Susan Mayer is portrayed by Teri Hatcher in the series,
Desperate Housewives. Susan grew up without a father, and her mother attributed his absence to his death in the war (which would be proven false later on). She graduated the valedictorian of her high school class, and tied the knot with Karl Mayer when she was still very young. Her marriage to Karl was gradually weakened and destroyed by Karl’s infidelity. Since her divorce, Susan has turned to her teenage daughter, Julie, for much needed support and advice, especially when it comes to her complicated love life.
When she moved to Wisteria Lane, she became close friends with deceased housewife, Mary Alice Young. It was also in Wisteria Lane that she met Mike Delfino, over whose affections she often clashed with neighbor, Edie Britt. Although Mike eventually chose Susan, their relationship didn’t always go smoothly, especially when she found out about Mike’s criminal record and the possibility that he may have committed another murder.
As a single mother, Susan financially supports herself and Julie by writing and illustrating children’s books, a profession that does not always bring in a steady income. She has also often been distracted by her curious and romantic side, which has made her constantly yearn and search for a great relationship. However, when it comes to Julie, Susan has displayed much concern about the kind of boys her daughter gets involved with, and she was especially disturbed when Julie started seeing Zach Walker, Mary Alice’s quiet but strange son (who would eventually be revealed as Mike’s child to Deirdre). Susan has also conflicted with Zach’s father, Paul Walker, especially after Susan found a note that was connected to Mary Alice’s death.
Susan has been known for her clumsiness, a trait which has placed her in countless embarrassing situations, including accidentally setting Edie’s house on fire, being locked out of her own house naked, and falling off a mechanical bull. However, she does possess a certain charm about her, a charm that has gotten her in desirable and undesirable situations alike.
(Photo courtesy of ABC)