With Joy Sunday, it’s all in the eyes. Looking into them, they seem to bore into your soul. It’s that gaze that’s led Sunday to be an indelible force in two hit TV series: first as Bianca Barclay, the siren whose gaze sways people’s actions on Wednesday. And now, that look is getting her to the truth as Detective Jodie Plumb on DTF: St. Louis.
“It’s always been impossible for me to hide when I’m thinking, and I guess that shows on screen. It’s really hard for me to lie at all. And not even because of my eyes, but I think I’m just so beholden to truth,” Sunday told EBONY on a crisp Friday afternoon.
“I’ve always been a very curious person, and I think that might be part of where, what my gaze is doing: searching. It’s actually a trait of mine that I’ve really become familiar with in the past couple of years.”
Sunday has searched for the reasons behind her piercing stare.
“Maybe it’s because I’m a New Yorker, there’s something very, like, unabashedly confrontational perhaps about my gaze. It’s steady. It’s no nonsense. I think, especially in acting, you get so much from the eyes. So I’m also just really digging deep in there, and when I have a scene partner, that’s where I’m getting my information from.”
This born-and-bred New Yorker actually headed to Atlanta to film her latest series. The story revolves around Floyd Smernitch, who is found dead after signing up for an adult hook-up site. While it first seems like an open and shut case over who and how it happened, Sunday’s onscreen ego feels like there is a lot more than what meets the eye in this mystery.
“Jodie’s stoic, but she’s also very compassionate, observant, and receptive,” Sunday explained. “She brings a lot of color into a structure that’s very black and white — almost quite literally. She navigates the world, not necessarily according to the rules of what she’s expected to be or to believe.”
If Sunday’s law enforcement persona doesn’t feel like a cookie-cutter detective, that’s intentional.
“They really didn’t want me to feel like a cop; that’s not the most important thing about her. It’s her pursuit of understanding what happened, and it’s an important part of how she comes to be able to solve the mystery of it all.”
On a show that centers around the complexities of middle-aged romantic relationships, Sunday is coming in with a decidedly Gen-Z lens.
“Perspective really is very apparent in the show. It’s interesting because my generation is much more comfortable with these kinds of arrangements or curiosity,” she shared.
“We have less and less privacy these days, and what that means for how we feel about who we are as people and what we’re allowed to do, I think it’s actually quite important for us to engage with what we truly desire and make space and grace for.”
Exploring all aspects of relationships and connections has become more common on TV.
“Heated Rivalry and shows like it put it out there at the forefront because guys—we all do it. Like, we’re all here alive for a very specific reason. We should be able to talk about it freely.” She declared.
Even with an intimacy-positive attitude, Sunday would like to see her generation return to something that may feel a bit old-fashioned. “I’m really passionate about this: people don’t dance anymore. What’s going on, guys? We’re going out there, and nobody’s dancing,” she exclaimed.
“I think dancing would be a really big part of bringing people together. Not only is it community-building, but it is also a very intimate practice. It demonstrates who you are as a person. It’s a way to let your guard down and be whimsical and carefree. Bring dancing back!”
Another thing Sunday’s Wednesday character, Bianca, and DTF: St. Louis’ Jodie share is their beautifully coifed TWAs.
“My hair is kind of the pathway for why I love cinema so much, because I used to have to spend three hours every other day to do my hair. So, I’d have enough time to watch a movie,” Sunday recalled with a laugh. “That became quite unsustainable, especially as high school got more serious.”
Looking in a mirror one day, the actress decided it was time for the long locks to go.
“I briefly talked to my parents about it, and they were like, “Okay, you know you’re going to look like a boy.” And I was like, “Well, I, you know, I don’t think so, so I’m gonna try it out. I did, and it looked great.”
Sunday did let it grow out a year later, but preferred her short natural routine of shea butter and co-washing.
“Once I had the look, I kind of just stuck with it. It says a lot about me in a way, even unintentionally,” she stated.
“Not only does it obviously put my face at the forefront, but it also demonstrates that I’m not afraid, and I’m not hiding anything.”
It’s a face that says it all, without saying a word.
DTF: St Louis, the season’s final two episodes, air Sundays on HBO.