American actor Eric Mabius was born on April 22, 1971 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After graduating in high school, he attended the renowned Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York, where he pursued studies in film. He started acting in several off-Broadway productions until he made his film debut in 1995, when he was cast as Steve Rodgers, the teen rock star and object of Dawn Wiener’s (Heather Matarazzo) affection, in the art film Welcome to Dollhouse.
Mabius’ film career mostly centered on independent, art house releases; these include I Shot Andy Warhol, Black Circle Boys, Myth America and The Minus Man. He made his television debut in 1996, when he starred in the television movie Harvest of Fire. He gained mainstream recognition in 1999, when he starred in the drama Cruel Intentions; this was furthered with his appearance in the 2002 thriller Resident Evil. Throughout, he took on several television guest roles, among which include Chicago Hope, Millennium, Party of Five, Popular, Fastlane and The OC.
Mabius’ first regular television role came in 2004, when he starred in the acclaimed drama The L Word. He played the role of Tim Haspel, the husband of Jenny Schecter (Mia Kirshner) with whom he’s had a tumultuous relationship after she cheats on him with a woman. He also had a starring role in the short-lived television drama Eyes. His biggest television role came in 2006, when he was given a regular role in the popular series Ugly Betty. He plays the role of Daniel Meade, the editor-in-chief of MODE magazine, who finds himself in the position despite his inexperience with the fashion industry. To aid him, he was given Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) as an assistant—partly because she has very little sex appeal, and Daniel is known for being a serious womanizer.