Second chance as housewife is nice fit

Mike White cast her as the uptight matriarch on Fox’s critically beloved but short-lived dysfunctional family drama “Pasadena,’’ Darren Star originally asked her to star in “Sex and the City,’’ and Marc Cherry first offered her the role of Bree on “Desperate Housewives.’’

Fortunately for Delany, Cherry came back around and she stepped into Katherine Mayfair’s well-kept shoes two seasons ago. The series airs Sunday nights on ABC.

Q. Marc Cherry said that originally Mike was going to marry Katherine in this season’s opener. Obviously, that did not happen. How did he let you down?

A. It wasn’t until a week before we started shooting. He called me at home and said, “I should probably tell you that Susan is marrying Mike.’’ So I said, “Oooh, OK.’’ Then he said that Katherine would have a nervous breakdown, and I said, “Oh, OK! Much better!’’ Because happiness is great in life, but it’s kind of boring dramatically.

Q. What would have happened had Mike chosen Katherine?

A. Mike would still be pining away for Susan. Marc always said that the last episode of the final season would be Mike and Susan getting married, but I think he realized that we played that card last season. I thought it was brilliant that he switched it around.

Q. But does it make sense for Katherine to be spinning out of control? Lying to herself, stalking Mike. . . . They killed Edie, but why should Katherine morph into the person the housewives have to hate?

A. I think that there’s a certain, almost like a Greek formula to this show where you have the four housewives and you have someone circling them causing problems. That was Edie’s job; now it’s Katherine’s. But I also think Katherine is so different from Edie, and I don’t think we’re going to lose her or her complexity.

Q. You were named one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people in 1991. What does that title get you?

A. Not much! Really, not much. I was so busy working on “China Beach’’ that I didn’t really have time to think about it.

Q. Remind me why you first turned down a role on “Desperate Housewives.’’

A. Marc had offered me the role of Bree, but I had just done “Pasadena,’’ and I thought the role was too similar to that, and I don’t really like to repeat myself. I’ve never ever been in this for the money. I just like to do what challenges me. Thankfully, Marc circled back. That’s unusual in Hollywood.

Q. Do you know why he circled back?

A. He said I was sly, and that I got the slyness of the show. Which is nice. I think. I think that’s a nice thing to be told.