Teri Hatcher reveals why she passed on Real Housewives: 'All I do is clean cat litter'

Teri Hatcher has revealed why she never joined Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, saying she was told she might be a fit but ultimately decided she was too boring for reality TV. In an appearance on Today With Jenna & Friends, the Desperate Housewives star recounted that a producer — not Andy Cohen — leaned in to gauge interest in a potential cast spot.

“One of the producers – not Andy [Cohen] – zoomed in to talk to me about [joining], to kind of feel the temperature,” she recounted to Today‘s Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones. “And I said, ‘You know what? You guys, I’m just too boring. Like all I do is clean cat litter boxes and I take care of my parents.'” She added, “I take care of my parents and I clean cat litter boxes! It’s just not filmable.” She did not specify which city franchise was being discussed.

Hatcher stressed that Desperate Housewives remains a formative force in television, even as she declined a move into the Real Housewives universe. She said the show’s influence extended beyond its run on ABC (2004–2012) and helped shape the appetite for structured reality programming that followed. In reflecting on the series’ legacy, she joked about creator Marc Cherry, saying, “I’m sure Marc Cherry, who created Desperate Housewives, sits around going, ‘I’m owed money for all of this,’” a quip she delivered with a laugh that underscored the ongoing sentiment around the show’s impact.

The conversation touched on reboot speculation, with Hatcher clearly signaling that a Desperate Housewives return is unlikely. Instead, she is leaning into a new project: a Desperate Housewives rewatch podcast called Desperately Devoted. She co-hosts the show with her daughter, Emerson Tenney, and Andrea Bowen, who played Julie Mayer on the series. Hatcher described the podcast as three generations of women approaching the material from distinct perspectives, noting that the format invites closer looks at moments viewers may have missed during the original run.

“I’ve always ended up praising Marcia Cross,” she said, referencing her former co-star. “She’s so good.” The podcast, she said, offers a chance to revisit the show’s subtleties and celebrate its cast and creators from a fresh vantage point. While fans may wonder about a revival or reunion for the original series, Hatcher’s current focus appears squarely on reflection and celebration of the show’s lasting footprint in pop culture.

Desperate Housewives aired on ABC from 2004 to 2012 and remains a touchstone in early-2000s television drama, with its influence echoed in later reality-oriented franchises. The Real Housewives franchise, which began in 2006, has since grown into a global phenomenon, though Hatcher’s candid remarks suggest that the allure of scripted storytelling can still eclipse the lure of competing on a reality series. The discussion also highlights a broader pattern in celebrity culture where actors leverage nostalgia and retrospective projects to connect with longtime fans while balancing the opportunities and constraints of television fame.