Joy Sunday on Wednesday: I’m not afraid anymore after growing between seasons

Joy Sunday arrived at The Whitby Hotel in Midtown wearing a caramel corset and a flouncy Emilio Pucci mini skirt, and yet it’s not her wardrobe that has the industry talking. It’s the way she inhabits Bianca Barclay — the magnetic siren in Netflix’s hit series Wednesday — that turned a supporting actor into a breakout lead practically overnight. With Season 2 now rolling out, Sunday is making it clear that this moment is just the beginning.

Netflix’s Wednesday became the streaming service’s most-watched English-language original, and for 28-year-old Joy Sunday, that visibility has opened doors and raised expectations. As the first batch of Season 2 episodes hit Netflix, she’s ready to push the character into darker territory while staking a claim on the broader kinds of roles she wants next.

How Bianca’s story deepens in Wednesday Season 2

Bianca Barclay arrived in Season 1 as the picture of teenage charisma at Nevermore Academy: popular, poised, and in control of her siren powers. Her early arc set up a sparring dynamic with Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday, then evolved into a reluctant alliance. Season 2 strips back that glossy surface and exposes more of Bianca’s internal struggle.

What changes for Bianca this season

• Her past resurfaces in ways that force uncomfortable choices.
• Family tensions intensify, especially with her mother, Gabrielle.
• She must confront actions she once judged in others — and in herself.

Sunday says this season shows Bianca trying to hide what’s happening beneath the surface, which pushes the character into a reckoning. Where Season 1 showcased her mastery over her abilities, Season 2 explores vulnerability and an uneasy compassion: the very traits Bianca once criticized in her mother now become the ones she has to grapple with.

Motherhood, redemption, and representation: the heart of Season 2

One of the through-lines this season is the complicated parent-child dynamic shared across the cast. For Bianca, that means revisiting childhood moments with Gabrielle — a siren whose own choices often skirt ethical lines. The result is a redemptive arc that mines both pain and possibility.

Sunday emphasizes that forgiveness and healing are central to the story—ideas that resonate beyond the show’s supernatural trappings. She points out that seeing a young Black woman on screen who allows herself to need help, and who receives support without shame, matters in a media landscape that rarely grants that permission.

Why this matters for Black girls on screen

• Sunday argues young Black women often shoulder adult responsibilities early, which shapes their sense of self.
• Bianca’s journey to ask for help offers a rare portrayal of vulnerability and community care.
• The show presents caregiving and advocacy as strengths rather than liabilities.

From press jitters to owning her platform: Sunday’s evolution

When Wednesday first premiered, Sunday was still getting comfortable with press rounds and red carpets. She admits she once tried to fit into an imagined mold for how an actress should present herself. That pressure has eased. A few years and several projects later — including films like Rise (2023) and Under the Influencer (2024) — she carries herself with a steadier confidence.

The 2023 writers and actors strikes and a shaky marketplace made work intermittent for many performers. For Sunday, becoming a global ambassador for Lancôme provided financial stability during slower stretches and helped sustain her family while she waited for the next big opportunity.

She’s clear-eyed about timing in an actor’s life: there are seasons that demand patience as well as seasons of fast momentum. But right now, she says, the momentum is real — and she intends to make the most of it.

Roles on the radar and projects in development

Sunday is already moving quickly. In February, Deadline reported she’ll appear in the HBO limited series DTF St. Louis, and Netflix renewed Wednesday for a third season ahead of Season 2’s rollout. Rather than rest on a single success, she’s using the spotlight to push for future parts that play to her strengths and interests.

• Preferred genres: fantasy, supernatural, and action.
• Dream projects she’s manifesting include titles like Interview With the Vampire and a speculative Ghost Dog 2.
• Commitment to bringing other artists along as her profile grows.

Her message about the platform is direct: she intends to leverage this visibility not only for herself but to create opportunities for others. She describes that intention as a promise, not a threat — a strategic, generational aim to open doors for colleagues and collaborators.

What to expect from Joy Sunday going forward

Sunday’s public persona has shifted from someone quietly finding her footing to a performer who knows what she wants creatively. She’s explicitly seeking roles that challenge genre boundaries and let her stretch into physical storytelling and fantastical worlds. At the same time, she’s grounded by the lessons of a career that has required patience and persistence.

For viewers and industry watchers, that means more than a new season of a hit show: it signals a young actor shaping her trajectory on her own terms. Wednesday Season 2 is streaming on Netflix now, and with a third season already greenlit, Bianca Barclay’s story — and Joy Sunday’s career — look set to keep evolving.

You might also like:

• Forever season 2: release date, cast, plot and renewal status
• Netflix January: 6 new movies and shows to watch
• Emily in Paris season 6: release date, cast, plot and trailers
• Best movies and TV shows to stream in August
• Netflix July releases: 6 movies and TV shows to watch

David Miller

David Miller is an entertainment expert with a passion for film, music, and series. With eight years in cultural criticism, he takes you behind the scenes of productions and studios. His energetic style guides you to the next big releases and trending sensations.