When your mid-life crisis comes before you hit puberty, it’s all gravy from there. But Eugene was always an early bloomer, since the days when he would wander off in department stores and his mom would find him in the center of a crowd, happily entertaining everyone. Eugene was born with boundless energy in Philadelphia on August 28th to Albert and Adrienne. It took 6 ½ years and a stint entrancing a church congregation before Eugene’s mom looked up an acting workshop in the phone book and sent Eugene on his ultimate path. His older brother, Kevin, and sister, Stacey, were relieved to have a respite from Eugene’s gushing energy. “I was the leader in chaos and devilry,” admits Eugene of his classroom antics. Yet his acting teacher, Rodney Robb, was impressed enough to send Eugene to his wife, talent manager Edie Robb. Eugene was soon auditioning in New York and by his third try, he booked a national commercial for Hershey’s New Trail Granola Bars. Lip-synching to “Duke of Earl” and “Goodnight Sweetheart,” Eugene found himself in “the hottest commercial for three months,” he recalls.

Eugene landed his first speaking role in “The Day the Kids Took Over,” an ABC Afterschool Special. Eugene did bit parts in episodic television shows and got a small part in a feature film, Eddie Murphy’s “Raw.”

“The first few years were a lot of fun and then I realized that I wasn’t doing what other kids my age were doing,” says Eugene. Despite his mother’s reassurances that he could stop acting whenever he wanted, Eugene persevered and began to craft his list of career goals. Soon Eugene was off on location to Atlanta for NBC’s TV movie, “Murder in Mississippi.” “I’d wait for my brother, who was acting as my guardian, to fall asleep,” Eugene reveals, “then I’d sneak out of the room and order a virgin strawberry dacquiri at the bar and talk with the other actors.”

The next year brought a regular role on the acclaimed “Sesame Street” and then Eugene went back to Atlanta to co-star in “Perfect Harmony,” a feature for the Disney Channel, and a role that led to a Youth in Film Award as Best Actor. ore importantly, it’s the project that led Eugene to realize that this acting thing might actually pan out. “I overheard the late Cleavon Little telling Moses Gunn that I had some great instincts and that if I should follow them I could become a formidable actor one day. It’s been my inspiration ever since,” says Eugene. Then came Eugene’s seasons on “Cosby” followed by guest leads on several popular series.

Starring as Oliver Cross on Showtime’s prep school comedy series, “Chris Cross,” allowed Eugene the opportunity to travel to Canada and later, England, where the show was filmed. He graduated with the rest of his high school class back in Philadelphia and returned to shoot a second season before settling in as a theatre major at New York University. Though Eugene completed many semesters at NYU, work always interfered. He spent two autumns being the spokesperson for KoolAid, starring in thirteen commercials for them. “I was the Island Twist guy,” confesses Eugene with a sigh. Ironic as Eugene couldn’t swim and was afraid of the ocean. “They put me in a scuba suit with ankle weights and threw me in the water -- I swallowed a lot of saltwater but in the end I conquered my fear,” says Eugene. This came in handy when filming “Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid.”

Eugene returned to college and had to leave again for Jarmusch’s “Dead Man” playing “a black cowboy/bounty hunter chasing Johnny Depp,” according to Eugene. He also stopped talking on the film shoot and started observing his fellow actors as they prepared for their scenes. “That’s where I learned to calm down quite a bit,” says Eugene.

He went back to NYU only to take another leave of absence for Barry Levinson’s “Sleepers,” a film about a school for wayward boys with Kevin Bacon. “I played one of the toughest kids in the school and began a new career of dying onscreen,” says Eugene. He returned to college only to leave for good when he starred in the Showtime movie, “Color of Justice.” Then he began hosting “Sports Illustrated for Kids.” The CBS Saturday morning series allowed Eugene to interview everyone from Steve Young and Derek Jeter to Mia Hamm and Venus and Serena Williams. “And I got to fly a blimp before an Eagles game,” says Eugene.

Eugene moved to Salt Lake City in 1998 to join the cast of CBS’ Gerald cRaney-starrer, “Promised Land.” Eugene played L.T., a tough, angry young kid who metamorphosed into a good-hearted newspaper photographer. When the show wrapped, Eugene starred in his first horror film, “Pinata,” when he realized, “If a character is going to die, I’m the man they hire to do it,” laughs Eugene. He continued this trend in a episodic television show and in Showtime’s “Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble,” which aired in 2000. “We had long nights and hard days but it all worked out,” says Eugene. He also co-starred in Fox Searchlight’s feature, “White Boys.”

In 2000, Eugene had showy guest-starring roles on NBC’s “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” and NBC’s “Third Watch.” He also taped a spot for ABC’s “NYPD Blue” the next year and became a regular, Uncle Omar, on the final season of WB’s sitcom “For Your Love.”

Attracted by “Lift’s” smart script, Eugene played Angelo, “a former shoplifter who’s trying to persuade his girl to leave the racket,” describes Eugene. “Angelo is very conflicted about what’s going on between him and his girlfriend.” There was one hard day of filming when he was left on the cold, wet ground, but Eugene can fill you in on the details. Hint: He dies onscreen. Again.

Of co-starring in “8 Mile,” Eugene enthuses “It was a great experience working with Curtis Hanson and I was surprised by Eminem’s professionalism”. Eugene describes Wink as “an ambitious mover and shaker in the mode of a young Russell Simmons or P. Diddy, very charismatic and likable. He knows that he doesn’t have the talent but believes that his talent is finding other people who have it.” And his character didn’t die!

In “Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid,” Eugene stars as Cole, the computer tech for an expedition to find an ingredient for a miracle drug in the jungles of Borneo. “Cole is a smart-ass,” explains Eugene, “he’s an urban kid who is uncomfortable outdoors.” While they filmed in Fiji for three months, Eugene admits, “we were on the side of the island with the unpredictable weather -- it was hot, cold, rainy and windy all in the same day.” He left with reminders both good (“the cast and crew gave me a watch for my birthday, I have actual friends from this experience”) and bad (“I was bitten by every version of mosquito that ever existed”). We can’t tell you if he lives or dies until you see the film.

He was then cast as the lead in the indie film, “Confess,” which shot in New York in late 2003. “It was both exhausting and fulfilling,” says Eugene relates. “I play Terell, who’s had his creation stolen and he’s comes back from exile for payback – in the process, he becomes a media revolutionary and the fame brings dangerous copycats.” He also has co-starring roles in “One Point Zero” and “The Light and the Sufferer.” In the latter, Eugene says, “I play a drug dealer put between an armed rock and an armed hard place.” In June, 2004, Eugene starred in and co-produced, “Buds For Life,” portraying an actor/waiter who is the peacemaker in his circle of friends.

Eugene has been writing poetry and short stories most of his life. “One day I’ll write a collection of poetry to share with others,” states Eugene. He is also an avid reader and enjoys hanging out with his family and his girlfriend.

“I love acting because it’s fun,” says Eugene. “I love challenging myself. Once I stop thinking that I can do better, I’ll get out. I have a lot of ambition and at some point I want to direct, write and produce.” And then there’s the matter of a certain little gold man that Eugene’s been coveting. Well, Eugene’s got an agenda and he hasn’t missed a goal yet. He may just need to dust off his mantelpiece – as long as his character isn’t killed off in the first hour. As Eugene says, “I’m definitely having fun now.”