She’s vivacious Pop Culture–
He’s stoic Americana.
Eric and Sainty share the highs and lows of balancing family, fame, and navigating the world in their new podcast, The Glamour & Grit. They candidly share their journey of chasing dreams, dealing with disappointment, enjoying the victories, and getting through the rocky patches. Join them and be part of spirited, soul-soothing conversations with famous guests about The Glamour & Grit of life.
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Life can be wild –from the dazzling highs of Hollywood to the heartwarming moments of family life.
We’ve seen it all, from champagne problems to deep-rooted traumas, and we’re here to share our triumphs, struggles, and everything behind the scenes.
Industry Tests
When Eric was on All My Children, Eric’s character AJ Chandler was in an on-screen relationship. Since the soap opera was filmed in Connecticut, Eric would travel there and back every day, losing weight for an upcoming movie and becoming grouchier as time passed. In the meantime, Sainty spent time in Florida performing a production of Finding Nemo in the role of Dory in Florida. Combine the distance, the changing moods, and Eric kissing another woman on screen, and Sainty’s family began to panic. Their relationship meant a lot more to them than any performance, though. After a conversation within the family, Eric went to the producers of All My Children, asking them to change the character's direction. To their surprise, the producers agreed, but unfortunately, the show was canceled before those new episodes aired.
A Fateful Return Home to Fort Worth
Amidst the storm, the couple made a difficult decision: it was time to move to Fort Worth. Leaving behind the glamour of LA was heartbreaking for Sainty. She'd nurtured a prosperous voice-acting career, and the move felt like a punishment. They sold their house at the market's peak and moved two streets down from their family in Fort Worth. Two weeks later, the world shut down due to a pandemic, leaving them in lockdown with their newborn baby. But even in this, there was a silver lining. 1883 was filmed just 15 minutes from their new home, and Sainty's industry had shifted entirely remote. It felt like divine intervention when Sainty murmured, "We were supposed to be here." As if God had looked down and said, "I got you."
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The Meet-Cute
Eric was 19 and Sainty was 21 when they first saw each other on the streets of New York. Sainty sat outside Blockheads with Eric’s cousin, Broadway star Tess Soltau, when a 19-year-old long-haired skater boy (cue the Avril Lavigne song) rode up and said hi. For Sainty’s mother, it was all of her fears coming to life. Sainty hadn’t been living in New York for very long and was already in a fairly serious relationship, so when Sainty told her mom she met a guy and broke up with her boyfriend, her mother staged an intervention.
However, Sainty had foresight about the relationship before anyone else and dove head first into knowing and supporting Eric. For Eric, when he made a trip to Texas to watch Sainty perform in a show, it clicked that Sainty was the type of woman he couldn’t walk away from. They spent the next few years having fun together, watching and supporting each other blossom in their careers acting in New York, then Los Angeles, until they married at 22 and 24. For folks in Broadway and Hollywood, that’s a young age for a couple to marry, so their friends and colleagues felt they were a little alien. That didn’t stop them from loving each other, though the demands of their careers would strain their relationship.
Mama’s Intuition
Eventually, they started their family. The second pregnancy was difficult, and their newborn was not easy. Initially, everyone suggested Sainty might be struggling with postpartum depression, but Sainty felt something different. "This kid is sick," she realized, her intuition guiding her. And it proved accurate. Their baby suffered from Pyloric Stenosis, which caused him to spit up whatever he ate. He was below the 0th percentile and perilously close to a heart attack at only four months old. But upon diagnosis, doctors swiftly operated. The surgery was a success, and their son improved dramatically.
Nurturing the Foundation
Eric and Sainty's journey has been filled with both glamour and grit. Their success was never given; it came from a relentless Growth Mindset. They worked, practiced, and honed their skills. As Sainty likes to remind others, “Talent is only 10% of the key to success—the 90% is all hustle and luck,” They've served as the most incredible supporters and harshest critics throughout their journey, constantly pushing each other to reach new heights. Sainty, who recognized their shared destiny from their first meeting, has been Eric's unwavering publicist, continually pushing him beyond his comfort zone.
Their definition of success is grounded not in awards or accolades but in their enduring bond. It is in granting each other grace during the most challenging times, never losing faith in each other, even when everything else seems to be falling apart. It is in their ability to be vulnerable with each other and others, to share their truth, and to continue to find joy and purpose amidst the chaos. Their story, as filled with glamour as it is with grit, continues to inspire and move those who hear it, a testament to the power of love, resilience, and unwavering belief.
