Picks and Pans Review: The Mystery Girl of Wisteria Lane Justine Bateman

• The former Family Ties star, 41, plays a secretive art student renting from Gaby and Carlos on ABC’s Desperate Housewives, ending its fourth season May 18

HOW DID YOU WIND UP ON HOUSEWIVES? I’m a friend of [creator] Marc Cherry and I know a couple of the other writers. Marc said, “I want to write you a part.” And I wanted to go play with them.

YOUR CHARACTER IS—RARE FOR THE SHOW—NO STYLE PRINCESS. My hair’s wavy-crazy, and my clothes are artsy—it’s fun.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW IN YOUR LIFE? I have an Internet production company, and we’re in talks with sponsors to get financing for our first production. It’s a sitcom miniseries.

FAVE HOUSEWIFE? I love Eva Longoria Parker. She’s a master seamstress and brings her sewing machine to the set. She’s always making dresses.

FOR YOU? Not yet!

Updated by Julie Jordan