Brenda Strong

1978: Graduated from Sandy High School in Sandy, OR.

Miss Arizona 1980 in the 1981 Miss America pageant.

Has a son, John Zakery Henri (born 1994), with her husband, Tom Henri.

Has been on five shows on The WB - "7th Heaven" (1996), "Gilmore Girls" (2000), "Dawson's Creek" (1998), and "Everwood" (2002), "The Help" (2004).

Played two separate characters in Starship Troopers (1997) and Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004) (V).

Played a psychiatrist in Get a Job (1998), Terror Tract (2000) and in an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000). All three times, her patient was a troubled young boy.

Also worked with Felicity Huffman on the short lived "Sports Night" (1998) program created by Aaron Sorkin of "The West Wing" (1999).

Both in "Everwood" (2002) and "Desperate Housewives" (2004), she plays a family mother whose death in the pilot of the series sets the events of the show in motion. She reappears throughout the shows in flashback scenes and dream sequences.

Shares a birthday with "Desperate Housewives" (2004) co-star Marcia Cross and Sarah Jessica Parker.

She and her future "Desperate Housewives" (2004) co-star Marcia Cross both starred in "Everwood" (2002). Strong guest-starred in a few episodes while Cross was a steady cast-member from 2003-2004. They never were in the same episodes. They also both guest-starred in different episodes of "Ally McBeal" (1997). They separately guest starred in back-to-back episodes of "Seinfeld" (1990) during season nine. Cross appeared dating Jerry as life-saving dermatologist Dr. Sara Sitarides, and Strong in her recurring role as Sue Ellen "The Bra-less Wonder" Mischke.

She and future "Desperate Housewives" (2004) co-star Felicity Huffman both starred in "Sports Night" (1998). Strong guest-starred in several episodes while Huffman was a regular cast-member for both seasons. In the series, Strong was sleeping with both Huffman's fiancé (Ted McGinley) and Huffman's co-worker (Peter Krause).

Replaced Sheryl Lee who was originally cast as Mary Alice Young for the ABC series "Desperate Housewives" (2004) in its pilot episode.