DeWanda Wise is an American actress. She played the lead role of "Nola Darling" in Spike Lee's 2017 Netflix series (10 episodes) She's Gotta Have It — a modern adaptation of his 1986 film.

DeWanda was born in Jessup, Maryland, and raised in Woodlawn, Laurel, and Baltimore. She began acting in her sophomore year at Atholton High School when her school theater director, Nathan Rosen, offered her a role in a production instead of detention. In 2006, she graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in drama and urban studies. During her college years, she worked as a resident assistant and a stocker at Trader Joe's.