Felicity Huffman is a television actress.
Felicity Kendall Huffman ( born December 9 , 1962 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress . Huffman began her acting career in theatre and in the 1990s also had many supporting roles in film and television . She starred as executive producer Dana Whitaker in the critically acclaimed ABC comedy-drama Sports Night from 1998 to 2000 , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination . She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the long-running ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives ( 2004 -- 2012 ) , for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the debut season of the series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards overall . The role earned her a Golden Globe Award , Independent Spirit Award , National Board of Review , and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress .