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Grace Byers

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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 a Caymanian-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 a leading role in the comedy horror film, The Blackening.

Early life

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Grace was born in Butler, Pennsylvania to Caymanian parents 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

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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

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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

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Film

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

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
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

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

References

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  1. ^ a b Wilson, Kimberly (26 October 2020). "'Empire' Star Grace Byers Wants Lovers To Experience The Cayman Islands". Essence. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b c 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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Review: The Misanthrope (Court Theatre)". chicagotheaterbeat.com. Archived from the original on 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  7. ^ "Review: Tartuffe (Court Theatre)". chicagotheaterbeat.com. Archived from the original on 2015-05-03. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d 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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