Area residents snag roles in film to be released Friday

Frederick triplets, Allegany County relatives featured in ‘Life as We Know It’
Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Wed Oct 06, 2010, 07:46 AM EDT

— CUMBERLAND — A couple of Allegany County residents took advantage of familial ties to earn roles in the production of “Life as We Know It,” a new movie set for release on Friday.

And on Saturday, proceeds from a special showing of the movie at the Garrett 8 Cinemas at Deep Creek Lake, located on U.S. Route 219, will benefit the National Transplant Assistance Fund for former Frostburg resident Patrick Barry.

Barry is a family friend of Julie Determan. Determan snagged a behind-the-scenes role as a production assistant. Her primary job was to care for her three granddaughters, who happen to be identical triplets.

At the age of just 28 months, Brooke, Lexi and Brynn Clagett, of Frederick, took turns starring as Sophie, a young girl orphaned in “Life as We Know It.” The girls are the daughter of Determan’s daughter, Erin Determan Clagett.

In the comedy, rated PG-13, Sophie is sent to live with her late parents’ friends, Holly and Eric. The two are not a couple and, until Sophie, enjoy the unattached life of single people.

Torey Weimer, 13, of Westernport, is an older cousin to the triplets and snagged a role as an extra in the movie.

The girls’ 6-year-old sister, Hannah, also made the final cut in the movie, which was filmed over an 11-week-period a year ago in Atlanta. Its lead roles are played by Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel.

“Atlanta was awesome,” said Weimer, who helps keep an eye on Brynne during a Thanksgiving scene at the dinner table.

Duhamel, she said, “was really nice. He was very down to earth and super sweet.”

Determan said both Heigl and Duhamel have very typical small-town backgrounds. Yet, she can understand how quickly Hollywood can get to people’s heads.

Determan said only about two weeks passed in between the Clagett girls being selected for the roles and filming began in Atlanta.

“There wasn’t really time to think about it,” Determan said. “Once we got there, they very quickly began shooting.”

With chauffeurs and catered meals, “I can understand why maybe stars sometimes have the egos that they do. It’s a fantasy world. Everything is given to you.”

Determan seemed to cling to her Frostburg heritage, however, she acknowledged “it’s a good fantasy for a while.”

Barry, 33, returned to Oregon last week after recuperating in Frostburg since his June liver transplant at a Pittsburgh hospital. Due to his illness, he lost his job when he relocated from rural southcentral Oregon to Portland to be closer to his doctors.

His wife, Mary, is still employed but Determan said Barry’s rejection medication is expensive.

“Now he’s attempting to begin job hunting again,” Determan said of Barry, “which is not an easy thing to do in this economy. There are still a great many expenses.”

Tickets to the special showing are $10 for adults and $5 for children. They can be purchased by calling Linda Barry at 301-689-3394.

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