Joy Woods

About

American actress and singer who is known for her work both on and off Broadway. She has starred in multiple shows, including Six, The Notebook, and Gypsy. 

Before Fame

She started started formal dance training when she was in middle school. After graduating from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 2018, she moved to New York City to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, which she graduated from in 2019. She had her oof-Broadway debut the same year as the understudy for Audrey and Ronnette in the revival of Little Shop of Horrors.

Trivia

On May 1 2025 it was announced that she had been nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role of Louise in the revival of Gypsy. She is the first Black woman to play this role on Broadway. Her performance of the song My Days from the musical The Notebook went viral on Instagram in 2024, and was watched more than 3,000,000 times. 

Family Life

She is the youngest of six. Her mother was a dancer, and many of her siblings were musicians.

Associated With

Other popular stage actresses include Cynthia Erivo.