‘Empire’, Season 3, FOX: Meet the Cast

Ajiona Alexus as Young Cookie

Ajiona Alexus is playing young Cookie in flashbacks this season. According to Deadline, "Alexis... is seen in flashbacks as a beautiful, innocent teenager, whose Catholic school uniform can’t hide 'the Cookie spark.'" Actress Ajiona Alexus was born in Alabama on March 16, 1996. She began acting at just 8-years-old, and is perhaps best known for playing DeAnna on The Rickey Smiley Show. (Getty)