{{Short description|American actor (born 1983)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Trai Byers | image = TraiByers.jpg | caption = Byers in 2022 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|07|19}} | birth_place = [[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas]], U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | education = [[Andrew College]] ([[Associate of Arts|AA]])<br>[[University of Kansas]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Yale University]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]]) | occupation = Actor, writer | years_active = 2009–present | spouse = {{marriage|[[Grace Byers|Grace Gealey]]|2016}} | children = 1 }} '''Trai Byers''' (born July 19, 1983)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/trai-byers-turns-32-interesting-facts-photos-andre-lyon-empire-639726|title=Trai Byers Turns 32: Interesting Facts and Photos of Andre Lyon from 'Empire'|first=Ilin|last=Mathew|date=July 18, 2015|work=[[International Business Times]]|publisher=[[IBT Media]]|accessdate=July 28, 2015| archivedate=March 5, 2016|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305082000/http://www.ibtimes.co.in/trai-byers-turns-32-interesting-facts-photos-andre-lyon-empire-639726|url-status=live}}</ref> is an American actor. He is best known for playing [[Andre Lyon (Empire)|Andre Lyon]] in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] musical television series, ''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]'' (2015–2020). In 2020, Byers co-wrote and starred in the historical drama film, ''[[The 24th]]''.
==Early life== Trai Byers was born in [[Kansas City, Kansas]].<ref name=KCStar>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/tv/article10477019.html|title=KCK actor Trai Byers is building an 'Empire' of success|date=February 16, 2015|first=Jon|last=Niccum|work=[[The Kansas City Star]]|publisher=[[The McClatchy Company]]|accessdate=February 23, 2015| archivedate= February 17, 2015| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150217022916/http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/tv/article10477019.html | quote=Byers was born in 1983 in Kansas City, Kan.}}</ref> <!--He attended [[Tucker High School]] in [[Tucker, Georgia]].--> 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 of Arts]] in theatre. He then earned a [[Bachelor of Arts]] in communications from the [[University of Kansas]]. Byers also attended the [[American Musical and Dramatic Academy]] in Los Angeles, and the [[Yale School of Drama]], where he obtained his [[Master of Fine Arts]].
==Career== Byers made his screen debut in the 2009 comedy-horror film, ''[[Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre]]''. In 2011, Byers had 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 (TV series)|90210]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soaps.sheknows.com/allmychildren/news/id/26661/Ex-All_My_Childrens_Trai_Byers_On_90210/|title=Ex-All My Children's Trai Byers On 90210. - All My Children News - Soaps.com|publisher=|accessdate=January 9, 2015|archive-date=January 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115201606/http://soaps.sheknows.com/allmychildren/news/id/26661/Ex-All_My_Childrens_Trai_Byers_On_90210/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/11/wes-brown/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714025613/http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/11/wes-brown/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2012|title='90210' casting scoop: 'True Blood' veteran to play Adrianna's new...|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate= January 9, 2015}}</ref> He starred in two films directed by [[Kevin Willmott]]: ''Destination Planet Negro'' (2013) and ''[[Jayhawkers (film)|Jayhawkers]]'' (2014).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/trai_byers|title=Trai Byers - Rotten Tomatoes|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}</ref> In 2014, he played civil rights activist [[James Forman]] in the historical epic film, ''[[Selma (film)|Selma]]'' directed by [[Ava DuVernay]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/trai-byers-joins-the-cast-of-selma-1201183949/|title=Trai Byers Joins the Cast of 'Selma'|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|accessdate=January 9, 2015|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714131739/http://variety.com/2014/film/news/trai-byers-joins-the-cast-of-selma-1201183949/|url-status=live}}</ref>
From 2015 to 2020, Byers starred as [[Andre Lyon (Empire)|Andre Lyon]] in [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] music-industry primetime soap opera, ''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/gabourey-sidibe-joins-fox-drama-pilot-empire-andrew-lees-in-tbs-your-family-or-mine-696557/|title=Gabourey Sidibe Joins Fox Drama Pilot 'Empire' - Deadline|author=The Deadline Team|work=Deadline|date=10 March 2014|accessdate=January 9, 2015|archive-date=11 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211204107/https://deadline.com/2014/03/gabourey-sidibe-joins-fox-drama-pilot-empire-andrew-lees-in-tbs-your-family-or-mine-696557/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/07/empire-fox-lee-daniels/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107193104/http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/07/empire-fox-lee-daniels/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 7, 2015|title='Empire': Inside Fox's ambitious, groundbreaking musical soap|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate= January 9, 2015}}</ref> For this role, he received two [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]] nominations. In 2020, he played the leading role and co-wrote screenplay for the historical drama film, ''[[The 24th]]''. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_24th|title=The 24th - Rotten Tomatoes|date=August 21, 2020|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}</ref> In 2022, Byers made his Broadway debut in the play ''[[The Piano Lesson]]'' by [[August Wilson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/piano-lesson-broadway-trai-byers-ray-fisher-april-matthis-michael-potts-cast-1235009919/|title=Broadway's 'The Piano Lesson' Adds Trai Byers, Ray Fisher, April Matthis & Michael Potts To Cast|first=Greg|last=Evans|date=April 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://broadwaydirect.com/trai-byers-on-making-his-broadway-debut-in-the-piano-lesson/|title=Trai Byers on Making His Broadway Debut in The Piano Lesson | Broadway Direct|date=27 September 2022 }}</ref> In 2023 he guest-starred in the [[Grace Byers]]' comedy series, ''[[Harlem (TV series)|Harlem]]'' during the show' second season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/karla-rodriguez/grac-byers-quinn-harlem-season-2-interview|title=Grace Byers Talks Quinn's Transformational Arc in 'Harlem' Season 2|first=Karla|last=Rodriguez|website=Complex}}</ref>
==Personal life== During the October 7, 2015, episode of the daytime talk show, ''[[FABLife]]'', Byers's costar [[Grace Gealey]] confirmed that they were engaged.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/article/grace-gealey-confirms-engagement-empire-costar-trai-byers|title=It's Official! Grace Gealey Shows Off Engagement Ring from Empire Costar Trai Byers|date=October 7, 2015|first=Aurelie|last=Corinthios|accessdate=October 7, 2015|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|archive-date=June 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629172110/http://www.people.com/article/grace-gealey-confirms-engagement-empire-costar-trai-byers|url-status=live}}</ref> He and Gealey married on [[Grand Cayman Island]] on April 14, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tmz.com/2016/04/16/empire-wedding-trai-byers-grace-gealey/|title=Empire Stars Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Have Secret Island Wedding|publisher=[[TMZ.com]]|date=April 16, 2016|accessdate=April 16, 2016|archive-date=April 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417194513/http://www.tmz.com/2016/04/16/empire-wedding-trai-byers-grace-gealey/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/empires-trai-byers-grace-gealey-get-married-in-caribbean-w203049|title=Empire Stars Trai Byers and Grace Gealey Get Married in Caribbean Beach Wedding|work=[[Us Weekly]]|date=April 16, 2016|accessdate=April 16, 2016|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728215351/https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/empires-trai-byers-grace-gealey-get-married-in-caribbean-w203049/|url-status=live}}</ref> On their wedding anniversary in 2023, Gealey gave birth to their son.<ref>{{cite web | last=Fluker | first=Dominique | title=Grace And Trai Byers Announce The Arrival Of Their First Child On Their Wedding Anniversary | website=Essence | date=April 17, 2023 | url=https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/parenting/grace-and-trai-byers-first-child/ | access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref> [[File:Trai Byers.jpg|thumb|Byers in 2016]] ==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 2009 | ''[[Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre]]'' | Chip | |- | 2013 | ''Destination Planet Negro'' | B-12 | |- | rowspan="2"| 2014 | ''[[Jayhawkers (film)|Jayhawkers]]'' | Nathan Davis | |- | ''[[Selma (film)|Selma]]'' | [[James Forman]] | |- | 2017 | ''Americons'' | Theo Jones | |- | 2018 | ''[[Bent (2018 film)|Bent]]'' | Chuck | |- |2020 |''[[The 24th]]'' |Boston |Also co-writer and producer |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 2011 | ''[[All My Children]]'' | Mookie | 11 episodes |- | 2012 | ''[[90210 (TV series)|90210]]'' | Alec Martin | 6 episodes |- | 2015–2020 | ''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]'' | [[Andre Lyon (Empire)|Andre Lyon]] | 102 episodes |- | 2023 | ''[[Harlem (TV series)|Harlem]]'' | Keith | 2 episodes |- |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |- | rowspan="2"| 2015 | rowspan="2"| [[2015 Teen Choice Awards|17th Teen Choice Awards]] | Choice TV: Scene Stealer | rowspan="5"| {{center|''[[Empire (2015 TV series)|Empire]]''}} | {{Nom}} |- | Choice TV: Chemistry {{small|(shared with the others)}} | {{Nom}} |- | rowspan="2"| 2017 | [[48th NAACP Image Awards]] | [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]] | {{Nom}} |- | 1st Black Reel Awards for Television | Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series | {{Nom}} |- | 2018 | [[49th NAACP Image Awards]] | [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series]] | {{Nom}} |- |}
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|1784293}} *[http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/tv/article10477019.html 2015 Trai Byers interview] with Jon Niccum
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Byers, Trai}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American male soap opera actors]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:21st-century American male actors]] [[Category:David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni]] [[Category:1983 births]] [[Category:21st-century African-American male actors]] [[Category:20th-century African-American male actors]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]]