Born in the Southern California town of La Mirada, Eric spent most of his childhood in nearby La Puente. Eric excelled in volleyball and football during high school. His natural athleticism provided the opportunity to play defensive lineman in the region's high school All Star Hall of Fame game.

After shedding approximately thirty pounds of football weight, his college girlfriend suggested Eric pursue work as a model to help make extra cash. Eric juggled classes at UCLA with acting workshops and modeling assignments, including a prestigious campaign for clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger. Eric graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a degree in psychology. In addition to numerous national commercials for products including 7-Up(tm) and Mitsubishi(tm), he has appeared on the television shows Profiler and Charmed.

When he is not working, Eric enjoys playing basketball, snowboarding, and paintball wars with his castmates.