Birgundi Angel Baker is an American actress, singer, and dancer born on March 6, 1992. She grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and later became known for playing Kiesha Williams on Showtime’s The Chi.
Her career spans television, film, and Chicago stage productions.
Who is Birgundi Baker?
Birgundi Baker works as an actress, singer, and dancer in film and television. She built her name through a long-running role on The Chi, Showtime’s coming-of-age drama set on Chicago’s South Side.
Refinery29 named her one of its “Top Actresses to Watch in 2018.” That same year marked her breakthrough as Kiesha Williams, a role she has played across multiple seasons.
Baker moved to Chicago after college and built her career from there. Her path started with a talent showcase that connected her to an agency and, eventually, her first television roles.
Early Life of Birgundi Baker
Birgundi Baker was born on March 6, 1992, in Raleigh, North Carolina. She grew up in a family full of artistic influences, including a mother who danced and an aunt who attended Juilliard.
Her mother sent her to New York as a child to watch student performances and plays. That exposure led Baker into dance classes, which pulled her toward the world of theater.
At age eight, she won a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contest that led to her first on-camera commercial work in Florida. She has described that early shoot as the moment she realized acting was what she wanted to do.
Baker grew up with several sisters in a household where the arts were part of daily life. That environment shaped her early decision to pursue performing as a career.
Birgundi Baker Age
Birgundi Baker is 34 years old as of 2026, born on March 6, 1992. Her zodiac sign is Pisces.
She earned her breakthrough role in The Chi at age 26, and by 2026 she had spent nearly a decade on the show. The series wrapped its run with a final season that premiered on Paramount+ in May 2026.
Birgundi Baker Ethnicity and Nationality
Birgundi Baker holds American nationality. She is African American and was raised in a Christian household in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Her family placed a strong emphasis on artistic expression throughout her childhood. That cultural background shaped much of her early exposure to dance, theater, and music.
Birgundi Baker Height and Weight
Birgundi Baker stands about 5 feet 6 inches tall, or roughly 168 centimeters. Her exact weight is not consistently confirmed across public sources.
She trained as a dancer for years before moving into acting, which shows in her stage presence. That dance background continues to inform her physical performances on screen.
Birgundi Baker Education
Birgundi Baker attended Howard University, where she initially studied dance. She later switched into the university’s musical theatre program, a change that meant staying an extra year to complete her degree.
She has said in interviews that she was originally too intimidated to pursue musical theatre directly. Her aunt’s background at Juilliard had already exposed her to serious performance training long before she enrolled at Howard.
Baker’s theater training gave her a foundation that later helped her land musically driven television roles. Her performance in the 2018 revival of Heathers drew directly on that musical theatre background.
Birgundi Baker Career
Early Career
Birgundi Baker struggled to find representation after graduating from Howard. She reached out to agencies directly and circulated her headshot before relocating to Chicago.
There, she took part in a Launch Showcase attended by talent agents. That performance led to a contract with Gray Talent Group and her first professional acting opportunities.
Baker made her television debut in 2016 as Teen Carol in four episodes of Fox’s musical drama Empire. In 2017, she appeared as Jess in a guest episode of Chicago P.D.
Breakthrough Role
In 2018, Baker landed a recurring part as Lizzy in the Paramount Network revival of Heathers, along with three episodes of Chicago Med as Kiki. That same year, she also appeared as Delilah in the feature film 30 Miles from Nowhere, her big-screen debut.
Her breakthrough came later in 2018 with the role of Kiesha Williams in Showtime’s The Chi, created by Lena Waithe. Baker started as a supporting player in the show’s first two seasons before moving into the main cast starting with season three.
Around this same period, Baker also took the stage in Chicago theater. She played Tara Swansen in The Burn, a world premiere play by Philip Dawkins at Steppenwolf Theatre, directed by Devon de Mayo.
Recent Work
Baker continued building her filmography through the following years, including Hala (2019) as Hannah, Loved to Death (2019) as Megan, and The Last Shift (2020) as Sydney. She also took on a recurring role as Anaya in the CW series Black Lightning and made a guest appearance on Station 19.
In January 2021, Baker gave birth to her second daughter while filming season four of The Chi, having worked through much of her pregnancy on set. She went on to appear in Block Party (2022) as Eboni and Praise This (2023) as Melissa.
The Chi wrapped its story with a final season that premiered on Paramount+ in May 2026. Baker joined co-stars Jason Weaver and Jacob Latimore that same month to support the show’s creative team at a live event tied to the musical Cats: The Jellicle Ball.
Birgundi Baker Boyfriend
Birgundi Baker is currently unmarried and has not publicly confirmed a boyfriend. She has kept her romantic life almost entirely private throughout her career.
She has not disclosed the identity of either of her daughters’ fathers. Baker has instead focused her public statements on her career and her role as a single mother.
Birgundi Baker Children
Birgundi Baker is the mother of two daughters. Her eldest, Blaiz Baker, was born during Baker’s final year of college at Howard University.
Her second daughter arrived in January 2021, while Baker was filming season four of The Chi. She has said that motherhood pushed her to pursue her acting career with more focus rather than less.
Blaiz occasionally appears in photos on Baker’s Instagram account. Baker has continued raising both daughters while maintaining an active filming schedule.
Birgundi Baker Net Worth
Birgundi Baker’s estimated net worth is $1.75 million as of 2026. Her income comes mainly from her television and film work, led by her long-running role on The Chi.
Additional earnings come from her stage work in Chicago theater and various supporting film roles over the years.
Her steady presence across television, film, and theater has built a consistent income stream throughout her career.
Birgundi Baker Social Media
Birgundi Baker is active on Instagram under @birgundi_baker. She shares updates about her music, acting projects, and family life there.
She also maintains a YouTube channel under her own name. Her posts often highlight her music releases alongside behind-the-scenes looks at her television work.
The Bottom Line
Birgundi Baker built her career around Kiesha Williams, a role she played across nearly a decade of The Chi before the series concluded its final season on Paramount+ in May 2026.
Refinery29 recognized her early promise by naming her one of its “Top Actresses to Watch in 2018.”
Baker grew up surrounded by artistic influences in Raleigh, North Carolina, and trained in both dance and musical theatre at Howard University.
She has raised her two daughters largely on her own while building a career across television, film, and Chicago stage productions.
She continues to work in front of the camera while also releasing music under her own name. We hope you enjoyed reading about Birgundi Baker. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!