Tobias Truvillion is an award-winning TV, film, and theatrical actor and producer from Queens, New York. Dedicated to youth development and empowerment, he is a philanthropist and longtime youth media arts instructor at the Dr. Marion A. Bolden Center in Newark, New Jersey. The ex-Ford model’s resume includes an array of high profile international and domestic print and TV commercial advertising campaigns, e.g., Heineken’s “Double Nod” (TV), Footlocker (TV with rapper Fabolous), Gulder Beer (Nigerian National TV), and Jordan’s legendary “Six Rings” (print). In 2001, pursuing an acting career, he joined the Harlem’s iconic National Black Theater. A proven natural thespian, his stellar performance as “Shango,” in the theatrical musical “Oya” (his first acting role), earned Tobias a prestigious AUDELCO Award for “Best Male in a Musical.” Subsequently, Tobias “who Indiewire hails as a “transformative actor,” became known for a bevy of captivating TV, film, theatrical roles, including ‘Flesh and Bone,’ ‘White Collar,’ ‘Brooklyn’s Finest,’ ‘Hitch,’ ‘Blue Bloods,’ ‘Black Angels Over Tuskegee,’ ‘Persons of Interest,’ and several leading music video roles (e.g., Grammy Award winning songstress Fantasia Burrino’s “Free Yourself” and “I’m doing Me”), as well as many other acclaimed productions. His cunning portrayal of Vincent Jones, who upheld an ongoing love affair with Layla Williamson (Tika Sumpter) on ABC’s “One Life to Live,” earned Tobias a 2008 NAACP Image Award nomination for “Outstanding Actor in Daytime Drama Series.” Consistently pushing artistic boundaries, Tobias immersed himself in the role of Derek Major (“D-Major”) music producer on the FOX breakout hit musical drama TV series, ‘Empire.’ This role has proven to be indicative of Tobias’s ongoing diversity and evolution. Currently, you can find Tobias gracing the set of BET’s new primetime series, In Contempt. You can expect to see Tobias in a whole new element in 2018. In September 2015, completed on location filming in Atlanta for his lead role as Brian in ‘The Products of the American Ghetto,’ also starring Keith Robinson, Robin Givens and Darrin Henson. The forthcoming gripping feature length drama depicts Brian’s transformation, from boy to man, inside America’s first public housing projects (Techwood Homes) during the 80s crack pandemic. Consequently, Brian develops and executes a strategic scheme to rise above the fray in his perilous A-Town domain. Certainly no stranger to hard work, after filming ‘The Products of The American Ghetto,’ Tobias immediately engaged in his supporting lead role as Stephen, an FBI agent and close confidant to the film’s lead character, Tarron Jenkins (Harold House Moore), in the movie ‘Secrets.’ Based upon author J. Tremble’s best selling novel, “Secrets of a Housewife,” ‘Secrets,’ which was filmed in Washington D.C., debuts in theaters in 2016. Tobias and his wife Michelle Morgan-Truvillion diligently work with Rodney Gilbert, artistic director of the Advantage Arts Program for Youth at the Dr. Marion A. Bolden Center. Since 2009, they’ve wholeheartedly served as vessels of inspiration to hundreds of inner-city high school-age students. Areas of media-arts studies include—but are not limited to—acting, video production and editing, and stage and film storyline production. Members of Advantage Arts also create short films, music videos, perform theatrical plays and musicals, partake in courses at Drew. University, and are able to earn college credits. Program participants currently rank in the 90th percentile of high school students who transition into college enrollment. Moreover, Tobias and his fellow educators deem it imperative to constantly exhibit to the youth that through hard work and perseverance, any obstacles are surmountable, and all goals are attainable. Although Tobias’ students often admit how much he inspires them, he says his students inspire him much more. His #NoDaysOff mantra continues to fuel his passion and propel his movement toward uplifting our youth.
