Actress Felicity Huffman has recently opened up about the difficulties she has faced since her conviction for mail fraud five years ago as part of the college admissions bribery scandal. She was given a 14-day prison sentence, fined $30,000, and ordered to perform 250 hours of community service. After pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud in May of that year, Huffman became the first of over 30 parents to be sentenced. Wealthy families nationwide were indicted for using dishonest methods to gain entry for their children to prestigious schools.
In an interview with a reporter from The Guardian, Huffman discussed her experiences since being convicted and the trial. She commented, “How I am is kind of a loaded question. As long as my kids are well and my husband is well, I feel like I’m well. I’m grateful to be here. But how am I? I guess I’m still processing.” Huffman survived 11 days of her prison sentence and completed the community service component, and she is now set to participate in the revival of the Taylor Mac comedy play, Hir, on stage.
Since the scandal, it has been challenging for Huffman to book acting roles, although she recently completed a pilot for ABC that was not picked up. Huffman admits, “It’s been hard. Sort of like your old life died and you died with it. I’m lucky enough to have a family and love and means, so I had a place to land.” Huffman is known for her roles in Transamerica (2005), for which she won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar, as well as her work in Reversal of Fortune (1990), Magnolia (1999), and Cake (2014), among others.
Her experience provides insight into what many individuals face when they are trying to move forward from a criminal conviction. Huffman continues to process the events of her past and remain grateful for the support of her loved ones
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