Felicity Huffman is a renowned American actress who doubles as a producer. She has navigated the entertainment industry to build a successful acting career in diverse genres. Huffman has been in over 60 screen projects, playing memorable characters across film and television. Her journey to the spotlight began in the theatre before several award-winning performances shot her to international fame. Huffman is best recognized for her compelling portrayal of Lynette Scavo on ABC’s comedy-drama Desperate Housewives and for playing a transgender woman in the 2005 film Transamerica. The latter earned her critical praise and several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award.
She also received praise for her performance in the anthology drama American Crime from 2015 to 2017. Her film repertoire includes The Spanish Prisoner (1997), Magnolia (1999), Path to War (2002), Georgia Rule (2007), Phoebe in Wonderland (2008), and Rudderless (2014). In addition to her screen exploits, Huffman still appears in theatrical productions. The numerous awards and nominations to her name lay credence to Felicity Huffman’s amazing talent and versatility as a performer. Despite her shiny record as an entertainer, Huffman’s life is not without challenges. However, her resilience has kept her fire burning. Read on for some unveiling facts about the Desperate Housewives alum.
1. Felicity Huffman Has Two Fathers
It is public knowledge that Felicity Huffman was born in Bedford, New York, to Moore Peters Huffman and Grace Valle Huffma (née Ewing) but her parents divorced when she was a year old. However, they raised Huffman together alongside her six sisters and a brother. During a 2012 interview on Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Huffman revealed how she discovered that her biological father wasn’t Moore but a family friend named Roger Tallman Maher. Further details about this have been kept private.
2. She Studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London
Felicity Huffman spent part of her formative years in Snowmass, Colorado with her mom and siblings. She attended The Putney School, a Vermont boarding school, and later graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan in 1981. Huffman also furthered her education at New York University. When it was clear she wanted to carve a career in the entertainment industry, Huffman honed her skills in some of the best institutions, including Circle in the Square Theatre School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.
3. She Made Her Broadway Debut in 1988
Felicity Huffman has done extensive work in the theater since her stage debut in 1982. She worked back-to-back on stage in the 1980s and 1990s, making her Broadway debut as Karen in David Mamet’s 1988 play Speed the Plow. Huffman’s off-Broadway performance as Dony in the play The Cryptogram (1995-1996) won her an Obie Award. Huffman has expanded her stage career, appearing in major theatrical productions such as Boston Marriage (1999), Oh, Hell! (1999), Three Sisters (2000), November (2012), The Anarchist (2015), and Hir (2024).
4. She Suffered From Both Anorexia and Bulimia
In her late teens and twenties, Felicity Huffman struggled with her weight, suffering from both anorexia and bulimia. She is currently dedicated to using her platform for charitable causes. Huffman co-authored the self-help book A Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend. On March 1, 2012, Huffman began posting as a contributor on her website, What The Flicka, dedicated to women and mothers but the platform was reportedly deactivated in March 2019.
5. Felicity Huffman and Her Husband William H. Macy Dated on and Off For 15 Years
Before they exchanged vows on September 6, 1997, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy had a 15-year long-term relationship. Though their relationship was on and off in the beginning, it has lasted over two decades and produced two children, daughters Sophia and Georgia. Huffman and her husband worked together on several screen and stage productions. On March 7, 2012, Huffman and Macy, an actor and filmmaker, received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
6. Felicity Huffman Served Time in Prison Over a Varsity Blues Scandal
On March 12, 2019, several Americans, including Felicity Huffman were charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their involvement in a nationwide college entrance exam cheating scandal. She allegedly donated $15,000 to the Key Worldwide Foundation as a disguised payment to someone who took the SAT for her daughter Sophia. After pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud on May 13, 2019, Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison on September 13. She was slapped with an additional $30,000 fine and 250 hours of community service. The Desperate Housewives alum was released on October 25. Check out the Desperate Housewives cast then and now.
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