Caymanian actress Grace Gealey moved to America to attend the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she received a B.A. in Theater Arts. During her time at USF, acting afforded her the opportunity to communicate viscerally; a desire that came from being a child of deaf adults (CODA). Upon graduating from college, Gealey was accepted into the University of California Irvine's graduate program and obtained her M.F.A in Acting. A successful showcase took her from Los Angeles to New York ****, where Gealey performed professionally. Several theater productions, short films and national commercials led her to Chicago. EMPIRE marks Gealey's network television debut.