeral before a death.

Cross is, however, willing to compare DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES to her previous gig on MELROSE PLACE, the nighttime soap in which she played the unstable Kimberly Shaw from 1992 through 1997. She uses famous artists as an analogy. “I’ve always said – what comes to my mind, and I don’t know if this is legitimate or not, but I thought of MELROSE PLACE as like Andy Warhol and I think of this as like [the paintings of Wassily] Kandinsky or Francis Bacon. One [MELROSE] was like pop art – not that Andy Warhol wasn’t a genius, but it was like of its time and very famous, but this [HOUSEWIVES] is much more complicated and rich and interesting.”

Source: thestir.cafemom.com
Published: March 12, 2009

Twins! That’s what makes Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross’s life all the more sweeter. She’s been through a lot, but her family is stronger than ever. Marcia and her husband, Tom Mahoney, have been married since 2006. Mahoney is currently receiving treatment for cancer. Their 2-year-old twin daughters, Eden and Savannah, have helped them get through those tough times.

Marcia, who in real life is nothing like her character Bree, made time in her busy schedule to talk to me about motherhood!

Cafe MichelleL: Tell me about your daughters.

Marcia Cross: My daughters are the blessings of my life! The difficult thing about having twins is making alone time for each of the girls. I try to make time for Eden and Savannah, one-on-one time with just mommy.

CM: What’s a challenge for you, as a mom of a twin girls?
MC: I feel guilty sometimes, when I try to spend time with just one of the girls. I love them both so much, it’s hard to choose! But I know that it’s important to have alone time with me. I need to work on this.

There are so many good things about being a mom of twins. No matter what, they have each other. It’s beautiful to watch them, they are so different in so many ways but so alike, too.

CM: How do the girls sleep?
MC: The girls are both pretty good sleepers. But when one of them gets sick..that’s when they have trouble sleeping. It goes in phases.

CM: What do you do when the girls are sick and can’t sleep?
MC: I take Eden or Savannah, whoever is can’t sleep, into our guest bedroom. We call it the peach room, and I sleep in this room with the sick baby.

This works pretty well but sometimes the girls ask for “the peach room” at bedtime and I have to tell them that’s just for when they are sick. It’s so sweet and I love waking up with my kids, they are so precious, especially in the morning.

CM: What has surprised you most about being a mom?
MC: (Laughs) Everything! I feel so lucky. Tom and I are so glad we have the girls, it’s been amazing.

Source: mommytracked.com
Published: Apr 7, 2009

Of course you’re familiar with Bree Van De Camp from Desperate Housewives, but if you loved to hate the psychotic Dr. Kimberly Shaw on Melrose Place,you are a true Marcia Cross fan. We recently had the good fortune of chatting with the refreshingly real Marcia about surviving her demanding shooting schedule, the daily dramas of life with twins and somehow finding time for friendship.

It sounds so corny but really – how do you do it? How long are your shooting days – are the twins on set? Do you get to put them to sleep most nights?
Oh goodness. There really is no typical day in the life. There are so many moving variables. The schedule changes every ten days. Some days I will be home all day and able to get them up, be with them and put them to bed. When I have those rare days, I want to just be with them – I feel too guilty to even see a friend or go to the gym. Because set days often last 12 or more hours a day. I am always feeling guilty about something. The producers are flexible – to a point. When you aren’t with them it is really hard. They do come to the set. And they are really good when they are there. There are fussy moments, though, when I have to rehearse with one of the twins on my hip.

We’ve always wanted to ask a high profile mom how it feels to have her kids in national magazines all the time. Does it make you proud to see them referred to as beautiful kids – or do you just wish you could keep them out of the public eye all together?
I personally have never arranged to have them photographed. But the paparazzi do capture them from time to time. I guess that’s just part of the deal. Most of the time I don’t even notice that a picture is being taken. And I have to admit that I love looking at other people with their kids in the magazines.

Given the consistent schedule and its local nature, is your hope to always work in series television?

God no. The one hour drama is the hardest schedule out there. A half-hour sit-com is much better. Even film work you can take a break from. This has to be the most grueling job an actor can have.

I am sure you have been asked this often — but how much crazier is it with twins?

I guess I don’t really know if it is crazier — because it’s the only thing I’ve ever known. I do wish I had more alone time with each of the girls. I always feel guilty trying to take one twin somewhere without the other. That part is really hard. You end of battling with yourself about which one to spend time with first and then you just forget it and all stay together.

Now that you have kids, do you feel drawn toward “mom” character roles – or are you offended by the notion that because you are a mom, you should play one?

I guess I never really thought about it before. It seems natural when you get to a certain age to play the part of a woman with kids. But I played moms before I had kids too.

One of the themes that our writers and readers consistently touch on is the need for women to spend time with similarly situated empathetic friends as often as they can. That kind of time is what can keep us sane. What kind of support network do you rely on?

I do talk to Felicity Huffman on the set — she is a great one to talk to about parenting issues. I have a lot of other mom friends — but so little time. When I catch one of them on the phone on the fly — I will ask them to call our mutual friends to catch everyone else up on any news. I always do feel recharged and revitalized after speaking with my friends.

You’ve teamed up with Mott’s and Feeding American for a very worthwhile cause — tell us a little big about your involvement and the “WAKE UP CALL.”

Motts came to me with a great idea — a great program with a mission to feed America’s hungry children. By simply visiting Motts.com, people can send a wake-up call from me to themselves, or to a friend, for free. For every call placed, Mott’s will donate one dollar to Feeding America. It really is a wonderful program

Source: timeoutnewyorkkids.com
Published: June 20, 2011

The actress and mother of two talks about Desperate Housewives, raising her girls and her love of people-watching.

Earlier this month at the New Museum, infant brand Bright Starts honored its 2011 Pink Power Super Mom, Mary Ann Wasil Nilan, who was nominated by her two daughters for her braveness while battling breast cancer. After the event, Time Out Kids sat down with guest speaker Marcia Cross, mother of four-year-old twins Eden and Savannah, to chat about her seven seasons of Desperate Housewives, adjusting to motherhood and her endless fascination with New York City.

What are your favorite things to do when you visit the city?
I travel a lot. And even though L.A. is my home, I love New York. I feel like a fish, and I’m in the right water. I don’t need to be kept busy. I can literally walk down the street. I love to go to museums and I love to shop, but I’m completely fascinated by people-watching and architecture. Everything that’s happening on the street is so interesting. L.A. is so…L.A.

Did you bring your girls with you this time?
I looked at Time Out Kids before I came because I thought I was bringing my girls, [but] I didn’t and I’m going to get in trouble for it! I really want to figure out what to do with them. I want to do it properly. I want to show them everything. They’re four, so I really need to make sure I plan the whole day.

You’ve been playing a mom on Desperate Housewives since long before they were born. How have your views on motherhood changed since then?
They change daily. One minute I have it figured out and the next I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s intensely enjoyable and intensely hard. I’ll say that I need a break, but then I get a break and I miss them.

Do you think Eden and Savannah will end up in show business when they get older?
One of them might end up doing something musical, but I don’t really know. I want them to do whatever they want to do.

How do you balance working and being a mom?
I always say that there isn’t a balance.

It sounds like you’re very busy with motherhood, acting and charity work, but if you could add one more thing to the mix, what would it be?
My friends. When I signed on for Desperate Housewives, I never thought I’d be doing it so long. But it’s been seven years.

There’s been some talk about the show ending after season 8. How would you feel if that happened?
It’s been a great run, and I don’t have a complaint in the world.

Source: http://headaches.about.com
Published: January 9, 2008

Actress Marcia Cross is enjoying life, marriage, and a successful career. She’s probably best know for the role of Bree Van De Kamp on “Desperate Housewives.”

Marcia is also a migraineur who was kind enough to spend some time talking about migraine disease, how she handles her migraines, and why she thinks it’s important to be properly diagnosed and treated.

ABOUT: Thank you for being willing to share your experiences with migraine disease. How frequently do you have migraine attacks?

CROSS: I’ve been really lucky lately. I haven’t had any since I’ve been pregnant. I feel like I’ve gotten them down to three to four a year. So I’m really doing well, which was not the case in the beginning. I really watch stress, and my trigger foods, and all the things I need to do to stay migraine-free. I just cannot stand that pain. For me, I just have to go home and get in a dark room and wait for it to pass. But waiting for it to pass still involves some pain.

ABOUT: Have you been able to manage your migraines with trigger management and abortive medication, or do you use any over-the-counter or prescription preventives at all?

CROSS: No preventatives, but I carry medicine with me at all times. Read the rest of this entry

Source: celebritybabies.people.com
Published: March 12, 2009

From Melrose Place to Wisteria Lane, actress Marcia Cross has charmed audiences with her impeccable style, sharp wit and that gorgeous red hair. But behind her Hollywood shell, Marcia is a wife, spokeswoman, and most importantly to us, mom!

A favorite here at CBB, Marcia is seen out regularly with her adorable two-year-old twins, Eden and Savannah, playing in the park, running to the grocery store and just enjoying life.

Marcia recently took a few minutes out of a busy visit to New York City to talk to CBB about life as a mom and her daughters’ budding personalities.

You always look like you’re having so much fun – you’re always at the park! You’re definitely a site favorite.

We do have a lot of fun. I’m a happy mom!

We asked our readers to send us their questions for you. Reader Callie asks, since you are out so often, we see you photographed a lot. How do you keep paparazzi from interfering with your lives?

I realized that there was nothing I could do about it. Being upset about the paparazzi would put me in a cranky mood and ruin my time. I decided I didn’t want that to happen, so I’ve just ignored them. Read the rest of this entry

Source: digitalspy.ca
Published: Sep 24 2011

Despite claims that the long-running drama Desperate Housewives would run until 2013, the show’s creator Marc Cherry recently announced that the upcoming eighth season would be its last. How are the actresses going to cope away from Wisteria Lane?

We caught up with Marcia Cross, best known for her portrayal of neurotic redhead Bree Van de Kamp, to find out…

How much will you miss Bree when Desperate Housewives finally ends?
“I will miss Bree immensely. We’ve been through so much together. We’ve tackled marriages, babies, deaths, cancer… It’s been a long, interesting journey on Desperate Housewives, so it’s going to be difficult to say goodbye. She will be like an old friend that I will miss dearly, although as an actor you always look forward to doing new things. I guess it’s bittersweet.”

How did you receive the news of the end?
“My manager called and the network called and Marc called… Everybody called! I feel like I knew the end was coming because there were a lot of rumors, but I’m glad that the news is finally out there. Now, we can enjoy this last year on the show and make it really fantastic. I feel good because we are all on the same page for the last year and we can really enjoy it together.” Read the rest of this entry

Source: goodhousekeeping.com
Published: 2006

She doesn’t cook, and she isn’t well organized. She laughs easily and likes hanging out in cargo pants. No one would describe her as high-strung. In fact, Marcia Cross is pretty much the antithesis of Bree Van De Kamp, the fierce, tightly wound perfectionist she plays so convincingly on Desperate Housewives. While Bree finds solace in her carefully polished silver and artfully arranged peonies, “I really have to force myself to tidy up around the house,” Cross says with a laugh. “I wish I could do all the things Bree does. But those are not my strong suits.”

Here’s another difference between the two: At 44, Cross is pregnant with twins, having married money manager Tom Mahoney, 49, last June in a church wedding that included 240 guests, seven flower girls, and a five-foot-high wedding cake layered with roses and lilacs. The babies are due at the end of April, just as Housewives stops shooting for the season.

Cross’s pregnancy is not being written into the show — the plotlines were established too far in advance — which means her burgeoning belly has to be hidden from view. She’s been wearing more sweaters on camera, though now “we’re just shooting chest and above,” she says. Adds fellow Housewife Teri Hatcher: “We have a lot of jokes about what to hide Marcia’s pregnancy with. A few days ago, we used an entire gingerbread house.” Read the rest of this entry