One To Watch: Tristan Wilds Talks 'Bees,' Obama and '90210'

By Jawn Murray, BlackVoices.com

Fresh off his stint on the highly-respected HBO drama 'The Wire,' Tristan Wilds is now the star of one this fall's hottest new series, '90210,' and appears in the film adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd's bestselling book, 'The Secret Life of Bees.'

I caught up with the charismatic actor during the Toronto Film Festival where he was conducting promotional tasks for the film that he stars in opposite Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Sophie Okonedo and Alicia Keys.

During our interview at the Four Season Hotel in Toronto , the 18-year-old Staten Island, New York-native talked about his move from the Big Apple to Tinseltown, offered details about his aspirations to be a recording artists and shared his excitement about the upcoming presidential election.

So you're 18 now. Have you registered to vote yet?

I'm 18 now and of course I have registered to vote! Come on now, [Barack] Obama all the way! Most of my friends are between the ages of 16 to 25. The ones that are 18 and up, now we're actually having political debates and seeing who has what views. It's lovely and I love that it took Obama for something like this to happen.

Tristan Wilds Pictures

"The Bubble"--Tristan Wilds as Dixon and Shenae Grimes as Annie on 90210 on The CW.

"The Bubble"--Tristan Wilds as Dixon on 90210 on The CW.

Pictured: (Front row l-r) Ryan Eggold as Ryan, Jessica Stroup as Silver, Michael Steger as Navid; (Middle Row l-r) Jessica Walter as Tabitha, Tristan Wilds as Dixon, AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi; (Back row l-r) Rob Estes as Harry, Lori Loughlin as Debbie, Shenae Grimes as Annie, Dustin Milligan as Ethan.

Pictured: AnnaLynne McCord as Naomi, Dustin Milligan as Ethan, Shenae Grimes as Annie, Tristan Wilds as Dixon, Jessica Stroup as Silver, Michael Steger as Navid

Pictured: Tristan Wilds as Dixon

Pictured: Tristan Wild

"We're Not in Kansas Anymore"
Pictured: Tristan Wilds as Dixon and Shenae Grimes as Annie

"We're Not In Kansas Anymore"
Pictured: Michael Steger as Navid and Tristan Wilds as Dixon

Pictured: Sheane Grimes as Annie and Tristan Wilds as Dixon

"Lucky Strike"--LtoR: Shenae Grimes as Annie, Tristan Wilds as Dixon, Lori Loughlin as Debbie, and Rob Estes as Harry on the CW drama 90210.

What does seeing a Black man run for president do for someone your age? How are you inspired by that?

It's big and it shows that impossible is nothing. It shows that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to and that it is always gonna be barriers that they try to hold us in. That's people as a whole-not just white people. We're just breaking down another one so that we can continue to progress as a people.

'The Secret Life of Bees' deals with voting as well. What was it like working on this movie?

The work environment was so great. Considering the short amount of time that we had to do it and the strenuous conditions that we were under like the cold weather and everything. We were trying to act like it was summertime. It came off great and everybody was like family. It's just a blessed place to be in. It was sort of a weird feeling like you know this is big.

And you saw the movie yourself for the first time at the premiere during the Toronto Film Festival. What were your thoughts?

'Oh my God, we did a movie.' It was great. I was just blown away by everyone's performance from Sophie, Alicia, Queen, Nate [Parker]; everybody did a good job and deserves their just dues.

Now in the film, Dakota Fanning has her first on-screen kiss with you.

It's great and I will wear it with great honor and respect. [He laughs]

Is it inappropriate to tell a 14-year-old that "once you go Black, you never go back?"

I don't think that matters just yet.

'90210' is off to an excellent start. How does that make you feel?

'90210' is going along great. The network loves it and we've been getting nothing but good feedback. There's been some bad feedback and criticism, but feedback is feedback so it tells you what people think about it. Honestly, people are still coming up to me today telling me how much they love it and how much they think that it's just a brand new show. I like that people love it so far so I hope they keep watching.

So are you a fulltime Los Angeles resident now?

I'm bi-coastal. I'm back and forth between New York and L.A. I gotta go back home because that's where my family is, but L.A. is where my work is.

Being a New Yorker, what's the Hollywood experience been like for you?

It's definitely a transition to go from tall city skyscrapers to palm trees. It's a different surrounding, but its lovely all around. Yearly weather that's the same, you can't get mad at that. 75 degrees all year round and it barely rains.

You sang a little bit in 'The Secret Life of Bees.' Is it true you want to be a recording artist?

My first love is music, but I love [music and acting] and I can't just choose one.

There was a time when actors didn't translate well into the music business. Has the success of actors like Jamie Foxx and Terrence Howard in music inspired you?

It kind of does inspire me because the words that I write, I want them to be out there. Even if I'm writing for other people that would definitely be great. They (Jamie Foxx and others) have been huge inspirations to me by translating from the acting into the music.

Being one of the hottest young stars in the business right now, when you're not working what do you do?

It's like I'm a workaholic so if I'm not working on set, I'm doing press. If I'm not doing press then I'm working on set. If I'm just chillin' out then I'm writing music or poetry or singing or recording my thoughts or trying to learn the guitar. I always have to keep my mind going 'cause my mind is a deadly thing to waste.