Tyler Perry’s The Oval is heating up as everything starts to come crashing down around Victoria and Eli as Hunter has uncovered their affair and their attempt to have him killed. But let’s be real, even though Vice President Eli Winter is going along with the shady plans, it’s clear that he’s probably following Victoria’s orders. We’re still waiting for him to show us how cunning he probably is, but in the meantime, what about the actor who plays him? 

His name is Russell Thomas, and he’s no stranger to acting, having been at it professionally since at least 2007, according to his IMDB. But in a 2022 interview with Digital Journal, he mentioned that what drew him to Eli as a character was that he is strategic and patient. “Eli will take a lot of crap from President Hunter and he will wait to find his moment to strike. Eli wants to be in strategic control above everything, and then he will see when the time is right for him to make his move,” Thomas added in that interview. 

But there’s more to know about Thomas. He keeps an extremely low social media profile, but we did some digging, and here are five interesting facts about the actor on the rise. 

He Grew up in Los Angeles

He was an only child, and his parents worked, so he often entertained himself with vivid imagination. He credits his childhood imagination as the jump starter to his interest in acting and theater. 

He Got the Acting Bug at a Young Age

According to a Medium interview, he played Moses in his kindergarten play. 

 He Was a Football Player

He played football in high school and at UCLA as a walk-on. 

Football Led to Stunts

He got his professional start in the industry as a football stunt performer. He tapped into his previous high school and college football experience to get things going. 

He Has Been Acting Professionally Since 2007

According to IMDB, his first appearance is in Friday Night Lights, and it’s uncredited. From there, he landed roles in The Mentalist, Jane the Virgin, New Girl, and more.