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"I was born August 22, 1973 in Orlando, Florida ar Orange Memorial Hospital, and lived in the same house my whole life [not counting his stint in the BSB bachelor pad]! My dad is 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 in life. I have a brother, Johnny-he's 34; my sister, Pollyanna, is 36. I have another sister who's 38 and she's named Caroline. Then there's Angie, she's 40. I was and uncle at four years old!
When I was a little kid, 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, dancer 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 theater 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, 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 the 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 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 year book, and I've done two years of college. I have an Associate of Arts Degree.
Looking back now, I think I was al pretty good little kid. The worst thing I can remember doing was when I was a little kid, I raked all the leaves in the backyard and threw then over the fence into my neighbor's backyard!...Household chores weren't a big part of my growing up. My brother and my sister 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 thinknig 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 kid, 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 takes two to tango.
I feel as if I was sheltered somewhat with my siblings giving me advice about all this stuff. I felt grown up mentally about a lot the 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."
--Taken from SuperTeen magazine, June 1998
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