My name is Eddie: Steeples continues on road to fame

Jet, June 19, 2006

Almost subliminally the Spinners' 1976 hit Rubberband Man begins to play across the surface of your mind when you see Eddie Steeples.

He was the office assistant in those OfficeMax commercials who had a near-mystic ability to anticipate the equipment needs of his co-workers, all the while dancing to that '70s song (Steeples' character was so popular, OfficeMax even had a Web site for him).

Steeples has just wrapped up the first season of the hit NBC comedy "My Name Is Earl," where he played the title character's easy-going friend Darnell, known as the Crab Man.

"Crab Man is a person who is very relaxed, very low key, very simple," says the Texas native. "For him it's OK to disagree, or to have a different opinion, or to be a bad person. What is, is. I don't think anyone is that nice."

He recently had a pivotal role in the movie Akeelah And The Bee, has appeared on the "Chris Rock Show," and received considerable attention for his role of Rasan in the movie Torque opposite Ice Cube.

Ironically his promising career was almost washed away when he was vacationing in Thai land in December 2004 when a tsunami struck the coast. Initially believed missing, Steeples was able to escape harm by quickly moving to nearby mountain areas. With scarce food and supplies, he became ill and was treated by relief workers and eventually recovered.

Steeples studied acting at the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre. By the mid-'90s Steeples moved to New York, and, throughout the years, Steeple's versatility as an actor has allowed him to play a number of roles.

While in New York, Steeple, who also produces, raps and is a visual artist, got behind the camera to shoot for various Mo-Freek productions, as well as served as a cameraman for Jermaine Dupri, the Ataris and Nas.

When he isn't filming, Steeples spends his time in the recording studio working on his as-yet unfinished album that mixes his influences from rock, hip-hop and R&B.