While most of Erik's fans known him only as "Michael" from the first episodes of Nickelodeon's "Salute Your Shorts," the fact is that Erik MacArthur is quite an accomplished actor.
Having fairly LEAPT off of the screen in Pleasnatville (in which he co-starred with his good friend Tobey Maguire)< Erik has gone on to do some small roles, but what is wowing the critics in New York and Hollywood now is his work in the short film $30, which is part of Strand Releasing's Boy's Life 3, their annual compilation of short films about young Gay men, appearing in which is almost a guarantee of superstardom in the independent movie scene. (This collection also includes "Majorettes in Space," "Inside Out" by Jason Gould, son of Elliott Gould and Barbara Streisand, and other pieces. "Thirty Bucks" -- that's how it is pronounced --was written by Christopher Landon, Michael Landon's son, who has already brought us the wonderful Another Day in Paradise.)
In $30, Erik plays a teenager whose father decides to "make a man of him" by hiring a female prostitute (played by Sara Gilbert!) to teach him about hetero-sex. Fans of Erik's will be glad to see that the perpetual frowns and worry lines which usually appear on his face are nowhere to be seen in this delightful must-see for his fans. It has been one of the best-received short movies of 2000, and Erik should start seeing some big roles coming his way soon!
(And the answer, btw, since we know how you fans think, is: "boxers.") And while we're not totally sure, that does look like Kerr Smith of "Dawson's Creek" romping in the surf at the beach as "Fred;" the character isn't credited, unfortunately. He's actually probably a surf buddy of Erik's or something! . . . .
. . . Erik is Hawaiian. Well, sort of. He was born in Honolulu.
