Erin Fogel owes her career in acting to a goat named Skittish. When the 27 Dresses star was 11, she attended a camp in Connecticut where she was introduced to this jumpy animal. “The camp had an animal farm, and you could adopt any of the animals so I adopted a goat,” this New Jersey native tells OK! “They were also having auditions for a play based on George Orwell’s Animal Farm, and I got great parts.”
Thus started her love of acting. “It was the most fun I ever had doing anything in my life.” Fourteen years later, Erin has a bachelor in fine arts from Hofstra University and shows talent that others would kill for — especially when it means sharing the spotlight with Katherine Heigl. Erin says, “She has such a charm and ease about her that I don’t think anybody has right now in her genre.”
As for the male leads of the film, she had the James Marsden fever. “Ed Burns is more my physical type, but James is so charming,” she says. “He was just so gracious and delightful to be around — he became the best looking person in the room, instantly.”
This may be Erin’s, who has graced many stages in New York City, first movie breakout role, but that didn’t mean she had to let the film’s veterans know that, especially when doing improvisation with Katherine. “I took a deep breath to keep from being nervous,” she recalls.
And she found her niche on set. “I’m there to help everybody forget about the stuff that’s stressing them out,” she laughs. “That’s sort of the role I’ve been playing in my real life.” Sounds perfect for a bridesmaid though Erin jokes, “I’d rather be the bride!”
But for now, this 25-year old is married to her craft. “I feel like theater is my wife and film is my mistress," Erin explains. "They love me both equally, they excite me in different ways, but I’m legally married to theater because I asked it first!”
But don’t expect Erin to leave the big screen anytime soon — she’s just getting started!
By Alisandra Puliti
