Katy O'Brian

About Katy O'Brian

Katy M. O'Brian (born February 12, 1989) is an American actress, writer and martial artist. She is best known for her roles as imperial communications officer Elia Kane in the second and the third season of The Mandalorian, George in Syfy's zombie show Z Nation, Major Sarah Grey in The CW's superhero series Black Lightning, Jentorra in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Kimball in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

O'Brian was born on February 12, 1989 in Indianapolis, Indiana and has three older brothers. She is mixed race, of African-American and white ancestry. O'Brian began studying martial arts at five years old, and at age nine earned her brown belt in Shorei Goju Ryu Karate.

She attended Indiana University Bloomington, majoring in psychology and Germanic studies. She was one of the first members of the university's short-form improv troupe Hoosonfirst, and received law enforcement certification through the university's Cadet Officer Program. At university, she received her black belt in Hapkido through the US Hapkido Federation.

After graduation, she was a police officer for seven years at the Carmel Police Department in Carmel, Indiana, including the department’s Crisis Intervention Team, which specialized in helping individuals with various conditions such as psychosis, depression, Alzheimer’s, autism, etc. She obtained her personal trainer certification and began competing in bodybuilding figure competitions, and began training at the Indy Actors Academy.

In 2016, O'Brian moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television. While waiting to land a role, she worked with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Martial Arts Program, helping with self-defense classes, instructing the Hapkido program. Through UCLA’s programs, and studying Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.