Grace Byers Biography
Grace Byers is an American actress. She starred as Anika Calhoun in the Fox music-industry drama series, Empire from 2015 to 2018. In 2021, she started portraying Quinn Joseph in the comedy series “Harlem” on Amazon Prime Video. The following year, Byers took on the main role in the comedy horror film, “The Blackening.”
Grace Byers Age / Birthday
As of 2023, Byers is 39 years old, he was born on July 26 1984 in Butler, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America. She celebrates her birthday on July 26 every year.
Grace Byers Height / Measurements
Byers is of average body stature and stands at an approximate height of 5 feet inches tall.
Grace Byers Partner / Husband
Byers’ husband is Trai Byers, an American actor best known for his role as Andre Lyon in the Fox musical drama series Empire. Byers and Trai met on the set of Empire in 2012 and started dating soon after. They got engaged in 2015 and married on April 14, 2016, in Grand Cayman.
Grace Byers Kids / Children
Byers has one child, a baby boy who was born in April 2023. He is their first child with her husband, Trai Byers, whom she married in 2016. The couple has chosen to keep their son’s name private out of the public eye for now.
Grace Byers Family / Relatives
Byers has two deaf parents, her father who is American was born Deaf and her mother Cheryl McCoy Gealey, Afro-Caribbean from the Cayman Islands, became deaf after pneumonia at age 2. Grace also has an older sister named Faith, who is also a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). They both learned American Sign Language before speaking and consider it “normal” for their family. However, Grace has shared experiences of being bullied due to her parents’ deafness, particularly after moving to the United States as a teenager.
Grace Byers Education
Grace earned her bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from the University of South Florida in Tampa. Later, she pursued her Master of Fine Arts in acting at the University of California, Irvine.
Grace Byers Career
Byers relocated to New York City and engaged in Off-Broadway performances, showcasing her talent in productions such as Venus Flytrap: A Femme Noir Mystery and Rent. In 2013, she took the stage in the Chicago renditions of The Misanthrope and Tartuffe. By 2014, Gealey secured the role of Anika Calhoun in the Fox musical drama series, Empire, alongside Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. The show premiered on January 7, 2015, and she departed after completing four seasons in 2018.
In 2017, Byers expanded her repertoire by portraying Kate, a jazz singer and lounge owner, in the independent thriller Bent, marking her debut in feature films. The year 2018 saw the release of her children’s book, I Am Enough, which draws inspiration from her childhood experiences of facing bullying due to having deaf parents.
The book aims to instill self-love and acceptance in children. From 2018 to 2019, Byers took on the role of Reeva Payge in the Fox superhero series, The Gifted. Transitioning to 2021, she began her portrayal of Quinn Joseph in the Amazon comedy series, Harlem. The subsequent year featured her performance in the comedy horror film, The Blackening.
Grace Byers Net Worth
Through Byers’s career as an Actress, she has been able to accumulate a net worth that ranges between $3 Million and $ 3.5 Million.
Grace Byers Sister
Byers’ sister is Faith Gealey-Brown. They are both daughters of deaf parents and Grace has spoken about how her upbringing has shaped her. Faith is involved in the entertainment industry, working as a production coordinator and assistant director. She is married and has two children.
Grace Byers Empire
Byers played the captivating and complex character of Anika Calhoun. Anika was a powerful and ambitious woman who served as the head of marketing for Empire Entertainment, the music company owned by Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard). She quickly became a central figure in the show’s high-stakes drama. Anika navigated a complicated love life throughout the series, engaging in relationships with several key characters, including Lucious Lyon himself. These relationships were often fraught with tension and betrayal, adding another layer of drama to her story arc.
Grace Byers Ethnicity
Byers identifies as Afro-Caribbean-American. Her mother is from the Cayman Islands, and her father is from Pennsylvania. She has openly spoken about her mixed heritage and the challenges she faced growing up biracial. Byers has embraced her unique background and incorporates her Caymanian roots into her work. She’s a strong advocate for representation and diversity in the entertainment industry.
Grace Byers Harlem
Byers plays the character of Quinn Joseph in the Amazon Prime Video comedy series, Harlem. Quinn is one of the four central characters on the show, a close-knit group of successful Black women navigating life, love, and careers in the vibrant Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Quinn is an assistant professor of anthropology at Columbia University, specializing in African Diasporic studies. She’s intelligent, dedicated, and passionate about her work, but also grapples with the pressures of academic life and finding balance with her personal life.
Grace Byers Books
Byers has written two children’s books: I Am Enough (2017): This New York Times bestseller is a picture book that celebrates self-esteem and empowerment for young girls, drawing inspiration from Byers’ own experiences of being bullied as a biracial, multicultural CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). I Believe I Can (2019): This picture book builds on the themes of “I Am Enough” but expands to celebrate both boys and girls as they strive for their highest potential.
Grace Byers The Blackening
Byers plays the leading role of Allison in the 2023 comedy horror film, The Blackening. Allison is a fiercely independent and outspoken Black woman who joins her friends on a Juneteenth weekend getaway at a remote cabin in the woods. However, their fun and games are cut short when they become the target of a masked killer.
Byers brings a sharp wit and vulnerability to the role, making Allison a relatable and compelling protagonist. She’s not afraid to call out her friends’ BS, but she also has a deep love and loyalty for them. As the group is picked off one by one, Allison’s resourcefulness and survival instincts kick in, and she becomes the unlikely hero of the story.
Grace Byers Movies and TV Shows
Television Shows:
- Empire (2015-2018): This popular musical drama saw Byers play Anika Calhoun, a cunning and ambitious businesswoman involved in the Lyon family’s music empire. Her portrayal earned her recognition and acclaim.
- The Gifted (2017-2019): Byers took on the role of Reeva Payge, a mutant leader navigating the complexities of a world where mutants are feared and discriminated against.
- Harlem (2021-present): In this current Amazon Prime Video comedy series, Byers stars as Quinn Joseph, a group member exploring career ambitions and personal relationships in New York City.
- Other notable appearances: Bent (2018), Tales (2019), Bookmarks (2020)
Movies:
- The Blackening (2022): Byers led the cast as Allison in this hilarious horror comedy about a family reunion interrupted by a zombie apocalypse.
- The Retirement Plan (2023): This recent short film features Byers in a supporting role.
- The Last Starship (2020): Byers played Claire in this short space adventure film.
Grace Byers Facebook, and Instagram
Byers is active on her social media accounts. She has about 5.6k followers on her Facebook Page and around 1.2 Million followers on her Instagram account.