Although Vanessa Williams has only spent a couple seasons on Desperate Housewives as no-nonsense Renee Perry, the singer and actress says it wasn’t until very recently that she was able to really wrap her head around the fact that the show was ending.
“Probably the last day that we shot,” Williams tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I was there and we were all part of it, and it was fantastic.”
PHOTOS: 21 of Hollywood’s Ageless Actresses
Looking back on the show, Williams’ favorite scenes from her tenure include the time she was literally climbing the walls when Renee’s fear of little people comes to the surface during a romantic dinner with guest star Brian Austin Green last season. And also when her face grotesquely breaks out from an allergy on this season’s Halloween episode, which scares away the trick or treating kids. “That was all about the physical comedy, which I love to do,” she says.
Heading into the finale, Renee isn’t letting anything get in the way of getting married to Ben (Charles Mesure), but things get complicated by her fiancé’s indirect connection to Mike’s (James Denton) death and Bree’s (Marcia Cross) murder trial.
“Well, Renee is a tenacious gal,” she says. “So, she definitely wants what she wants, and she can get a little Bridezilla, and that’s all I can tell you. It all gets kind of taken care of.”
PHOTOS: TV’s Priciest Primetime Shows for Advertisers
Just as she transitioned from Ugly Betty to Desperate Housewives, the 49-year-old will find herself back at ABC for another season and another show. She’ll be moving from the suburban Fairview to the urban jungle of New York City for her newly picked up series, 666 Park Ave.
The series revolves around an NYC apartment building, whose tenants begin to experience some dangerous supernatural occurrences. Williams’ costars on 666 Park Ave. include Brothers & Sisters star Dave Annable, Charlie’s Angels actress Rachael Taylor and Lost alum Terry O’Quinn.
“My character’s name is Olivia Doran,” she explains. “And she’s married to Terry O’Quinn’s character and it’s about an iconic building in New York. And in order to get into the building, you have to make a few sacrifices. And we own the building, so you have to get through us.”
The Desperate Housewives finale airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on ABC.
Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter: @TheRealJethro
