Eddie Cahill's 'Glory Days'

Eddie Cahill is livin' large. The New York native first impressed in 2001 with guest appearances on Friends as Rachel's irresistible assistant, on Felicity as a gun-toting addict, and on Sex and the City as Carrie's much younger, bi-sexual boyfriend. Currently, he headlines Glory Days, his own creepy, suspense thriller series on the WB.

The show was created by producer Kevin Williamson of Dawson's Creek and the Scream films. As Mike Dolan, Eddie returns home to Glory Island after writing a murder mystery novel that depicted many of the citizens in a poor light. Hoping to prove that his dad's death was murder, not suicide, Mike ends up investigating every bizarre crime in town...and that's a load of bizarre crime!

When we spoke to Eddie recently at a WB party, we found him to be candid about his new series and personal life.

Teenhollywood: The series originally was more a drama like Dawson's Creek. Then the spooky murder mystery element was added. .....

Eddie: I personally didn't see any flaws with the original script but it's more exciting now. I find what we're doing now gives me more to do in a lot of ways. In the first script it felt like I was apologizing over and over again (for writing a book that used locals as characters). It starts to hurt after a while.

Teenhollywood: Your character is a wounded loner. Do the wounds mend over time?

Eddie: I don't know if it will ever come to closure. I think as we get older and we hurt people, we don't put stuff to rest. As life moves, stuff will always trigger the past so I don't know if they'll ever close but he'll definitely move to a functioning relationship with people.

Teenhollywood: Since your role as Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend in Friends, do you feel pressure about making this a success?

Eddie: I think it comes and goes. I feel pressure. I don't always know what it's related to. It caught me last night on my way here. I feel, at the end of the day, the only thing I can do is what I started to do when I got involved in all of this and hope for the best; hope that people continue to appreciate me.

Teenhollywood: On Friends were you a little nervous when you heard about the Rachel pregnancy storyline? Did you wonder if your character was the dad, were they gonna call you back for more shows?

Eddie: That went through my mind and I was told I was done after six and that was the 7th and I'd kind of let it go. People would come up and ask me. Then I got a phone call and they said they wanted me for another episode and I wondered, "Am I the dad, maybe."

Teenhollywood: Did you make friends on that set?

Eddie: Yeah, David Schwimmer and I are good friends. He was incredible. Before meeting him I was doing a play in New York and he had seen me in the play and I didn't know him from Adam at that time. I was getting phone calls saying, "David Schwimmer told me about you" and then I was on his show and he sorta walked up to me..."hey, remember me?" Since I was 15 I remember you. For a young actor that was one of the most inspiring moments I've had on a human level. He's great. He directed my first episode. He's a wonderful director.

Teenhollywood: Do you get fan mail from your guest shot on Friends?

Eddie: I get approached on the street and the odd note here and there. The stars were in the right place for that one.

Teenhollywood: Is the Tag character anything like you?

Eddie: I don't think I'm quite as naive as he was. Innocent. When you're innocent at 25, 26, you can look dumb at times. He was wide-eyed.

Teenhollywood: How is Mike in Glory Days like you?

Eddie: One thing I identify with him is the identity crisis you have in your early 20s. You want to know who you are, definitely looking to home as a way to identify yourself. Mike and I have that in common. I'm a bit of a skeptic (like he is). I can appreciate that.

Teenhollywood: How long is a shooting day on Glory Days?

Eddie: It's anywhere from 12 to 16 to 18 hours. It's a beast. Friends you only shoot one day a week and rehearse three so it's like a vacation. But Sex in the City is another single camera show that shoots on location and they pack on some pretty heavy days as well.

Teenhollywood: Do you have time for a personal life?

Eddie: At times. I dig and scratch for it. One thing that being out in Vancouver has meant is that I've started playing hockey. Not having friends in Vancouver and nothing really familiar around me, I have struggled but I've managed to find some time for myself. Most of it is on the ice. I don't know if I have time to be distracted. I'm so overwhelmed with it (the show) that it consumes me so I don't have time to seek out a distraction. I'll get up in the morning and exercise or call someone back home just to start to feel a bit like myself.

Teenhollywood: What was your audition process like for Glory Days?

Eddie: I had a holding deal with the WB network and I went through the process of reading a couple of scripts and I singled out Glory Days and said this is the one I would like to go for and began reading for the casting director, then Kevin and Kevin and some producers and then almost every girl that they read. I read my head off for this show. It wasn't Poppy (Montgomery) from the beginning. Poppy's character is new from how the show has changed. It was originally Julie Benz (from Angel) who was fantastic.

Teenhollywood: This show is so weird. Do you now have nightmares?

Eddie: I think I would if I was sleeping more (laughs). There's a bit more anxiety but I don't think I even get to the point of dreaming in sleep. It's more the energy you get from working. It sort of charges you up so when I do get home maybe 11 p.m. or one in the morning I want someone to talk to about it. Maybe one of my friends thousands of miles away. I'm from New York...and the time difference, I can't call so I'm talking to myself.

Teenhollywood: Were you a fan of Kevin Williamson's beforehand?

Eddie: Yeah. Mostly from Scream. I thought that was one of the best horror movies of my generation. When I saw his name attached I got interested.

Teenhollywood: Do you watch TV much?

Eddie: A bit but mostly CNN or some sort of sports. I don't have a TV in Canada in the apartment I'm staying in. I do tend to watch Friends more now since my association with it.

Teenhollywood: You're from New York and working in Vancouver. Do you want to move to L.A. ever?

Eddie: I'm tinkering of moving to Los Angeles when the show wraps just to have a home if the show does go. If we stay in Vancouver I'd be closer if I had a home in L.A. I spend a lot of time here.

Teenhollywood: What's your favorite kind of music just to kick back?

Eddie: My girlfriend and I were looking through my CD collection and she kept goin' "What goes on in your head?" Because there's absolutely no continuity or any connection. It goes from Meredith Monk and Brian Eno making funny sounds to Bach. It all depends on the mood.

Teenhollywood: What's your favorite movie you watched last year?

Eddie: Right at the end I watched Spinal Tap so that's got to be the best. I'm hot on Spinal Tap right now.

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Interviewer and writer Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.