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What were your initial thoughts about delving into another baby swap story, with Nicole’s baby being taken and given to Eric and Sloan? “I just wanted to see the end all, be all. Where were we going? I did a baby switch back with Brady and Kristen, when Sarah and Eric were together. I didn’t know what new direction they were going or how it was going to play out. I was like, ‘Hey. We’re just going to tell a great story.’ ”
How did you feel about Eric adopting a child with Sloan? “Eric wants this picture perfect family that he’s always dreamed of having, but never had with Nicole. Now he’s moved on with his life. He and Nicole are platonic friends, who respect each other’s life decisions. The baby element is a whole new dynamic, because of Sloan. There’s a beautiful soul within her, and Eric is so invested in this relationship. He was a broken soul trying to move forward, and she completely opened his eyes and got him to see things a bit differently. As far apart as they were in life, they were deeply connected, emotionally and physically. The two of them deciding to adopt a child has been a journey.”
Does Eric have genuine love for Sloan? “Yeah. Eric doesn’t do anything halfhearted. He was caught off-guard by this relationship. He thought this was not in his cards. He was on a bad path of being promiscuous and being with Jada. He’s really not a guy who’s going to hop in and out of bed. He’s a very monogamous individual. He loves deeply, to a fault. So he cautiously went along engaging in their relationship to cultivate it and see if it could potentially become something greater than it was, and it did. It evolved. Then learning how much a family meant to her… She said all the right things. She talked about all the things that Eric longed for in his life. That’s all he’s ever wanted, is a family. He didn’t get that with the love of his life; he didn’t get that with Nicole. Eric thought, ‘Maybe I should just embrace this [new relationship]. This is my path. This is what God has for me. He brought me this vivacious woman who’s not afraid to be one of the guys and just have fun.’ It was good for Eric.”
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Embraceable You: Eric decided to go all-in with Sloan (Jessica Serfaty).
Was there ever a point where you thought Eric was never going to become a dad? “Of course. But Eric is a man of God, a man of faith. And he was like, OK. I’ve come to terms with it long ago. He does have a father-daughter relationship with Holly. She’s not his biological child, but there’s a love and respect that he cultivated with her, and they’ve maintained that relationship.”
When you learned Eric was finally going to become a biological dad, were you happy that it happened later in his life, since you have real-life experience to bring to it? “I come from a big family. I’ve been a presence in my own brother’s life as a father figure. I’m the firstborn, so, by birthright, I became very parental. And I can connect being the father of three teenage boys. I have a lot to give, obviously. Since I’m a father in real life, the coloring on the canvas is going to be much brighter. It’s a life-changing moment bringing a child into the world. And Eric’s committed everything he’s got to being the greatest dad, because he has great parents. He comes from good stock.”
What’s been the dynamic of working with Jessica Serfaty (Sloan) and Tina Huang (Melinda) throughout all their characters’ on-screen manipulation of Eric? “It’s always interesting. We have a great working relationship. It’s gone to a place that I never saw coming when Jessica joined the show. Working with Tina has been awesome, too. They have a fire and ice spark happening, an oil and vinegar thing, as girls plotting and planning this deception.”
Did you initially think that Eric and Sloan would evolve into a couple that had a genuine rooting factor with fans? “What’s not to root for? They’re two hot messes. The more they dove into the relationship, the more we tried to create a spark so people would want to cheer for them. Going around and talking to people, I think they really saw something different in Eric and Sloan. Everybody’s hope and wish was for ‘Ericole’ to get together. But they’ve come and gone so quickly so many times. Jessica and I have spent a lot of time over the last year-and-a-half since she’s been on the show, really lifting the levels of the relationship and trying to add other elements to it. I mean, God, they’re hot! They’re great together. Let’s do this.”
Where does this leave Nicole? Does she still have a place in Eric’s heart? “Nicole is a protective angel in Eric’s life. She cares about Eric’s well-being, his direction in life, and the choices he makes. Eric’s heart is with Sloan, but regardless of what their life path is, he will inevitably always have love for Nicole.”
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For Always: Eric’s love for Nicole (Arianne Zucker) still runs deep.
How would you describe you rapport with Arianne Zucker (Nicole)? “Our rapport is on another level. When we are face to face there is always going to be a deep-rooted connection. We’ve really established that and that shines. People see it. People long for it. Whether we fought for it in the past or fight for it in the present, it never dies. We’ve been fortunate to be in this daytime realm for so long. We know what we have to do. We know when we have to fight for something, and we also know when we have to sacrifice. We have brought a lot to our story and depth to our characters and the relationship that Eric and Nicole have endured.”
If the truth comes out about the baby switch and Sloan’s part in it, do you imagine her deception is something she won’t be able to come back from with Eric? “Eric is all about loyalty and trust. But, redemption -wise, is she redeemable? I think any person is redeemable, and that’s definitely become a platform for Eric’s character. He’s always been someone who believes that you’ve got to embrace everybody’s faults, whether you agree or disagree. Is Sloan redeemable? Is Eric going to ‘embrace’ what she’s done? We’ll find out…”
