Latin American Versions of "Desperate Housewives" to Be Produced This Year

The popular TV drama "Desperate Housewives" is going international. Buena Vista International Television Latin America says they will produce up to four new versions of the hit show, in Spanish and Portuguese.

While the main format of the show will stay the same, each version will have unique cultural aspects and even its own cast. The Spanish versions will be broadcasted in Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador under the name of "Amas de casas desesperadas", while the Portuguese series will air in Brazil, titled "Donas de casa desesperadas".

Fernando Barbosa, senior vice president of Buena Vista International Television Latin America, says "the script of the series perfectly fits the profile of what the Latin American audience looks for. It looks similar to the telenovelas."

As for the subtle changes, "in the U.S. version there's a plumber (actor James Denton as Mike Delfino) in that neighborhood. In Latin America, a plumber is very unlikely to live in such type of neighborhood, so we'll have to switch that profession."

The production of the Argentine show is set to begin on April 15 in Buenos Aires, and the first episodes could air in June or July. The four main actresses have already been chosen: Araceli Gonzalez as Gabriela (Gabrielle on the U.S. version), Gabriela Toscano as Susana (Susan), Carola Reyna as Elisa (Bree) and Mercedes Moran as Lia (Lynette).