A Million Little Things: How Younger‘s Sutton Foster Came to Play Eric’s Dearly Departed Fiancée
It’s true: Younger actresses always get the good parts.
Such was the case earlier this year, when A Million Little Things was looking to cast the role of Chloe. Viewers had been told that the character was engaged to Jason Ritter’s Eric but had died in the same accident that left him in need of a heart transplant. Chloe owned a music shop on Beacon Hill in Boston; Eric has been running the business since her death.
During a scene in Episode 6 of this season, Eric looked at a photo of Chloe… and the woman in the picture was instantly recognizable as Younger star Sutton Foster. After TVLine broke the news of Foster’s casting, we chatted with showrunner DJ Nash about how the Bunheads alum wound up in ABC‘s ensemble drama.
“I knew we were going to tell the story of Eric and his fiancée, Chloe, and I wanted someone who would be amazing in that role,” he said. Series regular James Roday suggested Foster, a friend whom he directed in both a Season 8 episode of Psych and a horror movie called Gravy. So Nash gave her a call.
“Whenever I talk to an actor we’re wooing, I say, ‘It’s totally fine either way if you’ve seen the show [or not]. I’ll just explain the show differently if you haven’t,'” he recalled. “She said, ‘What are you talking about?! I’ve seen every single episode!'”
The only downside of Foster’s saying yes to the job? “I had to tell her some of the secrets of the show in casting her, because she needed to know the story — which, as a fan, I think she was a little upset about,” Nash said, laughing. “But she is amazing. She’s been incredible.”
Though the executive producer declined to pinpoint exactly when we’ll see Foster again, he confirmed that she will appear in the second half of Season 2 “for a very moving episode.”
A Million Little Things returns to ABC on Thursday, Jan. 23 in its new, later time slot: 10/9c.
I love Sutton Foster, but I really have zero interest in Jason Ritter’s character
Same. I love both Foster and Ritter, but cannot wait for this whole storyline to be over.
Totally agree. Once it was clear that his main purpose would be to throw a wrench in Maggie and Gary’s relationship…. my interest level dropped.
Love this show but some stories tend to drag on too long. Maggie’s too much of a whiner. Grant her character overcame cancer but with her mom and stuff, yet she’s a therapist!!
I wish Maggie would lose the pink wig. She should have grown real hair by now.
Honestly, with the exception of Rome, Regina and Katherine, these people are so unlikable. I’ve started fast forwarding through certain scenes at this point. It is a HUGE problem that the show now feels the need to meander into the history of a guest star. Also, I am probably the only person who is not a fan of Sutton Foster. She, like Kristin Chenoweth, is too broadway for me.
This is about to go on my catch up over the summer if you can list.
I give it one more season before cancellation. It is clear that they don’t know where they are going with the show.
Not a fan of Sutton Foster either…her character on Younger has gotten so annoying, going back and forth with the men in her life, it’s just sad. Not sure I even want to watch her in anything else right now. This show started out slow for me and has gotten better, but now I feel like it doesn’t know where it’s going again? I’ll watch for a little while longer and see what they do.
I ❤ this show! much needed modern day type as we have too many emergency and horror shows. My favorites are Katherine, Eddie, Gary and Rome. Tristan Byon (Theo) is also a very talented little actor! I’m So Excited for the next season!
I feel like this show is trying to be a bit like This is Us and falling terribly short. Honestly most of the characters aside from Katherine and Rome are uninteresting to me.
That said, I’m hoping they can turn it around because I love Jason and Sutton.