Tristan Wilds

Tristan Paul Mack Wilds (born July 15, 1989) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series, The Wire, and as Dixon Wilson on the CW teen drama series, 90210. He was also featured in the Adele music video for "Hello". His debut album, New York: A Love Story was released on September 30, 2013 and was nominated for the Best Urban Contemporary Album at the Grammy Awards in 2014. Wilds' second album, AfterHours was released on April 7, 2017. Early life and education Wilds was born and grew up in Staten Island, New York City. His mother, Monique Moncion, is of Afro-Dominican and Irish descent, and his father, Paul Wilds, is African-American. His mother was first a beautician and then a stockbroker. Wilds attended and graduated from the Michael J. Petrides School in Staten Island. Acting career His acting debut came in Miracle's Boys, a drama mini-series produced by Spike Lee on The N (now called TeenNick). He also made guest appearances on television shows such as Cold Case and Law & Order. In 2006, Wilds made his film debut in a bit-role in the independent drama film Half Nelson alongside Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling. That same year, Wilds joined the cast of the HBO drama television series, The Wire (then into its fourth season) in a major recurring role as Michael Lee, a smart but troubled middle school student who lives in poverty and cares for his younger brother. In 2007, Wilds appeared in the music videos for songs such as "Roc Boys", "Teenage Love Affair" and "Ghetto Mindstate", among others. In 2008, he appeared alongside Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Dakota Fanning in The Secret Life of Bees, the film adaptation of the novel of the same name. Soon after his run on The Wire, he attended an acting workshop at the Roundabout Theatre Company where he worked alongside actress, Phylicia Rashad in productions of Stockholm Brooklyn and Wool at the Cherry Lane Theatre. In 2008, Wilds returned to television in The CW's teen drama series, 90210, a spin-off of Beverly Hills, 90210. He played Dixon Wilson, a teenage boy who is adopted and moves with his family to Beverly Hills. The show ran until 2013. In March 2009, he secured a role in the George Lucas-produced war film Red Tails. The film follows the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American United States Army Air Force (USAAF) servicemen, during World War II. Wilds portrayed Ray "Ray Gun" Knight.