Encouraged to pursue acting by older brother Rob's success and by Martin Sheen, who was the family's neighbor when they moved to California during his childhood
Took inspiration for his Emmy-winning role as HIV-positive teen Jesse McKenna in the series Life Goes On from the real-life struggle and AIDS-related death of his former manager Tim Wood
Directed his then-wife Hilary Swank in the 2000 short film The Audition and again in the 2002 short The Space Between
Awards
1993Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:winner