# Wallis Day
**Wallis Day** (born 1994) is a British actress known for playing Holly Cunningham in the soap opera *Hollyoaks*, Nyssa-Vex in the Syfy series *[Krypton](https://www.edgepedia.org/krypton-tv-series)*, and Kate Kane in [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw)'s *Batwoman*, where she replaced [Ruby Rose](https://www.edgepedia.org/ruby-rose) in the role.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) • [2](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Wallis_Day) Her full birth name is Wallis Lily Day.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, London, England; birth name Wallis Lily Day[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) |
| Breakout role | Holly Cunningham on *Hollyoaks* (Channel 4), 2012–2013, replacing Lydia Walters, the third of five actresses to play the character[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) |
| Signature TV roles | Nyssa-Vex in *Krypton* (2018–2019, 20 episodes); Kate Kane and Circe Sionis in *Batwoman* (2021, 7 episodes)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) |
| Film work | Agent Shin in *Infinite* (2021); Ryder in *Sheroes* (2023); the villain Annisia in *Red Sonja* (2025)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) • [4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) |
| Training | Sylvia Young Theatre School and Arts Educational Drama School in London; also the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) |
| Other work | Model (Vogue cover, Chanel ambassador); co-host of the podcast *Girls Next Door* with Francesca Allen; co-founder of the vegan food brand PlantPunk[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) • [4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) |
| Physical training | Former competitive swimmer who trained toward the 2012 Olympics; trained in mixed martial arts, boxing, and Muay Thai; performs her own stunts[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/) |
## Early life and training
Day was born in London in 1994. Accounts of her upbringing differ: TV Insider describes her as raised in the town of Illford,[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) while a 2025 Nylon interview describes her as growing up in [Cheltenham](https://www.edgepedia.org/cheltenham), about two hours outside London.[4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) She fell in love with performance after her father took her to see ballet at the age of five, and took stage lessons in Oxford and at the [Sylvia Young Theatre School](https://www.edgepedia.org/sylvia-young-theatre-school) in London before training at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/)
**Early independence.** Day began modeling at 13, writing to the agency Models 1 after finding it through an internet search, and left school at 16 to move to London and pursue acting.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/) • [6](https://www.thecwordmag.co.uk/women-in-film/actor-spotlight-qampa-with-wallis-day) Her first job was the lead role in a [Nintendo DS](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-ds) commercial filmed in Budapest.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/) In a 2018 interview she described an IQ of 143, said she had entered education a year early and moved through 11 schools in 12 years, and said she had trained as a competitive swimmer to represent Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/)
## British television
Day's breakout role came in 2012 as Holly Cunningham on the primetime UK drama *Hollyoaks*, replacing actress Lydia Walters, the third of five actresses to play Holly over two decades. She played the character for a year on the main program and its spin-off *Hollyoaks Later* before departing both in 2013.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) She left the show to study drama at Arts Educational.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/)
She then took guest and recurring roles, including Olalla, the granddaughter of Henry Jekyll with his propensity for transformation, in *Jekyll & Hyde* (ITV, 2015–16), and Angie Davis in *The Royals* (E!).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) Other early credits include the television movie *Casanova* (2015), *Between Two Worlds* (2016), *Shield 5* (2016), and *Trollied*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) • [7](https://www.syfy.com/people/wallis-day) In 2014 she appeared in a YouTube prank video with vloggers [Caspar Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/caspar-lee) and [Joe Sugg](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-sugg) that has drawn more than 22 million views.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/)
## Krypton
Day made her American television debut with a two-episode part on *Will* (TNT, 2017), then won the role of Nyssa-Vex on *Krypton*, Syfy's Superman prequel series set 200 years before the arrival of Kal-El on Earth.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/) • [5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/) Nyssa-Vex is a junior magistrate on Superman's home planet, a character Day described as "a bit of a villain. She's naughty, she's fun, she's intelligent, and she's very mysterious."[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/)
**How she got the part.** Day sought out the casting manager to ask for an audition and was refused, so she sent a self-tape, which led to auditions, further rounds, and a screen test. She assumed she had failed, but learned she had won the role a week later, on her 22nd birthday.[5](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/) She played Nyssa-Vex for 20 episodes across the series' 2018–2019 run.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1)
## Batwoman
In 2021 Day joined The CW's *Batwoman* as Kate Kane, replacing Ruby Rose, who had originated the role, and also appeared as Circe Sionis; she played the part in 7 episodes.[2](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Wallis_Day) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) Day said the role had been a discussion for a long time before she finally got the chance to take it.[8](https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/08/11/wallis-day-interview-batwoman/) Her casting was reported in March 2021 alongside [Javicia Leslie](https://www.edgepedia.org/javicia-leslie), who joined the series as the new character Ryan Wilder.[9](https://deadline.com/2021/03/batwoman-wallis-day-kate-kane-javicia-leslie-ryan-wilder-the-cw-1234718851/)
## Film and later work
Day played Agent Shin in [Antoine Fuqua](https://www.edgepedia.org/antoine-fuqua)'s thriller *Infinite* (2021) for Paramount, alongside [Mark Wahlberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-wahlberg) and [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://www.edgepedia.org/chiwetel-ejiofor), and has described working alongside Fuqua and Wahlberg as a career highlight.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) • [6](https://www.thecwordmag.co.uk/women-in-film/actor-spotlight-qampa-with-wallis-day) She appeared as Gigi in Netflix's *Sex/Life* (2023, 5 episodes) and led Paramount's action film *Sheroes* (2023) as Ryder.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1)
**Red Sonja.** Day plays the villain Annisia, one of the fantasy film's deadliest warriors, in *Red Sonja* (2025), a new interpretation of the comic-book character directed by M. J. Bassett and starring Matilda Lutz.[4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) • [10](https://as.com/meristation/cine/apartate-conan-el-primer-trailer-de-red-sonja-muestra-en-su-esplendor-a-la-barbara-mas-sangrienta-de-la-historia-n/) For the part she trained in fight choreography, strength training, and horseback riding.[4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) On Rotten Tomatoes the film is her highest-rated credit at 56 percent, against 33 percent for *Sheroes*.[11](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wallis_day)
## Beyond acting
Day has continued to model, appearing on the cover of *Vogue* and serving as a Chanel ambassador.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1) She plays drums and guitar, trains in [Muay Thai](https://www.edgepedia.org/muay-thai), writes poetry, and has appeared in music videos for [Arctic Monkeys](https://www.edgepedia.org/arctic-monkeys) and 5 Seconds of Summer.[4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview) She co-founded the vegan food brand PlantPunk and hosts the lifestyle podcast *Girls Next Door* with her friend, the influencer Francesca Allen.[4](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview)
**Business record.** [Companies House](https://www.edgepedia.org/companies-house) records show Wallis Lily Day as an active director of WLD Productions Limited, appointed on 13 August 2013.[12](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/Y8GFEAHT4wgcAVDuxOjqFqxBePM/appointments) Through WLD Productions she is developing a television show, short films, and other projects, and the podcast is produced under the same company.[13](https://thehouse-magazine.com/wallis-day-the-woman-who-knows-how-to-arrive/) She was appointed a director of Vegan Punk Ventures Ltd on 10 August 2021 and resigned on 20 January 2025; the company is now dissolved.[12](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/Y8GFEAHT4wgcAVDuxOjqFqxBePM/appointments)
## References
1. [Wallis Day – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/wallis-day/)
2. [Wallis Day, DC Database (Fandom)](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Wallis_Day)
3. [Wallis Day, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5363417/?nmdp=1)
4. [Wallis Day On 'Red Sonja' & Why Jane Goodall Is Her It Girl Icon, Nylon (November 18, 2025)](https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/wallis-day-red-sonja-interview)
5. ["I just enjoy taking risks." Is Wallis Day the coolest actress in the world?, Square Mile (April 9, 2018)](https://squaremile.com/culture/film-tv/wallis-day-interview-krypton/)
6. [Actor Spotlight: Q&A with Wallis Day, The C Word Mag](https://www.thecwordmag.co.uk/women-in-film/actor-spotlight-qampa-with-wallis-day)
7. [Wallis Day, Syfy Krypton cast page](https://www.syfy.com/people/wallis-day)
8. [Actress Wallis Day Talks Starring In Batwoman And Her Career, Wonderland (August 11, 2021)](https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/08/11/wallis-day-interview-batwoman/)
9. [Batwoman: Wallis Day To Play Kate Kane; Javicia Leslie Joins As Ryan Wilder, Deadline (March 2021)](https://deadline.com/2021/03/batwoman-wallis-day-kate-kane-javicia-leslie-ryan-wilder-the-cw-1234718851/)
10. [Apártate, Conan: el primer tráiler de 'Red Sonja', MeriStation (AS)](https://as.com/meristation/cine/apartate-conan-el-primer-trailer-de-red-sonja-muestra-en-su-esplendor-a-la-barbara-mas-sangrienta-de-la-historia-n/)
11. [Wallis Day Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/wallis_day)
12. [Wallis Lily DAY personal appointments, Companies House (GOV.UK)](https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/Y8GFEAHT4wgcAVDuxOjqFqxBePM/appointments)
13. [Wallis Day: The Woman Who Knows How to Arrive, The House Magazine (July 13, 2026)](https://thehouse-magazine.com/wallis-day-the-woman-who-knows-how-to-arrive/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › English actors: 2000s onward › Surnames D to E*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license