Eric Etebari is an Iranian-American actor, model and musician. He appeared in Witchblade, 2 Fast 2 Furious and Lincoln Lawyer. He is also known for his portrayal of Dallas in the video gamePAYDAY 2.
Biography
Early life
Raised by his mother, Photo/Artist Jean Ferro in Hollywood, in an artist community, Etebari's first taste of acting came in seventh grade from the Francis Ford CoppolaMagnet school program at Bankcroft Jr. High School. He spent the ensuing years at Santa Monica High School where he excelled in sports; playing football, baseball and basketball. He subsequently landed a volleyball scholarship to San Diego State University. While at the SDSU, he was awarded the Commendation of Honor by the San Diego Fire Department for his valor in saving two women from a burning apartment.
Modeling and acting career
After college, he had the opportunity to work with Bruce Weber, which launched his modeling career and also landed a Versace advertising campaign. This ad campaign afforded Etebari the opportunity to also work with Richard Avedon. While in Europe he worked with Karl Lagerfeld and Robert Fleischauer; he also worked on his own cologne campaign, “Zino” Cologne for Men by Davidoff. Additionally, he has appeared in a successful series of commercials with Director Michael Bay, including the “Bongo Jean” commercial with Liv Tyler. After attending intense acting workshops for several years, he did several guest spots and independent films before being cast to play Ian Nottingham in the Warner Brothers/TNT movie of the week, Witchblade, which led to two seasons as a series regular. Witchblade’s continued success, airing throughout Europe and Latin America, still commands a strong fan base and recognition for his enigmatic knight in shining armor and leading man character. In 2003, Etebari appeared in 2 Fast 2 Furious, racing the classic 1970 Dodge Challenger. He next had a role in the September 2004 release of Cellular, directed by David Ellis, starring Chris Evans and Kim Basinger. Eric appeared as Charles Talbot in The Lincoln Lawyer and "bartender" opposite Al Pacino, Christopher Walken in the Lakeshore Production, Stand Up Guys. recent TV includes Glee and NCIS Los Angeles. In addition to his acting career, he has put together a band called KNUCKLES, and plans to release an album in 2005. His love of acting and the arts has opened many doors to his creativity. He is currently producing and looking for unique projects that will continue to enhance his stature as a performer. His favorite pastime is running Brando his Rottweiler, playing in the NBA Entertainment Basketball League and competing in fund raising sporting events. He won 1st place in the 2012, Celebrity division Malibu Nautica Triathlon. He is a strong advocate for helping to raise funds for the Theatre Arts program for Hollygrove Children & Family Services, a Home for Abused Children.
