Interview: Eddie Cahill

Eddie Cahill‘s character, Don Flack, took the spotlight in this season’s fifth episode, when a high-profile case paralleled the struggles between Flack and his sister, Samantha. Though Flack is always on deck to provide a sharp quip or get his daily workout chasing after a suspect, the long awaited return of Samantha Flack brought the NYPD detective to the forefront. Speaking exclusively with CSI Files’ Shane Saunders, Cahill–in his charming Irish accent–discusses the brother-sister reunion, working with a new leading lady, and the show’s future.

CSI Files: So how are you doing? Are you on set right now?

Eddie Cahill: I’m not on set, no. Actually, I have the day off so I’m at home relaxing.

CSI Files: What episode are you guys filming at the moment?

Cahill: We are doing eleven.

CSI Files: CBS hasn’t officially declared this season of CSI: NY to be its final one, but with a reduced amount of episodes there sure seems to be an indication that this could potentially be its last. Have you heard anything about where the show stands with the network?

Cahill: No, no, I don’t know where the show stands. It seems we’ve reached a point in the run where conversations about its eventual end are far more common than they have been before. There’s no indication and I don’t know that they would even know at this point. I do think at the end of the day we’re certainly one of the shows that they will measure past, present, and future on to make decisions. Where I think it used to be foregone conclusions I think they’re going to hold off and see.

CSI Files: And is the order for this season still eighteen episodes?

Cahill: Yeah, we have been ordered eighteen. Right now it feels like everyone is waiting to see if more are ordered but I haven’t heard anything.

CSI Files: The last episode to air, “Air Apparent,” had some really wonderful moments for you to play and also featured the return of Flack’s sister, Samantha (Kathleen Munroe). I’d imagine that was a fun episode for you to do.

Cahill: That was a lot of fun for a couple of reasons. One, I think there’s a pretty good dynamic that has developed between Flack and Samantha. Two, I really enjoy working with Kathleen Munroe. It’s just one of those circumstances that I feel from Day One, she just showed up and got along really well with each other. That’s been a lot of fun.

CSI Files: How did you find out she would be returning?

Cahill: I want to say just a couple weeks before… oh, no! Actually, that’s not true. I had heard prior to us starting this shoot, I actually forget with who, but it was just mentioned this was an idea we were kicking around and we’d like to bring her back.

CSI Files: Is there a possibility we’ll see more scenes between the two of them as the season progresses?

Cahill: I hope so, but I don’t know. I think there’s always a possibility, yeah. I know they enjoy the relationship between the two characters.

CSI Files: Is there anyone else from Flack’s past you’d like to see come back?

Cahill: I love Terrence, man. I really like working with Nelly. I feel like that’s a character we can either wrap up or keep going. My feeling is that bringing Terrence back always depends on Nelly’s availability. He’s been a lot of fun to play with. That’s another relationship that I like.

CSI Files: Oh yeah, absolutely. That was a really strong storyline for you and we didn’t really see that caliber of material during Season Seven.

Cahill: No, no, that was interesting actually that Season Six kind of made that turn that Flack took and I really feel appreciative. Being able to deal with the death of Detective Angell and all that stuff. Season Seven kind of turned a corner and recalibrated.

CSI Files: Do you think we’ll see more character development for Flack this season?

Cahill: I don’t know. I mean, I hope so. I never really get any insight into that. Certainly if they do bring Samantha back there’s an opportunity there. I don’t know. I don’t know how to answer that, actually. I do hope so.

CSI Files: Flack was with Angell for Season Five and part of Season Four and there’s yet to be a new romantic partner for him.

Cahill: Right.

CSI Files: Do you think Flack will want a chance at love again?

Cahill: He’s just practicing. [Laughs.] It certainly hasn’t been written. It’s hard to answer because nothing has really been written to suggest one way or the other. As a human being I would imagine love is something we all would like to have and I don’t think he’s any different. I haven’t gotten any indication about which way he’s feeling in terms of that. It’s funny, you remind me now that I’m actually talking about it out loud, prior to the season beginning I did have a conversation with one of our writers who had mentioned a possibility–which may be a longshot–that there could be some–we’ll just say female presence–in his life that may or may not connect to his past somewhere. But I don’t know if that will happen. A lot of it is always contigent upon how the show balances out Gary’s character. We can’t have the show filled with love interests. I don’t think; well, we haven’t. But the idea has been put out there. I just don’t know where that’s going at this point.

CSI Files: Do you still keep in touch with Emmanuelle Vaugier?

Cahill: I don’t. We’ve had a couple texts back and forth but, no, I don’t keep in touch with her.

CSI Files: Some viewers notice a hint of subtle flirtation between Flack and Jo Danville (Sela Ward). Is their relationship strictly platonic, or is something more personal potentially brewing between the two?

Cahill: I just think it’s strictly platonic.

CSI Files: Every week I look forward to the scenes those two share. You have a great rapport with one another.

Cahill: Aww, that’s nice. Thanks. Yeah, that was a fun moment with them in the premiere. I got a kick out of that. She’s fun.

CSI Files: It’s bittersweet because you have an actress like Melina Kanakaraedes leaving the show after six seasons, but then you have this tremendous talent like Sela Ward seamlessly transitioning in. Did the news of Melina’s departure shock you?

Cahill: It did at the time, yeah. I mean ‘shocked’ might be a bit of an overstatement but certainly shook an eyebrow up in the air. These things happen more commonly than I think I realize, so it wasn’t earth-shattering.

CSI Files: A few of your cast members–Gary Sinise (Mac Taylor), Sela, Hill Harper (Dr Sherldon Hawkes), and AJ Buckley (Adam Ross)–have taken to Twitter to promote the show and interact with fans. Have you opened up to the idea of having a social media account?

Cahill: I have not. I don’t know why, but I’m not compelled by social media. Not at this point.

CSI Files: I remember Gary and Sela tweeted earlier this year about you being on Twitter, but it turned out to be fake…

Cahill: [Laughs.] Gary came up to me and said, “Hey, did you get all those followers I sent you?” because I guess you can send people followers? And I was like, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Actually, at the time I didn’t even recognize the language he was speaking. He thought I was playing with him! And then he figured out that I did not have a Twitter account and went into control mode to get all his followers back. [Laughs.] But in my life the less binging and blinging, and vibrating is the happier I tend to be.

CSI Files: The last project you tackled outside of CSI: NY was The Narrows back in 2008. Do you have any other projects in development?

Cahill: I don’t at this point. Over the past hiatus I went back to New York and I did a one-act play that was part of Atlantic Theater Company’s 25th anniversary. That was the last thing I did outside of the show. I had a lot of fun.

CSI Files: Can you tease anything else coming up for Flack or the season in general?

Cahill: There’s a pretty good–I want to say it takes place over three episodes–there’s a case that follows Jo Danville from Washington. A suspect. She’s had some career problems and we pick up on that case. That’s a three episode arc and we got some cool guest-stars. I’m actually not even gonna say anything because I don’t want to speak out of turn, but we’re hunting somebody down.

Shane Saunders is a freelance writer and reviewer. His work can be seen on EDGE Network and ShaneSSaunders.com. Twitter: @ShaneSSaunders.

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Shane Saunders

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