Alfre Woodard Takes The Lead

Stars With Antonio Banderas And Joins 'Desperate Housewives'

(CBS)  Just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier on "Desperate Housewives," Alfre Woodard adds an intriguing twist. The four-time Emmy winner is the new lady on the block, but she recently took a break from Wisteria Lane to return to the big screen in "Take the Lead."

Woodard plays an inner-city principal who is skeptical when an instructor played by Antonio Banderas volunteers to teach students ballroom dancing. She joined The Early Show Monday to talk about the film (video), which opens April 7.

The movie is based on the real life story of dance instructor Pierre Dulaine, who has touched many young lives.

"He fought long and hard to get ballroom dancing into the public schools," Woodard told co-anchor Julie Chen. "And there are 120 schools that now have the program, and they've seen tremendous success in terms of the esteem of the students involved."

Woodard plays the part of school principal Augustine James. And though that character is not based on a real person, Woodard said she represents what so many educators go through.

"Educators don't have a lot of resources, and not a lot of support or honor in our society now," she told Chen. "So they take what they have, and you're lucky if you get a woman like Augustine to stand up for you, and to try to have you pass through her school with something other than an attitude."

For inspiration, Woodard didn't have to look far. Several of her family members work in education and her older sister is a school principal in their home town, Tulsa, Okla.

"She was a tough kid, but she wanted to be a teacher," said Woodard. "So she comes at kids where they come at her and she won't back down, she won't let them fall through the cracks. So they know that she's got their back."

Woodard's also been busy lately with her role as the latest addition to "Desperate Housewives," in the character of Betty Applewhite. And she told Chen that things are about to get even weirder on Wisteria Lane.

"Wisteria Lane is an equal opportunity dysfunctional place," she said. "And, so, it's just about to get really, really capital D dysfunctional."