When Brianna Brown's "Devious Maids" character, Taylor Stappord, departed at the end of the show's first season, fans thought that would be the last they saw of her.
After all, Taylor was pregnant, lost her baby in a shoot-out and moved to Washington D.C., understandably feeling a little disillusioned with her former devious neighborhood.
Brown did return for a guest spot on the Lifetime show's second season where it was revealed she and her on-screen husband Michael (Brett Cullen), were considering adoption.
So no one was more surprised than Brown when she got a call inviting her to return for the show's third season to play a mom. "They made an offer I couldn't refuse," the actress tells Headlines & Global News exclusively.
With Taylor (and her mysterious adopted daughter Katy) back in the devious fold the show's intrigue level has been amped up - and Brown loves her juicy storyline.
HNGN caught up with the gorgeous "Devious Maids" star who talked about life on the move, her rescue kitty, and her secret for staying in shape- so in other words, everything except any delicious scoop about the rest of this season. Keeping secrets is something Brown is good at on-screen and off.
HNGN: So you left at the end of season one and now you're back in season 3?
BROWN: Yes, because my character lost her baby after getting shot in the stomach. Now in season 3 I'm back with an adopted daughter who has emotional issues.
Did you know that you might be coming back?
Let's just say they made an offer I couldn't refuse.
How's working with your on-screen daughter?
She's lovely. Grecia [Merino] is so sweet and precocious - a bundle of energy. It's so sweet watching her vacillate between this fun energetic kid who's dancing around to being so serious and having 'scary eyes.'
So she's not that intense in real life?
NO! She's being told to do that [laughs].
Has going back to the show felt like a homecoming?
It's so lovely to be able to work with bunch of people I've become friends with over season one. Anna Ortiz and I get along like two peas in a pod; we're always dancing and singing and acting like 2-year-olds. But I've gotten to work with a lot of the other women this time because our storylines have been intertwined. That didn't happen a lot in season one, so it's been really nice to be able to play with the ladies. During the first season most of my scenes were with Brett Cullen, who I adore, and Ann Ortiz, who played my maid.
You also made an appearance on "Castle" earlier this year. Did you enjoy that?
Nathan Fillion is amazing and I'm super-close with Seamus Dever and his wife. I was actually in their wedding. It was wonderful to be on that set because I'm friends with the majority of people on the show. It was cool to actually get to play with them - that's what it felt like.
Do you have any plans for the summer or new projects you can tell us about?
I have a lot of side projects I'm working on apart from acting. I'm finishing a book that I'm co-writing on women in finance for artists; I have a nonprofit called "The New Hollywood" that we are expanding through 2016, including creating an LGBT branch. I founded it in 2006 and it's mainly for women in the entertainment industry. We help with people's personal and professional goals - so goal setting and continued education, support and charity. It's a wonderful group of women that just keeps expanding. I wanted to create a tribe of like-minded people who wanted to continue to be artists and make a difference in the world.
Have you heard anything about season four of "Devious Maids?"
We don't hear about the show's pick up until the fall, they usually wait a while and go year by year, which is kind of nerve-racking.
"Devious Maids" airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. on Lifetime.
