NICE BOY OF THE WEEK: Wilson Bethel

Stephen Wilson Bethel grew up in a household on the East Coast that was very encouraging of artistic pursuits. When he graduated from high school, he decided not to go to college; instead he got a one-way ticket to Africa, spending a year travelling all over that country. He eventually ended up in Los Angeles with the goal of “making his mark in the world on his own terms”.

Wilson is the first to admit that he supported himself from the age of 17, albeit under some “pretty gnarly circumstances”, but he is glad that he did not have an overnight success story.

It was in 2004 that he landed his first TV guest-starring role on the popular FOX drama The O.C. That appearance led to one-time roles in episodes of both JAG and NCIS the following year. But, it took three years before he landed another role that of Cpl. Evan ‘Q-Tip’ Stafford in the critically acclaimed 7-part mini-series Generation Kill. That same year he appeared in the Uwe Boll film 1968 Tunnel Rats. That same year he appeared in an episode of Cold Case.

The following year saw a big change in Wilson’s career when he landed the role of Ryder Callahan in the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, appearing in nearly 80 episodes. In 2011, he also appeared in two films – Stealing Summers, starring alongside Mick Jagger’s son James, and the made-for-TV movie The Perfect Student that starred Natasha Hentsridge and Josie Davis. That same year, he was cast in the CW medical dramedy Hart of Dixie, starring as bad boy with a heart of gold Wade Kinsella.

It should be noted that Wilson is also a writer (his mother is author Joyce Maynard), falling back on his writer during the leaner years of his acting career. But since 2011, he has written the shorts “Give a Shirt PSA” as well as “Call Me Doctor”, a spoof video for Funny or Die that he created and starred in with Hart of Dixie star Rachel Bilson. This video quickly became a viral sensation. The success of that short led Wilson to writing, producing and acting in the online series Stupid Hype, putting his love of music and dancing on the forefront. Wilson is a self-proclaimed vinyl nerd, being a longtime DJ in both Los Angeles and New York and record collector; and has kept a long-running music blog with his older brother, Charlie. You can check out that site here.

Wilson also has two upcoming projects – the 2013 drama Not Today with John Schneider and the 2013 comedy Pasadena, starring Alicia Witt, Cheryl Hines, Sonya Walger and Ashton Holmes.

In his spare time, Wilson enjoys playing guitar reading, bicycling and dancing. Fans can follow Wilson on Twitter @WilsonBethel.