A lithe, attractive Hollywood leading woman, Hatcher gained attention and good notices for her portrayal of a very modern Lois Lane in ABC's "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993-97). She began her professional career as a dancer in San Francisco, and was soon doing commercials and hoofing as a "Love Boat" mermaid on the last season (ABC, 1985-86) of that aqueous anthology series. That same year, she made her TV acting debut as Penny Parker in an episode of "MacGyver", a role that later became a recurring character (ABC, 1986-90). She also has popped up as a guest-star on such TV series as "Quantum Leap", "Tales from the Crypt", "Murphy Brown", "Night Court", "L.A. Law" and "Seinfeld" (as Jerry's well-endowed date whose much-debated breasts are revealed to be "real...and spectacular").
Hatcher made her feature film debut in the comedy "The Big Picture", then went into drama as Sylvester Stallone's love interest in "Tango and Cash" (both 1989). She returned to comedy with a small but pivotal role in "Soapdish" (1991) and co-starred with Dolly Parton and James Woods in "Straight Talk" (1992). Hatcher had little luck with series TV at first, appearing in the failed Patty Duke sitcom "Karen's Song" (Fox, 1987) and as Robert Loggia's young bride in Norman Lear's "Sunday Dinner" (CBS, 1991). She also appeared in pilots for "Baby on Board" (CBS, 1988) and "The Brotherhood" (ABC, 1991) and co-starred in the thriller "Dead in the Water" (USA, 1991).
In 1993, Hatcher won the star-making part in "Lois and Clark". Since its premiere, she's appeared in several features (some filmed before her show first aired), including "Brain Smasher. . .A Love Story" (1993), "All Tied Up" (1994), opposite Alec Baldwin in the thriller "Heaven's Prisoners" and in John Herzfeld's crime drama "2 Days in the Valley" (both 1996). Hatcher subsequently co-starred in David Schwimmer's "Since You've Been Gone" (1997), about a high school reunion, and was cast in the James Bond film "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) as Paris Carver, a mysterious woman from 007's past now married to his nemesis. Hatcher's attentions were diverted to the theater when she appeared to good effect as Sally Bowles in the touring company of the 1996 revival production of the Kander & Ebb musical "Cabaret" while staying in the public consciousness in a ubiquitous string of long-running Radio Shack commercials opposite NFL great Howie Long beginning in 1999.
More features--"Fever" (1999), "Spy Kids" (2001), "The Chester Story" (2003)—and telepics—"Running Mates" (2000), "Jane Doe" (2002), "Say Uncle" (2001)—followed before Hatcher made her return to primetime network series TV in the compelling, unique suburban black comedy, "Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 2004 - ), playing Susan Mayer, the neighborhood's romance-minded single mom. Four out of five desperate housewives were nominated for Golden Globe Awards in 2005—Eva Longoria was the only one snubbed—but it was Hatcher who came away with the award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.