by Sarene Leeds (This article was originally published in Twist magazine April 2002.)
Imagine if someone from your high school got famous. How would you feel? Twist writer Sarene Leeds explains…
It was just a typical Sunday evening – and for me than meant watching Sex and the City (what else is a single girl in New York City to do?). The plot was nothing new, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) was in a relationship with yet another “wrong” guy – a bisexual, 10 years her junior, named Sean. But something nagged at me as I watched “Sean” lying in Sarah Jessica’s bed. It was like I’d seen him somewhere before – from real life, not TV. “Who is that guy?” I kept thinking as I watched Sarah Jessica make out with Alanis Morissette (starting to remember that episode?). But it was only when I saw “Sean: Eddie Cahill” during the closing credits that huge bells started ringing in my head.
Eddie Cahill, Eddie Cahill… Where did I know that name? As I tried to place him, I envisioned a 17- year-old boy with the brightest smile I’d ever seen walking down the hallway of Byram Hills High School. Then it hit me. Could that goofy guy I performed with in school productions now be sharing scenes with Sarah Jessica Parker? The last time I’d seen him he was wearing things like baggy jeans with the words “Ed Lover” across the behind and HUGE platform sneakers! Our drama teacher even dressed up as HIM for Halloween one year!
Fast-forward to a few months later and there he was again! Swapping spit with Jennifer Aniston on Friends and pointing a gun at Keri Russell on Felicity. Not only was I amazed at how far my 23-year-old former school-mate had gotten in his career – but oh man did he get hot! In school, I was a year ahead of Eddie and I never thought of going for him. (Big mistake!) But his classmates knew what they were talking about when they voted him Best Looking!
I wasn’t a close friend of Eddie’s but my high school was so small we all knew one another’s names. Together, we performed in plays like Fiddler on the Roof and The Crucible. Much as I loved acting (and still do!), I always had other career aspirations. But I remember a moment during The Crucible when Eddie looked into my eyes as he was saying his lines, and I saw right there how serious he was about acting. I remember thinking, “Wow, he really want this.”
I’m not saying I always knew he’d make it, but I will say that Eddie always stood out in high school. He was one of the few people who truly wasn’t afraid to be himself in a place where all anyone wants is to be popular and be accepted as “cool” by their peers. I remember one time he volunteered to be in a sketch comedy and had water dumped all over him! Instead of angrily leaving the stage, Eddie just laughed it off. Sure, between his quirky wardrobe and his love of drawing attention to himself (Eddie wasn’t known for just quietly walking down the hall!), even I thought he was strange at times. But I admired him because he went against the grain, especially in the way he dressed. I always felt there was an unspoken dress code at school. No matter what you wore, you were judged for it. I know I was. But Eddie couldn’t be bothered with that attitude.
Seven years later, Eddie is the star of his own show on the WB, Glory Days, and I’m thrilled for him. His success is an inspiration to all of us who knew him back in Armonk, NY. If he can achieve this sort of success, then why not any of us, right?
I did try to reminisce with Eddie over our high school years together, but unfortunately, his publicist said he was too busy. O well, I’ll always have my memories! And every time I see a billboard for Glory Days in Manhattan (trust me, they’re really hard to miss), I can say to myself: “Just think, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston may have gotten to gaze into Eddie’s eyes – but at least I can say I did too. And best of all, I did it first!”
