Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo: from Gqeberha to Sheriff Santiago in 'Wednesday' season 2
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo has become a global sensation with their portrayal of Sheriff Santiago in the Netflix hit series Wednesday. The openly queer actor nurtured their talent in South Africa before finding opportunities to go to London, then Hollywood.
I was always interested in the craft.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Sheriff Santiago in the Wednesday series on Netflix is Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo's breakout role in the industry.
- The actor was raised in Gqeberha and now resides in the United Kingdom.
- Lewis-Nyawo identifies as non-binary and queer.
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo's profile summary
| Full name | Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo |
| Age | 38 years old (in 2025) |
| Place of birth | Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Place raised | Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Current residence | United Kingdom |
| Sexual orientation | Pansexual |
| Gender identity | Non-binary |
| Pronouns | They/them |
| Education | National School of the Arts, Royal Central School |
| Profession | Actor, writer |
| Social media |
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo hails from SA's Eastern Cape
38-year-old Lewis-Nyawo is a South African national born in Johannesburg towards the end of the apartheid era in the late 1980s. Their parents left them in the care of their grandmother, who raised them in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape Province.
After their grandmother's death, their parents took them to school in Johannesburg. Luyanda is now based in the United Kingdom.
Source: Getty Images
Lewis-Nyawo on building their acting career
Luyanda started their acting journey in the school plays. They had roles in projects like The Jungle Book and Robin Hood & the Babes in the Woods.
They later joined Johannesburg-based National School of the Arts, which has produced notable alumni like Charlize Theron and Jeannie D. Luyanda shared in their September 2025 interview with the Daily Sun that joining the institution gave them hope for a future in their industry.
I was always interested in the craft. I remember even as a young kid, I was always fascinated by performance, by the stage, by storytelling. So, when I got the chance to go to the NSA, it really felt like the first big door opening for me.
Lewis-Nyawo temporarily stepped away from acting to explore film and advertising school. They returned to acting through a local theatre acting troupe headed by the multi-award-winning actress and director Dorothy Ann Gould. Luyanda later moved to London to study at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama for three years.
Source: Getty Images
Lewis-Nyawo's journey from theatre to the small screen
The actor, who has theatre and drama training, told Popternative in August 2025 that they have been learning about on-screen acting on the job. They first landed minor roles in British shows like Top Boy and Doctor Who, and later appeared in the 2025 Netflix film Back in Action starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz.
In 2022, Luyanda portrayed their breakout role as Deputy Ritchie Santiago on the hit Netflix series Wednesday alongside Hollywood stars Jenna Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones. They were promoted to series regular in 'Wednesday' season 2 as the Sheriff of Jericho after taking over from Donovan Galpin (portrayed by Jamie McShane).
Lewis-Nyawo is also a voice actor. They have had voice roles in video games like Eternal Strands as Sula, Ruined King as Illaoi, Baldur's Gate 3, Immortals of Aveum, and League of Legends: The Ruined King.
Source: Instagram
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo's movies and TV shows
| Project | Year | Role |
| Back in Action | 2025 | Airport Immigration Officer Keita |
| Dreamers | 2025 | Nisma |
| Wednesday | 2022 to date | Sheriff Ritchie Santiago |
| Dragfox | 2024 | Mia's voice |
| How to Date Billy Walsh | 2024 | Maggie |
| Top Boy | 2023 | Nurse |
| The Magic Flute | 2022 | Nurse |
| Devs | 2020 | Angela |
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo on their queer identity
Lewis-Nyawo identifies as a non-binary, gender-fluid, and pansexual person. They revealed during their April 2021 appearance on the 'From Queer to Eternity' podcast that they started exploring their identity when they were teenagers. They hope to see more queer actors taking on major roles in film and television.
In their August 2025 interview with PinkNews, Luyanda shared that they had a great experience on the Wednesday set as a queer actor. They also said that many productions are trying to be accommodating and inclusive.
When you've got queer folk at the helm of a project, it's so refreshing to just walk into a space and you don't have to do that initial dance of 'these are my pronouns.' There's a level of care that's very difficult to create on a massive multi-million dollar set. It's not impossible, but it's tough.
Source: Instagram
What is next for Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo?
The South African-born star is not slowing down and has been doing behind-the-scenes work as a writer. They are also actively involved in theatre productions and promoting queer stories. Their recent project is a stage adaptation of Shakespeare's Coriolanus alongside veteran actress Pamela Nomvete.
Luyanda, a self-proclaimed nerd, has been taking on more video game roles. They will be voicing Illaoi in 2XKO, an upcoming free-to-play 2v2 fighting game developed and published by Riot Games. The game is planned for release in December 2025 on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Instagram
Wrapping up
Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo is more than an actor on the small screen. Their journey from South Africa's Eastern Cape to the eerie corridors of Nevermore Academy in 'Wednesday' is an inspiration to people of colour and the queer community.
READ MORE: Meet Ayakha Ntunja, the actress who plays Amo in Youngins
Briefly.co.za published the biography of rising South African actress Ayakha Ntunja. She became a household name for portraying the lead role of Amo in the hit Showmax teen series Youngins.
Ayakha studied at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg. She played Thembi in BET Africa's MTV Shuga Down South and Dudu in the Showmax drama Pearls of Wisdom.
Source: Briefly News
