If you’ve watched Netflix’s Wednesday, you’ve definitely met Bianca Barclay — the fierce, confident queen of Nevermore Academy. But behind the sharp stares and commanding presence is actress Joy Sunday, whose story reaches far beyond the walls of the Addams Family universe.
Joy was born in Staten Island, New York, to Nigerian parents. Her upbringing was rooted in discipline, love, and creativity. Her mother worked as a nurse’s assistant, her father as a social worker, and Joy spent much of her childhood surrounded by books. She often read aloud to imaginary classrooms, unknowingly training herself in voice, timing, and character.
Now 28, Joy sharpened her craft at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts — the same school that produced talents like Nicki Minaj and Timothée Chalamet. From there, she went on to the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, graduating with honours in Critical Studies while also experimenting with filmmaking through the Tribeca Film Institute.
Her professional acting journey began with a small role on MacGyver in 2016. Not long after, she earned her SAG card with Justin Simien’s Bad Hair. Roles in indie films like Shithouse and edgy projects such as The Beta Test followed, but it was Wednesday that catapulted her onto the global stage.
As Bianca, Joy brings a mix of elegance and edge to the screen, making the character impossible to ignore. Interestingly, she has a personal love for the eerie and unsettling. “I love horror. I fancy myself a zombie connoisseur,” she once said. For her, leaning into darker themes is a way of appreciating the beauty of life in all its phases.
But Joy isn’t defined by her roles alone. She embraces her Nigerian roots with pride. In Netflix’s Rep Your Flag series, she joyfully waved the green-and-white flag while answering playful cultural questions. Her guilty pleasure? Nigerian meat pies — “with a twist.” When it comes to the famous Jollof debate, however, she sided with Ghana, joking that Nigerians don’t have to win at everything. “We have so many other best things — like the music,” she teased.
Her playlist proves it: she’s a big fan of Rema, Teni, and the iconic Sade. In Nollywood, she looks up to legends like Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, and Patience Ozokwor.
So, the next time Bianca Barclay flashes across your screen, remember that Joy Sunday is more than the icy-cool character she plays. She’s a Nigerian-American talent carving her space in Hollywood — and her story is only just beginning.
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