While "Desperate Housewives" fans may be sad to see Edie Britt go, Nicollette Sheridan, who has played the role for five seasons, didn’t shed too many tears.
Upon hearing of Edie’s untimely demise, “I said, ‘OK, sayonara. It’s been a great ride. Thank you,’” Sheridan tells the new issue of TV Guide. Still, she adds, “(Killing off Edie) was a risky decision that could have devastating ramifications.”
But regardless of the fallout on Wisteria Lane, Sheridan is ready to move on.
“When the show started it was such a different beast. It was exciting and dangerous and funny and edgy and bizarre,” says Sheridan. “It started feeling a little complacent, and that was very frustrating.”
Another thorn in her side? Creator Marc Cherry, whom Sheridan believes largely ignored her. She bemoans, “When you have a jewel, why not polish it and put it out there for all to see?”
Cherry, however, says Edie (and Sheridan’s) time was up on the show.
“Edie’s already slept with most of the guys on the street and has caused about as many problems as she could,” he says. Also, “There has been tremendous pressure put on me to cut costs…the network is saying to all the shows, ‘The company is really hurting financially. You must find a way to produce these shows more cheaply.” (With Sheridan gone, "Housewives" will save an estimated $100-200,000 per episode, according to TV Guide.)
Still, he does acknowledge that the show will see a new bombshell — but don’t expect an Edie 2.0.
“We will find a new kind of sexiness coming through Wisteria Lane. What I won’t do is cast another fortysomething sexy blonde,” he says. “(Nicollette Sheridan) performed the aging neighborhood tramp better than anyone has ever done before.”