Grace Byers
Byers in 2016
Born
Grace Gealey

Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationUniversity of South Florida (BA)
University of California, Irvine (MFA)
OccupationActress
Years active2012–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2016)​
Children1

Grace Byers (née Gealey) is an American actress. She starred as Anika Calhoun in the Fox music-industry drama series, Empire from 2015 to 2018. In 2021, she began starring as Quinn Joseph in the Amazon Prime Video comedy series, Harlem. In 2022, Byers played the leading role in the comedy horror film, The Blackening.

Early life

Grace was born in Butler, Pennsylvania and raised in the Cayman Islands from about age 2.[1][2] Her parents are deaf, so she communicates with them using sign language.[3] After moving to the United States at age 18,[1] she received her bachelor's degree in Theater Arts at the University of South Florida in Tampa.[2] Grace later attended the University of California, Irvine, where she received her Master’s of Fine Arts in acting.[2]

Career

Byers then moved to New York City, where she performed Off-Broadway, including in Venus Flytrap: A Femme Noir Mystery, and Rent.[4][5] In 2013, she performed in the Chicago productions of The Misanthrope and Tartuffe.[6][7] In 2014, Gealey was cast as Anika Calhoun in the Fox musical prime time drama, Empire opposite Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson.[8][9] The series debuted on January 7, 2015.[10] She left the series after four seasons in 2018.

In 2017, Byers was cast as Kate, a jazz singer and lounge owner, in the indie thriller Bent, making her big screen debut.[11] In 2018, Byers published a children's book titled I Am Enough, based on her experiences being bullied as a child for having deaf parents. She wrote it to empower children to love and accept themselves.[12]

From 2018 to 2019, Byers starred as Reeva Payge in the Fox superhero series The Gifted. In 2021, she began starring as Quinn Joseph in the Amazon comedy series, Harlem.[13] The following year, she starred in the comedy horror film, The Blackening.[14]

Personal life

Byers became engaged to her Empire costar Trai Byers in 2015.[15] She and Byers married on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands on April 14, 2016.[16][17] Their son was born in 2023.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2018 Bent Kate [11]
2022 The Blackening Allison
2023 The Retirement Plan Hector

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2015–2018 Empire Anika Calhoun Series regular, 66 episodes [13]
2018–2019 The Gifted Reeva Payge Series regular; 16 episodes [13]
2019 Tales Edie Episode:"My Life"
2021–present Harlem Quinn Joseph Series regular [13]
2023 Phoenix Katherine 'Boz' Bosworth Series regular

Bibliography

  • I Believe I Can (2020) 9780062667137 [19][20]
  • I Am Enough (2018) 9780062667120 [21][22]

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Kimberly (26 October 2020). "'Empire' Star Grace Byers Wants Lovers To Experience The Cayman Islands". Essence. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Moise, Herlande (November 11, 2014). "Let's Talk About Beauty: Chatting up with Empire's Grace Gealey". LumiereMagazine.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015. I was born in Butler, PA to an American father and Afro-Caribbean mother. Our family moved to the Cayman Islands (my mother's native home) when I was about 2 years old.
  3. ↑ Staff, The Doctors (16 April 2015). "Grace Gealey on Growing Up with Non-Hearing Parents". thedoctorstv.com. The Doctors. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Cayman talent off-Broadway". Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "Cayman actor Grace Gealey Broadway experiences". Cayman 27. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  6. ↑ "Review: The Misanthrope (Court Theatre)". chicagotheaterbeat.com.
  7. ↑ "Review: Tartuffe (Court Theatre)". chicagotheaterbeat.com.
  8. ↑ Lesley Goldberg (10 March 2014). "Gabourey Sidibe Reunites With Lee Daniels on Fox's 'Empire'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  9. ↑ The Deadline Team (10 March 2014). "Gabourey Sidibe Joins Fox Drama Pilot 'Empire' - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Gealey graces TV in new FOX series". The Cayman Reporter. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  11. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (24 March 2017). "'Empire' Star Grace Byers Joins Karl Urban and Sofia Vergara in 'Bent'". variety.com. Variety. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  12. ↑ Hair, Hype (23 October 2017). "Grace Byers' To Publish First Children's Book 'I Am Enough'". hypehair.com. Hype Hair. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Turchiano, Danielle (13 December 2021). "Grace Byers on Bringing Her Caymanian Roots Into Amazon's 'Harlem'". Variety. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Davids, Brian (June 21, 2023). "'The Blackening' Star Grace Byers on Tackling the Horror Genre's Most Careless Tropes". The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. ↑ Corinthios, Aurelie. "It's Official! Grace Gealey Shows Off Engagement 2015". People. Time Inc. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Empire Stars Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Have Secret Island Wedding". TMZ.com. April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Empire Stars Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Get Married in Caribbean Beach Wedding". Us Weekly. April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  18. ↑ Fluker, Dominique (April 17, 2023). "Grace And Trai Byers Announce The Arrival Of Their First Child On Their Wedding Anniversary". Essence. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ "See the Cover of Empire Star Grace Byers' Upcoming Children's Book I Believe I Can". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved Nov 24, 2019.
  20. ↑ "I Believe I Can - Grace Byers - Hardcover". HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher. Retrieved Nov 24, 2019.
  21. ↑ "I Am Enough - Grace Byers - Hardcover". HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher. Retrieved Nov 24, 2019.
  22. ↑ "I AM ENOUGH by Grace Byers , Keturah A. Bobo | Kirkus Reviews". Retrieved Nov 24, 2019 – via www.kirkusreviews.com.
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