Tristan Avery Thomas is an American actor, writer, and director based in Hollywood, California. His acting journey began in 2012 out of creative necessity in the Arkansas Ozarks, where he and fellow collaborators wrote, produced, and performed in grassroots no-budget independent films. Tristan later signed with agency representation out of Little Rock, booking commercial campaigns and print work while honing his craft on camera. Blending his performance background with narrative filmmaking, he operates under Gruff Studios, using his hands-on acting experience to shape character-driven storytelling, naturalistic dialogue, and actor-focused direction. Most recently, he stars as Ivory in the psychological horror short Kentucky Bourbon (2026), which he also wrote and directed.