# Ryan Destiny
**Ryan Destiny** (born 1995, birth name Ryan Destiny Irons) is an American actress and singer-songwriter from Detroit, Michigan, known for playing Alexandra Crane on the Fox musical drama *[Star](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-tv-series)* and [Claressa Shields](https://www.edgepedia.org/claressa-shields) in the 2024 film *The Fire Inside*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995, Detroit, Michigan; birth name Ryan Destiny Irons[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/) |
| Early music | Formed a girl group in junior high that performed on America's Got Talent in 2011 and became Love Dollhouse, signed to Russell Simmons's All Def Music[3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020) |
| First major TV role | Alexandra Crane on *Star* (Fox, 2016–2019), after dropping out of *Empire* because of her group contract[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html) |
| Feature debut | *The Fire Inside* (2024), as Olympic boxing champion Claressa Shields[5](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ryan-destiny-the-fire-inside-interview) |
| Recognition for the film | Nominations for the Gotham Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards, plus three Teen Choice Award nominations (2017–2019) for earlier acting[5](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ryan-destiny-the-fire-inside-interview) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/) |
| Music as solo artist | Signed with Capitol Records; debut EP *On One's Own* with lead single "The Same"[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html) |
## Early life and music
Destiny grew up in Detroit around the music business. Her father, Deron Irons, sang in the 1990s R&B group Guesss and was once signed to [Death Row Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/death-row-records) around the time of Tupac's ascent, and she spent her childhood traveling and in studios[3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020) • [6](https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a60582398/ryan-destiny-hollywood-rising-interview-2024/). She decided to go into entertainment full time at age 12, saying it was always either acting or singing[3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020).
**Her first screen work came early.** She made her television debut at age 12 on the short-lived kids show *The Wannabes* (Starz, 2009–2011), and her first credited film work ranged from modeling to set decoration[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny).
After studying choir and theater at school, she formed a girl group with a fellow student; at the height of its fame the group performed on *America's Got Talent* in 2011, and after member switches it became Love Dollhouse, signed to [Russell Simmons](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-simmons)'s All Def Music[3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020). The group released a Motown-tinged single in 2014 and split in 2016[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html) • [3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020).
## Television
Her first serious dramatic role was April Geddes on *Low Winter Sun* (AMC, 2013), a [Mark Strong](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-strong) drama filmed in Detroit[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny) • [7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ryan-destiny/). The title role in the indie film *A Girl Like Grace* (2015), which debuted at the Los Angeles Film Festival, earned her many accolades[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny).
Star brought her widest exposure. She was originally cast as Tianna on [Lee Daniels](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-daniels)'s *[Empire](https://www.edgepedia.org/empire-2015-tv-series)*, but contractual obligations with Love Dollhouse kept her from accepting; landing Alexandra Crane on Daniels's musical drama *Star* gave her a second chance to work with him[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html). On the series she played a wealthy socialite who is the daughter of [Lenny Kravitz](https://www.edgepedia.org/lenny-kravitz)'s rock-star character and one-third of the fictional R&B trio Take 3, combining her music and acting backgrounds; the show ran on Fox from 2016 until its cancellation was announced in May 2019[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny) • [3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020). In 2018 she joined the *Black-ish* spin-off *Grown-ish* as Jillian[7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ryan-destiny/).
## The Fire Inside
**Her feature debut came after a long detour.** Months after *Star* was canceled, she was cast as boxer Claressa Shields in a biopic then titled *Flint Strong*, with a screenplay by [Barry Jenkins](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-jenkins) and *Mudbound* cinematographer Rachel Morrison making her directorial debut[3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020). Production halted when the pandemic hit in March 2020, and Universal offloaded the project; it was later made by [Amazon MGM Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-mgm-studios) and released as *The Fire Inside* on December 25, 2024[8](https://www.flaunt.com/post/ryan-destiny-shadowplay-issue) • [9](https://www.avclub.com/the-fire-inside-review).
The film tells the story of Shields, who at 17 became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing at the London 2012 Games, co-starring [Brian Tyree Henry](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-tyree-henry) as her coach Jason Crutchfield[10](https://time.com/7203342/the-fire-inside-true-story/). Destiny, who had no interest in boxing before the role, learned to box from scratch and studied Shields's fights on YouTube to replicate her specific movement[5](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ryan-destiny-the-fire-inside-interview). Her performance earned nominations for the Gotham Awards and the [Independent Spirit Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/independent-spirit-awards)[5](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ryan-destiny-the-fire-inside-interview), and Shields herself said Destiny captured her mannerisms inside and outside the ring[10](https://time.com/7203342/the-fire-inside-true-story/). The film holds a 93 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny).
## Music and personal life
She released the single "The Same" with Tobi Lou and prepared a debut EP, *On One's Own*, built from nearly three years of studio work during downtime from *Star*[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html) • [3](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020). She is signed with [Capitol Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/capitol-records)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/) and has served as an ambassador for the beauty brand [Black Opal](https://www.edgepedia.org/black-opal)[11](https://www.allure.com/story/ryan-destiny-black-opal-interview). On October 5, 2025, she announced her engagement to actor [Keith Powers](https://www.edgepedia.org/keith-powers) after roughly eight years of dating on and off[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/).
## References
1. [Ryan Destiny Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ryan_destiny)
2. [Ryan Destiny – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3629113/bio/)
3. [Falling in Love with Ryan Destiny, Teen Vogue (February 2020)](https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ryan-destiny-feb-2020)
4. [Ryan Destiny ready for the spotlight on her own, Los Angeles Times (2018)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-ryan-destiny-star-20181121-story.html)
5. [Ryan Destiny Ignites The Fire Inside, W Magazine (2025)](https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/ryan-destiny-the-fire-inside-interview)
6. [Ryan Destiny Comes Into Her Own, ELLE (2024)](https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a60582398/ryan-destiny-hollywood-rising-interview-2024/)
7. [Ryan Destiny, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ryan-destiny/)
8. [Ryan Destiny, Flaunt](https://www.flaunt.com/post/ryan-destiny-shadowplay-issue)
9. [The Fire Inside review, The A.V. Club](https://www.avclub.com/the-fire-inside-review)
10. [Boxer Claressa Shields on How The Fire Inside Captures Her Real Life Story, TIME](https://time.com/7203342/the-fire-inside-true-story/)
11. [Ryan Destiny Told Us All About Being the New Face of Black Opal, Allure](https://www.allure.com/story/ryan-destiny-black-opal-interview)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames D to Di*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license