"Empire" Star Turns the Page on Bullying With New Children's Book
Grace Byers' character Anika has seen plenty of twists and turns during her four-season run on "Empire," but it's the actress' own childhood that inspired her to write her first children's book. Byers joins Cheddar to discuss what she hopes young people get out of "I Am Enough."
She takes us back to her years growing up in the Cayman Islands as a multiracial child of hearing-impaired parents. Despite featuring illustrations of female characters, Byers says the book is meant to empower children of all genders. She recounts a story of a near-death experience and how it changed her outlook on life. The star also tells us what it's like playing a character prone to bullying others.
"Empire" shattered expectations for what's possible from a network television show. Byers reveals whether she thinks the series is changing the model for success in the streaming era. She also gives her take on what the series finale might entail at some point down the road.
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Musician Bruce Springsteen, actress Mindy Kaling and designer, Vera Wang were some of the celebrities honored at the White House on Tuesday. President Biden and his wife Dr Jill Biden gave honorees medals. Other honorees included Gladys Knight, Julia Louis Dreyfus and Amy Tan. The medals are Biden's first batch of awards for the arts and humanities. They were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
