Keck's Exclusives: Private Practice Casts Charlotte's and Cooper's Parents

Something special's happening on the May 5 episode of ABC's Private Practice, and without flat out telling you, I'll bet you can guess.  

"We'll be meeting the in-laws for the first time," teases KaDee Strickland, whose Charlotte King is about to take a big step with longtime love Cooper Freedman (Paul Adelstein).

Cast as the Freedmans are John Rothman and Cristine Rose, the latter last seen as wicked mama Angela Petrelli on Heroes. "I guess that means I'm a superhero," jokes Paul. "Cristine gave me a list of all the people whose mothers she's played, which was pretty hilarious."

John, it turns out, is a favorite of Paul's. "I've loved him since I was a kid," he says. "John was who I wanted to be like when I grew up. He's in two of my favorite movies of all time — Sophie's Choice and Ghostbusters."

With Charlotte's father, Big Daddy, deceased that leaves only mother Augusta, to be played by Tess Harper (Tender Mercies, Silkwood). "I have the great fortune of having an actress I've admired for decades," says KaDee. "I think that's about as perfect casting as you can get."

How about just a hint of what to expect when these very different families come together? "There's a scene where we all meet for the first time, and it was so awkward — in a good way," says KaDee. "We were all feeling real dirty by the end of it."

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