尼尔森·雷斯，Nelson was born in Kemptville, Ontario to a French mother and Estonian father, and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. The acting spark was ignited when he became involved in high school and community theatre, eventually leading him to move to New York City and study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After theatre school he returned to Vancouver and spent a year as part of an education-based theatre tour geared towards high school kids.