There are three kinds of thrills — pleasure, excitement, and fear. A 16-year-old from Barrington has experienced them all in the early stages of her acting career. Now, she’s stepping into the spotlight with a role in the new psychological thriller series “The Better Sister,” appearing in four of its eight episodes on Prime Video.

Growing up in Rhode Island, Gigi Grace was surrounded by opportunities to explore her interest in the arts — and she didn’t waste any time. She dove into acting at the young age of six-years-old. It was in the East Bay, in Barrington (her hometown) where she received her first opportunity to fall in love with being on a stage through Arts! Alive — a vibrant program that helps students in the East Bay and Providence area schools access the performing arts.

The thrill of acting on stage at school led her to join Arts! Alive summer camp where she lit up the stage in roles such as Small Alice in “Alice In Wonderland” and Truly Scrumptious in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” This is when she began to develop a deeper urge to do more and learn more — and the surrounding areas in Rhode Island gave her the chance to do just that.

She took acting classes at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence and expanded her skills further with dance lessons at Rosemary’s School of Dance in the East Bay. Driven by an endless urge to learn, her most recent pursuit has been learning to play the guitar. “I am very interested in music, and I can play through songs on the guitar now, but it’s never-ending with learning — it’s an endless journey,” said Gigi.

As Gigi continued building her skills, a major shift in the world gave her a new perspective on how to pursue her passion. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Gigi — like many students — found herself learning online. But rather than seeing it as a setback, she turned it into an advantage. When it was time to return to school, she chose to stick with online learning, which gave her the flexibility to do more (to dream more), and actively chase her dream of acting more seriously.

The callback audition 

In 2024, Gigi’s agent sent out an audition tape for a role in “The Better Sister.” With her busy schedule, the thrill of the opportunity came and went — and she soon forgot about it. That is, until she got a callback to read for the part. From there, things moved rather quickly, as they often do in the world of acting. Filming began in June 2024 and continued through October. 

Thanks to her online education, Gigi had the flexibility to split her time between two states — New York and Rhode Island — to accommodate this role and others. “I get a lot of callbacks for auditions in New York, so I spend a lot of time there,” Gigi said. Her mother, who travels with Gigi, rents an apartment in the city for when she needs to be there. 

But no matter how much time she spends away, Barrington is still her home — the place where it all began. “I really enjoy the hectic life in New York, but I enjoy Barrington too — it’s peaceful, and I live near the woods, so it’s beautiful,” she said. “They’re two completely different environments, and it’s crazy to live in two states, but I wouldn’t change it.” 

Gigi’s latest role in the psychological thriller “The Better Sister,” which premiered on Prime Video on May 29, 2025, was filmed in New York — her home away from home. It gave her the opportunity to work alongside stars Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks. The series, based on the 2019 novel by Alafair Burke, features Gigi in four of its eight episodes. 

While Gigi can’t reveal much about the plot without giving away spoilers, she reflected on her experience on set. “Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel are so lovely. I admire the work they do, and it was incredible to be part of a project that’s not only about women but also led by such successful women,” she said. 

When asked about her future as an actress, Gigi laughed and said, “I just hope I keep working, because it’s an unpredictable career.” Still, she’s not relying on acting alone — she continues to explore new skills, such as learning the guitar, to expand the creative opportunities that first began in her hometown of Barrington in first-grade.