Photo Credit: Joy Sunday/Instagram
If you’ve been watching Netflix’s “Wednesday,” then you’ve definitely met Bianca Barclay, Nevermore Academy’s queen bee with a killer stare and an aura that commands the room. But what you may not know is that the actress behind the character, Joy Sunday, has roots that run straight back to Nigeria.
Born in Staten Island, New York, to Nigerian parents, Joy grew up in a household full of love, discipline, and creativity. Her mum worked as a nurse’s assistant, her dad as a social worker, and Joy spent hours falling in love with books. “I would read books to imaginary kids in my room,” she once shared — and that’s where her first sense of pacing, character, and presence came from.
Joy, 28, trained in theatre at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in New York. The same school that counts Nicki Minaj and Timothée Chalamet as alums, before moving on to study at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. She graduated with honours in Critical Studies, all while experimenting as a filmmaker with the Tribeca Film Institute.
Her on-screen journey started with a guest spot on “MacGyver” in 2016, and soon after, she nabbed her SAG card with Justin Simien’s “Bad Hair.” Since then, she’s stacked up roles in indie gems like “Shithouse,” as well as dark, edgy projects like “The Beta Test.” But it was her role in “Wednesday” that made audiences worldwide stop and pay attention.
Bianca, the character Joy plays, is bold, layered, and sharp. And Joy pulls it off with an elegance that makes her unforgettable. Interestingly, she has her own love for the darker side of storytelling. “I love horror. I fancy myself a zombie connoisseur,” she told Teen Vogue. “I think I heavily relate with appreciating the darker side of things because it allows you to embrace the beauty of life and all of its different phases.”
Still, Joy is more than just her roles. She proudly reps her Nigerian heritage wherever she goes. In Netflix’s Strong Black Lead segment, she waved a mini green-and-white flag while answering fun culture questions. Her favourite Nigerian dish is Meat pies — but “with a twist.” Her Jollof allegiance is to Ghana! “It’s okay, we don’t have to have the best Jollof,” she teased. “We have so many other best things. Like the music.”
She’s a Rema girl through and through. She also loves Teni and the timeless Sade. When it comes to Nollywood royalty, she’s all about Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, and Patience Ozokwor.
So next time Bianca Barclay pops up on Wednesday, remember: behind that icy cool exterior is a Staten Island-born, Nigerian-rooted star who’s only just getting started.
