Marcia Anne Cross (born March 25, 1962) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated American actress, currently starring as Bree Hodge on the hit TV show Desperate Housewives.
She is also well-known for her role as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the prime-time soap opera Melrose Place.
Cross was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She was the long time companion of Richard Jordan. Jordan died from a brain tumor on August 30, 1993. In early 2005, the Internet and tabloids swirled with rumors that Cross was gay and in a long-term relationship with another woman, and planning to come out of the closet. Cross actually appeared on the television show The View to deny the reports, but stated that she was very supportive of the gay community. In August 2005, Cross's publicist also told the American celebrity newsmagazine Us Weekly that Cross had accepted the proposal of Tom Mahoney (born 1958), a stock broker whom she had been dating for six months, and that the couple were engaged to be married. The couple got married on June 24, 2006, in front of 200 guests at the Church of Our Savior Episcopal Parish in San Gabriel, California. "It was a beautiful ceremony," a representative for Cross told People. "They're very happy." On September 6, 2006, she announced that she was pregnant and due in April 2007 and on September 20 she revealed that she was expecting twins. On January 11, 2007, Cross was placed on precautionary bedrest until their delivery, requiring her to suspend her Desperate Housewives acting duties. However, Cross did not want to give up working, even bringing the entire cast and crew to her home to shoot some scenes in her very own bedroom. Cross's bedroom was painted to look like Bree's. On February 20, 2007, Cross gave birth to fraternal twin daughters, Eden and Savannah at a Los Angeles hospital, shortly before Cross' 45th birthday. In an exclusive People interview, she revealed that she underwent in vitro fertilization soon after her wedding. Both children were baptized at the Trinity Episcopal Church. Cross's sister is singer songwriter, Ellen Cross In September 2008, Cross stated in an interview that she was "in heaven right now" looking after her newborn twins, but also stated that she has a desire to adopt a child in the near future. In December 2008, it was announced that Marcia will become the face of Motts Apple Sauce.