BWW Interviews: Cristin Milioti Talks New Season of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

Last spring it was revealed that actress Cristin Milioti was cast in the pivotal role of 'The Mother' on CBS's long-running hit comedy How I Met Your Mother and would be featured as a series regular in the final season of the show.

"It was a pretty big umbrella to fill, casting the title role in a series that's been on the air for eight years," said Carter Bays, Executive Producer and Co-Creator of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. "And yet Cristin Milioti is, against all odds, exactly what we were looking for. She made us laugh on "30 Rock," she made us swoon in "Once," and her ukulele skills are no joke. We're thrilled to welcome her to the How I Met Your Mother family, and look forward to getting to know her - and the character she plays - much better in the coming final season."

Milioti recently spoke to BWW and others about her experience thus far and the warm reception she has received from fans of the hit CBS sitcom. "Every interaction I've had has been so lovely. People often ask to hug me," the actress shared. "The fans of the show are so dedicated and so supportive... Everyone's been so sweet."

Surprisingly, the Once star was not that familiar with the show before being cast in the highly coveted role. Since then, she has quickly caught up on the prior eight seasons. "It's been really weird watching the show knowing I'm The Mother," she confessed. "I was continually taken aback by how emotional I would get by watching it. I cried during a bunch of episodes, the one where Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Ted (Josh Radnor) are covered in tomato sauce and asking themselves where they're going to be in five years."

Broadway fans know that the 30 Rock guest star is also an accomplished musician, learning to play the piano in just a matter of weeks before taking on her Tony-nominated role of 'Girl' in the hit musical 'Once.' Now she faces another musical challenge - learning to realistically pluck the bass for her role as a musician on the show. "I'm attempting to teach myself again. In fact, one of the guys from Once who played the bass on our show, Will Connolly, is helping me. I'm playing one Radiohead bass line now," she said, adding "I look like I know what I'm doing, but I shouldn't jump up onstage with the Red Hot Chili Peppers anytime soon. I would embarrass myself."

What can fans expect in the ninth and final season of the series? Milioti chose to keep mum for the most part. "I don't wanna give anything away, but we just shot some stuff that I think... is going to be really, really exciting and wonderful for fans of the show," she said. "There's one with Josh that I've shot that I'm very, very excited about. I'm sorry to be so cryptic!"

A rep for CBS added that the special episode in question will air November 4. The hour-long Season 9 premiere airs tonight, Monday, Sept. 23, at 8/9c.

About Cristin Milioti:

Recently, Cristin Milioti concluded her star turn as 'Girl' in the Broadway hit musical "Once," for which she received a Grammy Award as well as a Tony Award nomination for Lead Actress. Upcoming, Milioti will be seen playing opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the Martin Scorsese feature film, "The Wolf of Wall Street." Her previous television credits include "30 Rock," "The Sopranos," "The Good Wife" and "Nurse Jackie."

About CBS's HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, now in its ninth and final season, is a comedy about Ted and how he fell in love. This season takes place over the course of Barney and Robin's wedding weekend, when the lives of the gang change dramatically. Ted is about to move to Chicago, Marshall and Lily are about to move to Rome, and Robin and Barney are about to become husband and wife. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future.

Photos by: Cliff Lipson/CBS

Photo credit: Joan Marcus