In 2003, after getting a master’s degree in visual arts in 2002, Keala landed her first role as Kate O’Malley on the CBS series Queens Supreme. She later played Sara Tancredi in Prison Break.
She rose to notoriety as Lori Grimes in The Walking Dead, a horror television drama series in which she appeared.
The drama created history by being the highest-rated drama series on the cable channel. Keala was nominated for three awards for her role in the series. She took satellite prizes with her home.