INTERVIEW: COLIN EGGLESFIELD ON "SOMETHING BORROWED"

Colin Egglesfield

Colin Egglesfield might be familiar to many of you for his Television work on series like ABC's All My Children or The CW Network's Melrose Place, but he also is a burgeoning Film Star.  Sitting down to chat with me at his Yorkville Hotel on the Toronto stop-off of his Press Tour for Rom-Com Something Borrowed, the first thing he noticed when walking in the room was the temperature. "Wow, it's freezing in here", prompting his Publicist to adjust the temperature on the Thermostat of the Kitchen-equipped Suite.  Dressed in a gray Blazer and a Black Button-down (collar undone), his piercing blue eyes instantly ring of a strange familiarity.  A younger Tom Cruise, perhaps?  You bet.

One might wonder how it is that an Actor relatively unknown to Moviegoers had caught the attention of Executive Producers Molly Smith (P.S. I Love You) and Oscar-winning Hilary Swank, together looking to adapt Emily Giffin's New York Times Best Selling Novel.  Egglesfield revealed that Casting for the Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door) project was a one-month process. Despite Studio Executives being reluctant initially to give the Leading Role of the $40 million Film to an Actor unfamiliar, it partly was Swank's insistence which got him the coveted role of Dex over seven other Actors in-contention.  "Who is this guy?", Swank demanded to know after seeing Egglesfield's initial Casting Tape. The role of Dex has the Actor playing a Man torn between his love for soon-to-be Wife Darcy (Kate Hudson) and her Best Friend Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin).

Egglesfield tells me about his experience working with A-listers Hudson and Goodwin and how their approaches vary somewhat.  After getting to know each other during initial Chemistry Tests, both he and Goodwin had one week to get to know each other over Dinners prior to Filming. "There was a lot of relationship talk between us and I think we had a good  understanding of one another as our personalities are quite similar", he says.  Hudson he recalls, "just showed up and asked 'So what are we doing?'.  She is lots of fun and spontaneous. For her I had to wear my Improv Hat in order to make our scenes as real as possible.".

What makes Egglesfield's role so challenging is that he must take a character who cheats on his Fiancé likable. With that in mind he explains, "To make people like Dex and root for him, I had to show him getting into a struggle and also trying to get out of it.".  He elaborates, "What makes the characters of Dex, Darcy and Rachel so unique is that they are all flawed.  What I hope comes out of all of this is that people will watch this Movie and ask themselves what makes their own relationships successful and what makes them want to risk rejection".

A role as steamy and controversial as Dex's is a far cry from Egglesfield's Catholic upbringing in the Midwest. "We weren't encouraged to break the rules or rebel", he tells me. Drawing upon inspiration from his own past Girlfriends, he goes on to say that "Like Dex, I too was in relationships where I knew it wasn't the right thing for me but I was terrified of breaking their hearts, so I would delay the break-up.".

When asked which Girl - Rachel or Darcy - he would be attracted to in real life Egglesfield laughs, "I'd like a combination of both!  Rachel is the type of Girl I could connect to on a deeper level, but Darcy also is the type of Girl who really could put me in my place.".  Ladies, take note.

Although he hasn't fully accepted himself as a Star or a Heartthrob, he does admit "It was lots of fun last night at the Premiere signing autographs and taking Pictures with Fans, but if this Acting thing doesn't work out, maybe I could be Tom Cruise's Stunt Double!", he jokes acknowledging how much he resembles Suri's Father.

Egglesfield is currently at work on a Lifetime Network Television Movie called Carnal Innocence based upon the Novel by Nora Roberts, in addition to a TNT Series Rizzoli & Isles, where he plays Angie Harmon's troubled younger Brother.  If that weren't enough on his plate, he will be re-teaming with Something Borrowed Producer Smith  on a World War II Film which is still untitled.  Will there be a sequel to Something Borrowed, you ask?  "Maybe. Only if this is successful, so go tell all your Friends to see it five times!", he chuckles.

What are you waiting for?  Warner Bros. releases Something Borrowed on Friday, May 6, 2011.  

To read about the Toronto Premiere of Something Borrowed attended by Egglesfield, and also how you can win a signed Photo from him, click here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)