While growing up in Cayman Island, Grace Gealey did not think about being an actress since the biggest industries in the area are banking, hospitality and tourism. She started drama to be a drama teacher since education is something celebrated in Cayman Island. It was Tamara Harvey, a freelance director who told her to consider drama like a career.

After moving from the Cayman Islands to live in United States, she earned her bachelor degree in the Theater Arts at the of University of South Florida, based in Tampa. She later went to University of California in Irvine and earned her Masters of Fine Arts, specializing in Acting. Acting gave Gealey the opportunity to communicate viscerally, the need for which stemmed from the desire that came from being a child of deaf adults (CODA).

Growing up with two deaf parents, Gealey now uses her fame to advocate for the deaf community. Her father was born deaf and her mother lost her hearing after battling pneumonia when she was 2. Because of this, Gealey learned to communicate with sign language before she ever learned to talk. She witnessed her parents being treated differently, without compassion and realized people with disabilities are treated without love and she wants to make a change in how people view deaf people. 

Afterward she earned her Master's degree, her talent allowed her to move to live in New York where she started to performing professionally in off-Broadway productions. She performed in Venus flytrap: A Femme Noir Mystery and in Rent. Her success in several theater productions, commercials, and short films provided the impetus for her next move. In 2013, she performed a role in the Chicago production in Tartuffe and Misanthrope. In the next year, 2014, she joined the cast of the Fox musical prime time drama, Empire, playing the role of Anika Calhoun in her network television debut, in which she played opposite Terrence Howard and of Taraji P Henson. The series began on January 7, 2015.

Later in 2015, she was designated for a Teen Choice Award in the honor for Choice TV: Chemistry. This award was unprecedented in her life, thus far. She has alsonominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in the Picture Awards.