Felicity Huffman - Love Letter to Desperate Housewives

[The Lovely Sue Ellen]

How did she get that nickname?


Final Love Letter
http://whattheflicka.com/youre-gonna...ewives-finale/

Well, it’s the final DH love letter, and I have talked about almost everything I love and will miss, except one.

You, I will miss you. You fans have been the rocket fuel that made Desperate Housewives fly. Without you, it would have been just another pilot, gathering dust in the vault where good pilots go to die. But from the first time DH was on the air, you decided to jump on board, and made it a success. I remember Teri coming into the makeup trailer during the first season and saying, “Guys! These numbers are incredible! So many people are watching… I think we are a hit!” I have met and heard from fans as close by as my mailman and as far away as Russian and Afghanistan. So, this love letter is to you.

I read your tweets, your letters, and meet people from all over the world. Fans have given me photo books that include pictures of me in high school (not pretty I admit) and then catalogue almost every job I have ever had! It obviously took so much time and effort to create and I cherish them. People have made cool music video’s or slide shows or collages showing different moments from DH, my life, or even shots of fans around the world holding up signs with sweet messages. I love them all. They are all astounding and so appreciated, truly.



Some people have been watching the show since they were ten and are now off to college. I have met teenagers who have watched every single episode, Grandmothers who say to me, “You remind me of myself when I was young,” husbands who tell me I am just like their wife, and I even met a young fan who asked me if cars were invented when I was young.

I was once getting on a crowded elevator in Turkey and a woman rushed back and stopped the doors from closing so she could say to me that she was going through cancer at the same time Lynette was, and watching every week made her laugh and gave her strength.

I met a couple in Orange County, Ca. who told me they broke up, after 23 years of marriage, and 4 children, just like Tom and Lynette did. The husband had even had a “Jane” in his life, but they worked it out and are happy together again. They kept asking me, if somehow the writers of DH had their house bugged and stolen their life story!

Mothers come up to me all the time saying: “I thought I was the only one going crazy!”

I have even had people come up and shake their finger in my face, chastising me for treating Tom so badly. In season three when Lynette had a flirtation with “Rick Coletti” fans couldn’t tell the difference between fact and fiction! “What are you doing with that Rick person? Don’t you dare have sex with him!” I couldn’t go to the market or get on a plane without someone giving me a piece of their mind. I can’t tell you the scoldings I got!



I am very aware that I was just a part of a TV show, that millions of people do difficult jobs, requiring self-sacrifice, courage, perseverance and faith every day, that a television show can’t change the world, nor is it a part of profound humanitarian efforts. But people love stories, and sharing stories, and I was lucky enough to share a story with all of you for 8 years. And I think it is the sharing that makes it profound.
It is our connection and enjoyment of something as silly as Gaby’s mowing the lawn in an evening gown, or all of us being affected by Mike’s death or Bree’s heartbreak, or Susan’s courage, that brings us together and feels good.

I want to share with you a few of the wonderful things that have been sent to me…

KARIN
Oddly enough, this show has played a key factor in my life for the past 8 years. I moved away to university in 2004 and DH was the one thing I called my mom to chat about every Monday. A tradition we still continue to this day. 8 years have come and gone but the show is always there for me. Every Sunday night I sit down with my gals and we watch/laugh/cry together… and I’m truly going to miss that.

ANGIE
I have 10 neighbor girls who have been coming down every Sunday night for years to watch the show together. We will TRULY miss the show and the good times it brought us. We loved every episode.
Thanks for the memories!

CONNIE
Will miss the show terribly. I was so touched by the storyline of Lynette being pregnant AGAIN, the 5th time. When she found out about the pregnancy I was blown away and wondered how I would handle such a surprise. Later, I found out I was pregnant (unexpectedly) with my fourth. I was so shocked but OH SO comforted by Lynette’s storyline that it actually helped me come to terms with my own pregnancy. I am so happy with my 4th child, and I can’t imagine life without him. But at the time, Lynette really helped me get through the shock of it all. Thank you so much for that!!! Hugs to you.

Chrisgeorgiou46
My whole family argues the entire week, but for one hour we get to sit down and laugh, cry, and smile together. I realize what I just said was a total cheesefest, but true!
Chris, London (England)

Patti Taylor
My husband & I watch the show together. We put the kids to bed early on Sundays & watch the show. Then we stay up late talking about it. So I am grateful for the show because it really does help my marriage. It gives my husband & I a chance to sit & talk without the kids. Thanks for being great!

Teresa Petty Kristek
I’m a military wife and mom of two small children with one on the way. I can’t explain it, but it cheers me up, no matter what stresses I may be dealing with at the moment, to decompress with some DH episodes. There are so many story lines I can relate to and I revel in the friendships among the women when it’s so hard to maintain my own moving from place to place so frequently.

Srgodsey
My mom, daughter and I started a tradition of watching the show together on Sunday nights. Even when we couldn’t watch it together, we would call during commercials to talk about it!

Devorah, Israel
I have been watching DH right from the start. One of the scenes that was the most meaningful to me, was in the beginning after Lynette got addicted to Ritalin and you were sitting on the ground and the girls were around you. You asked them how they did it (bringing up children, keeping up with life, etc.) and they admitted their mess-ups, their difficulties, and your line was: “Why didn’t you say anything???” I was bawling my eyes out then. With two girls, (a 1 and a 2 year old) I looked around and everyone else seemed to be doing great. I wondered: why am I the only one falling apart? So, I used your line and asked, and realized I was not the only one after all! Thank you so very much for being with me, from the day my first child was born, through the weary nights of feeding, and until now, when my girls are in schools and I have another toddler, life is full, thank g-d.



I want to reach out and give you all a hug, a hug of gratitude and joy. I have been a very lucky woman and you have made me a very happy actress for the last 8 years, and I hope I have given you something in return.
God Bless, peace and joy.



Felicity

[Scarlett]

What a nice post; so sad it is the last.

I think 'Flicka' is a natural nickname for 'Felicity', like 'Jess' for 'Jessica'.

[The Lovely Sue Ellen]

Well i like Flicka
I would have never thought of it as a nickname for Felicity

[minx]

It's not a nickname. She's one of eight kids. By the time she was born, all the family names had been used, so her mom named her Flicka. Later on, her mom didn't feel the name was Catholic enough, so she started calling her Felicity. Flicka decided she needed a grown-up name later in life, so she stuck with Felicity. Her friends and family still call her Flicka.

Her letters are incredibly humble and sweet. I expect no less from her. She sits at the top of the heap of my favorite TV actors. A kind and sensitive human being. I admire her a lot.

[The Lovely Sue Ellen]

Thank you for telling me Minx!
I had been wondering for a while why her site was called What the Flicka

[Scarlett]

Thanks, Minx. I really thought Flicka and Felicity were similar.