Khalilah Joi- Talks Winning ABC's Talent Competition & Her Powerful Role On 'Grey's Anatomy' As A Rape Victim

Born in Thomasville, Georgia and raised in Hampton, Virginia,  Khalilah Joi is a bonafide Southern girl–freshwater fishing, debutante  balls and all. With aspirations of being a broadcast journalist, she  attended The University of Virginia, where she received a bachelor’s  degree in English. After graduation, though, she chose The Studio  Theater Acting Conservatory in Washington, D.C. over her acceptance to  NYU’s Graduate School of Journalism and hasn’t looked back. After a  year on the east coast theater circuit, Khalilah drove across country to  Los Angeles, where she has worked consistently in television, film,  animation and theater. Some of her most notable roles include starring  in three seasons of the hit digital series “Sexless,” a recurring role  on BET’s “Being Mary Jane,” and appearances on “S.W.A.T.,” “Rosewood,”  “Marvel’s Agent Carter” and “The Good Doctor.” Khalilah’s recent  guest role as assault victim Abby in the “Grey’s Anatomy” episode  “Silent All These Years,” which deals with consent and was specifically  inspired by Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony regarding Supreme Court  nominee Brett Kavanaugh, received critical-acclaim and generated immense  online conversations around the #MeToo movement. The episode showcased Khalilah’s most nuanced, impactful  on-screen performance to date and garnered considerable Emmy buzz,  landing her a feature in Variety’s contenders issue. On the heels of  Grey’s Anatomy, Joi had a recurring guest role on the second season of  HBO’s Emmy-winning hit “Big Little Lies” and is currently filming a new  project to be announced in the fall. During her career, Khalilah has  been fortunate to receive a number of awards and acknowledgments for her  work. These include winning Best Actress at the American Black Film  Festival, winning the Best Supporting Actress SOFIE, (short film award,)  for her performance in the critically acclaimed “Jonestown,” winning  the Grand Prize in ABC Entertainment Group’s Digital Casting  Competition, and winning Best Female Newcomer for her work in “Sexless”.