Ajiona Alexus may be breaking into the limelight thanks to her role as Sheri Holland in Netflix’s hit show “13 Reasons Why,” but she has been in the acting world since the age of 12. Alexus, who was born in Tuskegee, Alabama and majored in Theater Arts at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, has also appeared in hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Empire, as a teenage Cookie Lyon.
She has also starred in movies like Acrimony and Breaking In, while releasing her first single on YouTube.
In Breaking In, Alexus plays the daughter of Gabrielle Union and credits the veteran actress for helping her continue to evolve in the field.
“I love her. She’s so amazing. She’s so real, she’s down-to-earth, she’s smart, she’s so capable of doing so many things. She’s definitely a role model for me, and she’s been such a role model through the whole process of filming the movie,” Alexus said in an interview with brit.co. “She’s more like a big sister for me. It’s a blessing to meet people like her in the industry and to be able to gain knowledge from them.”
As for advice she received from Union, Alexus says:
Don’t let anyone limit you. Understand that the smallest things are nothing, and the opportunity and what you’re capable of are limitless. You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it. People are going to limit you and make you feel like, oh, well, this is too big. Never feel like anything is too big — always reach higher and above the stars.
At just 22 years old, the rising star has plenty left in front of her so it will be exciting to see how she continues to evolve throughout her career.