[1] Nelson began his career as a child actor, receiving notice after his film debut in Fresh (1994), as the eponymous title character.

[10] His performance in the film was met with positive reception, with reviewers describing Nelson as "vibrant,"[11] "superb,"[12] and "the key to the movie's success.

[14] Throughout the 1990s, he appeared in guest roles on crime dramas Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street, and New York Undercover.

[15] Nelson played the role of Bobby in American Buffalo (1996), starring opposite Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman.

[16] A movie critic of The Deseret News stated Nelson was able to "hold his own" alongside the more experienced actors.

[19] Nelson performed as DeAndre McCullough, the son of divorced drug addicts, in the HBO miniseries The Corner (2000).