[1][2] Thomas, who has two younger siblings, graduated from Brandywine High School in Delaware and attended the University of Virginia.
He originally intended to study law, but upon successfully auditioning for a role in the play A Raisin in the Sun, Thomas changed directions and decided to attend New York University's prestigious Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 1995.
His first leading role was in the teen romance Save the Last Dance, in which he starred opposite Julia Stiles.
Subsequently, Thomas appeared in supporting roles in the films Barbershop and Halloween: Resurrection, both of which were released in 2002.
Thomas was a cast member on The District, a television crime drama that aired on CBS from 2000 to 2004.