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Two local actors to appear on CBS sitcom on Monday
December 11, 2008 12:35 am
WHEN Erin
When the young actress, who called Stafford County home until she was 18, met a tall, dark-haired fellow, his question stopped her short.
"Erin Cahill? Didn't you graduate from Brooke Point?" asked actor Tug Coker, who grew up just a few miles south of Cahill. "I graduated from Stafford High. How weird is it that two of us from Stafford got roles on the same episode of the same show?"
The two actors, who graduated in the late '90s, spent five days shooting an episode
The episode, "Little Minnesota," airs Monday night at 8:30 on CBS.
Coker, who recently appeared in an episode of NBC's "The Office," said the two enjoyed catching up between scenes.
They had lunch, played "Do you know?" about friends from home and pretty quickly realized there was another small-world connection.
"As we were talking, I realized at one point that Tug's father is Dr. [John] Coker, who was my orthodontist for a while," said Cahill. "I told Tug
Coker couldn't wait to share that with his father, who had kept track of his former patient by posting articles about some of her acting roles in his waiting room.
Cahill--who doesn't like listing her age in print--said she had finished a year at an arts-oriented college in New York when her mother, Deborah, and sister, Lauren, were about
As someone who acted in her first play at age 4 and appeared in every show she could at Brooke Point, Cahill decided to go with them.
"I left school and said I'd give acting a try for a year out there," said the actress, whose father, Steven Cahill, lives in Fredericksburg. "My idea was that if nothing came along in that time, I'd go back to school."
She was thrilled when she landed a gig as the pink "Power Ranger."
"It lasted for a year--they replace each one after that long--but it was great experience," she said. "I basically got paid for a year to learn to act on television."
Since then, acting has been her only job.
Cahill has done episodes of "Without a Trace," "Supernatural," "Cold Case," "Greek," "CSI: Miami," "Free Ride," "Crossing Jordan," "General Hospital" and "On the Lot."
She just finished a film called "Demoted" and has another, "Boogeyman 3," coming out soon on DVD.
"I've really been lucky enough to support myself with acting jobs," she said. "One of my favorites was a shoot in Berlin where I got to stay for six weeks. It's a great city."
On "How I Met Your Mother," Cahill plays Heather, the sister of Ted, played by Josh Radner. The story line revolves around the fact that regular character Barney (Harris) wants to romantically pursue her character, which is the last thing Ted wants to happen.
Coker's role is a bartender named Bud in a bar where Minnesota Vikings gather.
"I'm the guy who wants to throw out anyone who isn't a Vikings fan," said Coker.
Both actors said the five-day shoot was a learning experience because the sitcom uses multiple cameras in a studio setting, a somewhat unusual technique.
"We had a great week working together and are going to stay in touch," said Coker. "We don't live far apart out here, and it's nice to know someone from home."
Rob Hedelt: 540/374-5415
Email: rhedelt@freelancestar.com"
There you go. Isn't it cute? See ya later.
