Meet Jamie Foxx's TV Daughter Kyla-Drew — a Bilingual 17-Year-Old USC Sophomore: Ones to Watch
Kyla Drew currently stars as Jamie Foxx's teenage daughter, Sasha, in the Netflix comedy Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!
Kyla-Drew is no stranger to the entertainment industry, but she's only scratched the surface on what she wants to achieve.
The 17-year-old University of Southern California (USC) sophomore — who currently stars as Jaime Foxx's teenage daughter, Sasha, in the Netflix comedy Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! — booked her first commercial at 3 years old and was immediately hooked on the hustle and bustle of the industry.
"As soon as the camera was rolling, I just lit up and I knew that that's what I wanted to do — was just be in front of the camera, behind the camera, something with the camera," Drew tells PEOPLE. "A big part of why I love acting is the storytelling aspect and the ability to be able to educate through art."
Kyla-Drew | CREDIT: KYLA-DREW/INSTAGRAM
At 8 years old, Drew, who has guest-starred in hit TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Station 19, How I Met Your Mother and more, then moved to L.A. to pursue her dreams — and a higher education.
Graduating high school at 15 years old, Drew was accepted to USC as a sophomore at age 16.
"Education comes first before acting, dance, anything," says the Atlanta native. "I'm in my second semester at USC. I'm studying business administration because, although I do want to continue acting, eventually I want to start producing. I want to start my own production company. So I definitely want to have the education behind me so I know what I'm doing before I pursue that."
As a young woman of color, Drew, who speaks Spanish and is currently studying American Sign Language and Portuguese, has quickly learned the responsibility of being a strong role model to young, aspiring actors.
"I just want to be able to inspire people and tell them to never give up on your dreams," says the teen, who adopted her strong work ethic and drive from her mother, real estate broker K Simmons. "There's no shelf life to anything. If you want to pursue a career in aerospace engineering, you go right ahead and you do it."
Drew says she's also gained a friend and role model in her costar Foxx.
In their new Netflix series, Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!, which premiered April 14, Foxx, 52, plays Brian Dixon, a bachelor and cosmetic brand owner, who has just become a full-time dad to his teenage daughter, Sasha (Drew). The comedy is inspired by Foxx's relationship with his own daughter, Corinne Foxx. Both are executive producers on the show.
Kyla-Drew (center) with Jamie Foxx | CREDIT: KYLA-DREW/INSTAGRAM
"The first moment that I met and I have to admit, I was very nervous because I look up to Jamie," says Drew. "I always have. But you know, he was very welcoming and I'm so blessed to be able to work with him and learn from him. It's the best education anyone could ever give me."
"He is constantly giving me a career and life advice," she adds. "Every day I learn a lesson from him. He's constantly telling stories."
