Jayma Suzette Mays was born in Bristol, Tennessee, to Susan Norris and James Mays, and spent her childhood in Grundy, Virginia, alongside her older brother and sister. Her father, a dedicated educator, served as a high school teacher at Grundy Senior High School for seven years before transitioning to a 25-year career in the coal-mining industry. Today, he resides with Jayma's mother in Bristol, having retired from his demanding profession.
Throughout her academic journey, Jayma demonstrated a natural aptitude for mathematics and singing. She graduated from high school in 1997, and subsequently earned an Associate degree from Southwest Virginia Community College. Her academic pursuits continued at Virginia Tech, where she spent a year before transferring to Radford University. Upon completing her degree in Theatre in 2000, Jayma relocated to California, marking the beginning of her professional journey.
Jayma's early career was marked by an internship with renowned actor Timothy Busfield, who is best known for his work on the iconic television series Thirtysomething. In 2004, she made her television debut on the popular show Joey, followed by her feature film debut in Red Eye the following year. Her breakthrough role, however, came when she landed the role of "Emma Pillsbury" on the hit television series Glee in 2009.
