In a business where legends are made and broken overnight, DeAndre Bonds stands out—not just for his unforgettable roles, but for the battles he’s fought offscreen. From selling candy on the buses of South Central LA to starring as Stacy in the cult classic “The Wood,” Bonds’ life is a testament to survival, transformation, and the kind of redemption Hollywood rarely gets right.

The Making of Stacy: Dreams Born in the Projects

Born in 1976 at Sentinel Hospital, DeAndre grew up on 80th and Avalon, touching every corner of LA from Compton to Watts. He was the oldest of eight kids, raised by a mother who fought her way through the crack epidemic and eventually found sobriety, changing the course of her family’s future. “My mother struggled, but she’s been clean and sober for 30 years,” Bonds recalls.

With his father gone, DeAndre became “the man” of the house at an early age, hustling legally by selling candy and helping his mother make ends meet. “I had dreams at an early age. I wanted to be in movies,” he says. At 13, he caught the acting bug in a youth center play—playing a teenage drug addict and earning applause (and a few dollars) from the audience.

But DeAndre’s journey was never simple. He spent time in foster care and group homes, resisting the pull of gang life that surrounded him. “They tried to get me to become a part of their gang. However, that’s something I never wanted to do,” he says.

Hollywood Calls: Bus Rides, Auditions, and Breakthroughs

DeAndre’s first brush with Hollywood came when he was just a kid, catching the bus from 80th and Avalon to downtown Hollywood. A chance encounter with Martin Lawrence—who bought $100 worth of candy—proved life-changing. “I grew up on Martin, bro. Thank you, Mark, man. I love you, brother.”

His first film role arrived in 1995 with “Tales from the Hood,” executive produced by Spike Lee. The film became a cult classic, and Bonds soon found himself working with directors like Spike Lee and Rusty Cundieff, and starring in films like “Get on the Bus,” “Sunset Park,” and “Three Strikes.”

Then, in 1999, came “The Wood.” As Stacy, the fiercely protective older brother, Bonds delivered a performance so authentic that fans still recognize him two decades later. “They literally called me Stacy. I think I am. I’m going to change my name to Stacy,” he jokes.

Darkness Falls: Tragedy, Prison, and Survival

But just as his career was peaking, tragedy struck. In 2001, two weeks before filming with Denzel Washington for “Antwone Fisher,” Bonds was involved in a fatal altercation outside his aunt’s house. Acting in self-defense, he stabbed an attacker. “I ran in the house and grabbed a knife. When I came back out, he came at me again,” Bonds explains.

Charged with first-degree murder, Bonds went to trial. The jury found him not guilty of murder but guilty of voluntary manslaughter. At 25, he entered the California prison system, serving nearly a decade behind bars.

Prison was a crucible. Bonds was robbed at knife point, witnessed violence that still haunts him, and struggled with a $300-a-week gambling problem funded by residual checks from his acting work. “I was getting 5,000 a month in residuals…then this dwindled down, taking care of your wife, ex-wife, moms, family,” he says.

The worst moment? Witnessing gang members assault an unconscious man in county jail. “I regret that. I should have said something, bro,” Bonds admits.

Yet, even in prison, Bonds found support. “You stand up for yourself, you have other people stand up for you. But if you ain’t gonna fight for yourself, ain’t nobody else going to fight for you.”

Redemption and Resurrection: A Second Chance

Released in 2011 at age 35, Bonds returned to a world that had changed. But Hollywood hadn’t forgotten him. He started booking roles again, and in 2019, on his birthday, landed the role of Scully on FX’s “Snowfall.” Working with John Singleton was, as Bonds describes, “a blessing and a dream come true.”

Tragedy struck again when Singleton suffered a fatal stroke. “He was talking to me and looking, we eating, we having lunch, he in my trailer, reminiscing and talking about this character,” Bonds remembers.

In 2024, Bonds faced his own brush with mortality. In a candid YouTube video, he revealed that he had died and was brought back to life—though details remain private. “Through God, we should do valiantly, for it is He,” Bonds says, crediting faith for his survival.

Today: Building, Creating, Inspiring

Now 48, DeAndre Bonds is busier than ever. He’s starring in multiple 2025 film releases (“Beneath the Code,” “Return of the Mac,” “Angie’s Cure,” “The Kind Hand”), with more projects in post-production (“LA Undercover 2,” “Collateral Interest,” “Temperature Rising”). He co-owns Takeoff Productions with Francis Capra, developing a diabetic-friendly TV series and working on a book.

Bonds is also dedicated to mentoring young people, sharing his story to break cycles of violence and inspire transformation. “From selling candy on buses at 13 to starring in ‘The Wood’ at 23, to serving nearly a decade in prison, to dying and coming back—redemption isn’t just possible. It’s real.”

The Power of Truth: Why This Story Resonates

DeAndre Bonds’ journey is raw, unfiltered, and deeply human. It’s a story of survival, consequence, and hope. Hollywood’s greatest performances, it turns out, sometimes happen offscreen.