Trai Byers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trai Byers
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Byers in 2022
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Born | Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
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July 19, 1983
Education | University of Kansas (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2009–present |
Spouse(s) |
Grace Gealey
(m. 2016) |
Trai Byers (born July 19, 1983) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Andre Lyon in the Fox television series Empire (2015–2020).
Early life
Trai Byers was born in Kansas City, Kansas. After a year of high school in Kansas City, he completed his high-school education in Georgia. Byers then graduated from Andrew College with an associate degree in Theater and graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in communications. He also attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, and the Yale School of Drama.
Career
In 2011, Byers made his television debut with a recurring role on the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children, and the following year had a role in The CW teen soap, 90210. He played civil rights activist James Forman in the 2014 historical epic film, Selma directed by Ava DuVernay. He played Andre Lyon in Fox's 2015 music-industry primetime soap opera, Empire.
Personal life
During the October 7, 2015 episode of the daytime talk show, FABLife, Byers's costar Grace Gealey confirmed that they were engaged. He and Gealey married on Grand Cayman Island on April 14, 2016.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2009 | Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre | Chip | |
2013 | Destination Planet Negro | B-12 | |
2014 | Jayhawkers | Nathan Davis | |
Selma | James Forman | ||
2017 | Americons | Theo Jones | |
2018 | Bent | Chuck | |
2020 | The 24th | Boston | Also co-writer and producer |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2011 | All My Children | Mookie | 11 episodes |
2012 | 90210 | Alec Martin | 6 episodes |
2015–2020 | Empire | Andre Lyon | 102 episodes |
2023 | Harlem | Keith | 2 episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
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2015 | 17th Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV: Scene Stealer |
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Nominated |
Choice TV: Chemistry (shared with the others) | Nominated | |||
2017 | 48th NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
1st Black Reel Awards for Television | Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series | Nominated | ||
2018 | 49th NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated |