Teen Beat: How did you get the part of Wally in Leave It To Beaver?

Erik: I only went to one call and I didn't have to go back again. I was the first one cast and it worked out totally well.

Teen Beat: Are you comfortable doing auditions?

Erik: I don't get nervous at all when I go to auditions. I'm comfortable.

Teen Beat: Have you ever seen the original Leave It To Beaver?

Erik: Yes, but believe it or not I've only seen one episode. I enjoyed it and think it's really funny.

Teen Beat: How did you know how to handle your character if you've only seen one episode of Beaver?

Erik: Well, I didn't want to watch the show too much because then I'd end up copying Tony Dow, who plated the old Wally. I wanted to make it more my own Wally. I'm a lot like Walling in real life, though, so it wasn't really that hard for me.

Teen Beat: Have you met Tony Dow?

Erik: No, I haven't met him yet. He was supposed to play a part in the movie, but I'm not sure if he's going to or not.

Teen Beat: How would you compare your family to the Cleavers?

Erik: The Cleavers are the perfect family and everything always works out the way it should. The father is the one who does the yelling, but in my family my mom is in charge. We don't always eat at the same table, but I like my family.

Teen Beat: How did you get started in acting?

Erik: It was a fluke. I never really had this dream of being an actor, you know. It started out because my older sister who's 21 now, wanted to be an actress. She went to this agency and I was tagging along with her. They saw me and they tried me out and I ended up joining with them. That's how I became an actor.

Teen Beat: What are some things you've done before?

Erik: I was the voice of Sifd, the mean next door neighbor, in Toy Story. And on ER there was a big episode where George Clooney rescues a kid from a tunnel during a flood. I was the kid who was stuck. I did a Chuck Norris movie a while ago called Top Dog and I also was in The Family Channel movies Christmas Everyday.

Teen Beat: Do you have anything lined up for after Leave It To Beaver?

Erik: Yes, I've been pretty busy. There's a movie Amanda with Kieran Culkin. That's going to be coming out soon. Also a couple of TV movies, a cable movie and some guest spots on TV shows.

Teen Beat: Do you ever get recognized?

Erik: A lot of people recognize me, but they can't place me from which show. I usually name stuff that I've done and they figure it out. It's pretty cool getting recognized though. It's kind of odd. I did a soap opera, Days Of Our Lives, about two and a half years ago. I was on that for a couple of years and I usually get recognized from that.

Teen Beat: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Erik: Hopefully, I'll be a successful actor doing films and stuff.

Teen Beat: Who would you like to work with?

Erik: Al Pacino seems like the coolest guy around and Morgan Freeman is a terrific actor. I also like Susan Sarandon, John Travolta and Whoopi Goldberg.

Teen Beat: Of all the movies you've seen, is there one you've seen where you've said, I could have played that role?

Erik: No, that hasn't happened, believe it or not. I don't think like that. I just go to the movies and whoever is playing the role, I enjoy it.

Teen Beat: Do you go to the movies a lot?

Erik: Yes, I love going to the movies.

Teen Beat: Do you ever find yourself being a critic?

Erik: Not at all. I like a lot of movies. There are very few I don't like. After I leave a theater I always say, that was my favorite movies, and then after the next one I say that was my favorite movie. After you've just seen a movie, you that one so much.

Teen Beat: Are you critical of youself?

Erik: Not at all. I enjoy seeing myself and watching my own work. I think that's pretty cool.

Teen Beat: Are you at all like your Leave It To Beaver character?

Erik: Yes. I think I'm a lot like Wally in real life.

Teen Beat: Where are you from originally?

Erik: I was born in San Diego, then we moved to Nevada now I live in L.A.

Teen Beat: Do you have any brothers and sisters?

Erik: I have one brother and three sisters.

Teen Beat: Do your friends treat you differently now that you act?

Erik: They used to, but they've gotten over it. They're older and more mature now.

Teen Beat: Do you have a girl friend?

Erik: Not currently.

Teen Beat: When do you start school again?

Erik: Not until the middle of September, so I've got some time.

Teen Beat: Do you have a favorite subject in school?

Erik: I like math a lot. I used to hate social studies, but now it's getting kind of interesting. I've been enjoying my time off from school though. I just picked up a pencil the other day to write down a note and oooh! I got nightmares!

Teen Beat: When you work during the school year and you're tutored, do you find that easier or do you prefer being in a classroom?

Erik: I do home school. It's hard. It's like independent study. I work out of the books independently, but if I need help I can get it from my teacher, who i see once every week for an hour. It was hard to get used to it at first.

Teen Beat: What do you do in your free time?

Erik: I read, play my guitar, surf.

Teen Beat: Do you write songs?

Erik: I just mess around with the chords and with the words and stuff.

Teen Beat: Do you sing?

Erik: I sort of sing. I yell the words, like modern rock.

Teen Beat: Who's your favorite band?

Erik: Blues Traveler is awesome, but there are some new bands coming out that are really good, like Superdrag and stuff like that. I like all kinds of music though. I respect oldies like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. My friends think they're corny but I like them.

Teen Beat: Do you dance?

Erik: I go to dances but I don't dance fot talent or anything [Laughs] I'm not that good of a dancer either.