Sara Rue had to make acting choice
At any given time there may be about 1% of those in the Actors Guild who are actually working. That’s why it’s always amazing when one actor ends up with two roles.
Back in June, when I was watching all of the new shows for the 2012-2013, I noticed the very talent Sara Rue was in both the new NBC comedy “Guys With Kids” and the ABC comedy “Malibu Country.” There have been actors who have been on two shows at the same time such as when Kirsten Vangsness was on “Criminal Minds” and “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior” in the same TV season. But, that takes lots of planning and coordination.
Rue’s good, but starring on two weekly sitcoms would be impossible because a comedy takes a week to film while TV dramas can go as long as eight or nine days. this potential headache meant it finally came down to Rue having to make a decision. There were no assurances that either show would get on the air so her first pick was “Malibu Country” but she filmed the first episode of “Guys With Kids” with the agreement the role would be recast if “Malibu Country” got on the air.
Both shows got on the air and Rue’s “Guys With Kids” role went to Erinn Hayes (who just happens to also be on the cable series “Childrens Hospital.”)
“So I’m right where I wanted to be from the very beginning. I feel really lucky,” Rue says of being on “Malibu Country.”
Her role on “Malibu Country” is of a very spoiled, annoying and superficial neighbor to the character played by Reba McEntire. Rue prepared for the part by watching TV.
“I watched countless hours of ‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’,” Rue says proudly.