Andre Royo

Best known for playing drug addict-turned-police informant Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins on HBO's "The Wire" (2002-08), Bronx native Andre Royo struggled for several years as a penniless stage actor in New York prior to landing his breakout role. He took a series of odd jobs to support himself, working as construction worker, bathroom attendant and doorman, before a chance encounter with John Singleton earned him a small part in the director's 2000 action film, "Shaft." Other roles soon followed, including an appearance in 2002's "G," a hip-hop inspired remake of "The Great Gatsby," before acclaimed television writer David Simon offered Royo the part of Bubbles on his brand new series set in the gritty streets of Baltimore. Royo added layer and dimension to the down-and-out heroin addict known as Bubbles, and in just five seasons, managed to create one of the most talked-about television characters of the 2000s.