Created by HorizonBlue2000
In His Own Words -
"I was born
August 22, 1973 in Orlando, Florida at Orange Memorial Hospital, and I lived in
the same house my whole life (not counting his stint in the BSB bachelor pad)!
My dad is a retired police officer - he was a police officer up until I was 12
years old. We're a family of five kids. My parents have been together well over
40 years. There's 10 years difference between me and the next youngest sibling,
so I kind of came to my parents a little later on in life. I have a brother
Johnny and three sisters Pollyanna, Caroline (deceased in 98) and Angie. I was
an uncle at 4 years old!
When I was a little kids, about three or four, I used to get up on my grandma's
bed and sit with my little guitar and sing Baby Face (that was like my favorite
tune then). When my sister was in her senior year of high school, she started
getting into entertainment and she brought me along. She's just like me: a
singer, dance and actor. She got me involved in her first play, The Wizard of
Oz. She was Glenda the Good Witch and I was a little Munchkin, one of the
Lollipop Guild guys. I remember having these pants that were like two sizes too
big and I'd be dancing around holding my pants up, because they'd be falling
down the whole time.
I found other kids in my school involved in theatre and taking voice lessons and
they told me about a voice teacher and an acting troupe for kids called Show
Stoppers. For four years, in elementary school, I was heavily involved in plays,
one play after the next, I was a little ham! - I would sing higher notes than
the girls next to me! I sang in the children's choir at my church, and then I
went into the men's choir. I sang throughout high school.
When I was about 14, I had a silent bit part in the movie Parenthood and I was
also in Cop and a Half. I made the transition into television when Universal
Studios moved down here. I was also in the TV pilot for Welcome Freshman for
Nickelodeon. I was also in several commercials.
When I was a little kid, and I did that part in The Wizard of Oz, I used to
always pretend I had stage fright. I'd go off to the side and I would put on
this big act, because I'd get so much attention. But as I got older, I really
did start to get nervous before a show! I don't think (nerves) ever leave you.
That's what keeps you going, those little butterflies. The day I lose that will
be the day I lose touch with reality.
I don't think I was really spoiled, but I was given a lot more than my brother
and sisters, who were older. All my (siblings) were there for me - always very
caring and understanding. They would take me around to their high school and
show me off to their friends. they didn't really tell me what to do, but I would
always go to them for advice on girls or school. My mom's Spanish, and we have a
large family... here and in Puerto Rico.
For me, having my dad as a cop... he was strict, not in a bad way, but in an
affirmative way. He would make sure we were responsible for our actions. He's
really always been a good dad. As for school, I was selected "Most
Talented" in my high school yearbook, and I've done two years of college. I
have an Associate of Arts Degree.
Looking back now, I think I was a pretty good little kid. The worst thing I can
remember doing was when I was little, I racked all the leaves in the backyard
and threw them over the fence into my neighbor's backyard! Household chores
weren't a big part of my growing up. My brother and sisters were like, 'You
really lucked out. When we were younger we always had like a week in the
kitchen.' But when I was growing up, they were always there to do the chores for
me. I did kind of luck out!
In junior high, I was really interested in girls, but, I could never keep a
relationship, because I was already career-oriented. I knew that if I had a
girlfriend, I'd be thinking about her all the time and I wouldn't be able to
concentrate on school or my career. A lot of times, I'd end up having a
girlfriend for two or three weeks if I was lucky. It wasn't until the later part
of high school, that I said I really want to start dating and having
relationships.
I had my first love and I also had my first true love. It's something I'd never
trade in; it's something that was a learning experience. One was a singing
partner of mine for three years, we dated for two years. Even as a little kids,
when I used to do acting, I knew her. Even though she was in the entertainment
field, it was very hard for her to understand about me leaving all the time. Her
insecurity about me being on the road, and what everybody told her about people
in groups and stuff... so she had a hard time dealing with it. I actually (got
my heart broken). With my first girlfriend, I got my heart broken too. I was
trying to make it a relationship. I gave it my all and everything but it take
two to tango.
I fell as if I was sheltered somewhat with my siblings giving me advice about
all this stuff. I felt grown up mentally about a lot of decisions I made, but
then a lot of times it was hard for me to make those decisions because I hadn't
had a lot of opportunity to make them. Of course, I'm older now and more
experienced - and I feel a lot more confident about who I am and what I
want."