DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - CROSS USED SHOCKED PARENTS AS INSPIRATION FOR DESPERATE BREE

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES star MARCIA CROSS used her experiences as an AIDS ward nurse to capture her character's horror at learning her son was gay - because she saw parents' shock first hand.

The sexy actress, who plays prim and proper BREE VAN DE KAMP in the show, admits she was horrified when she realised her character would be homophobic.

But she didn't have to dig too deep to play a stunned mother, thanks to her previous employment in a Los Angeles hospital.

She says, "I worked at Cedars-Sinai Hospital years ago in the AIDS ward, and I actually dealt with a lot of parents like that... People are all polarised in their thinking.

"In a way I felt like I had a responsibility to believe that my son would be lost to me if I didn't save him, and it wasn't for me to judge."

In real life, Cross insists she grew up with gay friends and relatives and has no problems with same sex romances - in fact, last year (04) she created a buzz when she refused to comment about rumours she was a lesbian.

She explains, "I really don't care. I didn't do anything to stop the rumours until it was all over the world, and I was like, 'Oh, come on.'"