‘Lioness’ Actor Mike Heslin Dies at 30: Husband Scotty Dynamo Pays Tribute

YouTube star Nicolas James Wilson, better known by his stage name Scotty Dynamo, is mourning the loss of husband Mike Heslin, after the Lioness actor died on Tuesday, July 2, at age 30.

Wilson announced Heslin’s death on Instagram on Friday, July 5, saying that Heslin, his “husband, best friend, and soulmate” died on Tuesday after an “unexpected cardiac event” a week prior.

“Michael was young [and] in perfect health, and the doctors have no explanation for what happened,” Wilson wrote.

Heslin played Polo in two episodes of Lioness, the Paramount+ series starring Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman. More recently, Heslin joined Tatyana Ali and Jesse Kove in the Lifetime move The Holiday Proposal Plan. He also costarred with Wilson in the web series The Influencers.

Rest in peace, Michael.

When I felt you take your last breath, my heart shattered into a million pieces. If I had the power to trade places with you, I would do it in an instant. But I will take it one day at a time like you always told me to, and live every day in your honor. pic.twitter.com/dg7HgVFkfT

— Scotty Dynamo (@scottydynamo) July 5, 2024

Wilson described Heslin as “brilliant, selfless, talented, and a real-life guardian angel” in his Instagram post. “He single-handedly carried me through multiple rounds of cancer,” the deejay and singer added. “He was the first person everyone would call to share good news with, and he was the perfect person to call if they needed a shoulder to lean on or the best advice. He truly was the sweetest [and] most caring and loving man on earth, and he brought out the absolute best in everyone who had the pleasure to cross paths with him. He moved through life with such ease and confidence, and turned everyone around him into a better version of themselves.”

Addressing his late husband, Wilson wrote, “Michael, meeting you was the best thing to ever happen to me. You are my world. You are everything to me. When I felt you take your last breath, my heart shattered into a million pieces. If I had the power to trade places with you, I would do it in an instant. But I will take it one day at a time like you always told me to, and live every day in your honor.”

Wilson, who married Heslin in November 2023, said that his late husband had fatherhood on his mind and that the couple was in the early stages of starting a family. “You would be the world’s most perfect father,” he wrote. “If I ever become a dad, I am going to name my son after you and hope that I manage to raise him to become at least half the man you are.”

Heslin’s family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover the funeral and hospital costs and to provide Wilson and other family members with financial support. As of the time of this writing, the campaign has raised more than $47,000 toward its $75,000 goal.