Nola Darling (brought to life by DeWanda Wise) is the radiant heart of She’s Gotta Have It — Netflix’s 2017-2019 series reimagining of Spike Lee’s seminal 1986 film. A fiercely independent Brooklyn artist, Nola navigates her creative ambitions and polyamorous love life with equal parts wit and vulnerability. She embraces her identity as a pansexual woman who refuses to conform to traditional relationship norms, and whether painting, teaching, or juggling relationships with her three lovers (Jamie, Greer, and Mars), she embodies a rare kind of freedom that is refreshing regarding Black women on screen.
Nola’s unshakable self-assurance is revolutionary in a media landscape where queer women of color, particularly those who reject monogamy, are often reduced to stereotypes or derision. Her sexuality isn’t framed as rebellion or a phase; it’s simply an intrinsic part of her artistry and humanity, and she won’t let others define her.
Spike Lee and showrunner Tonya Lewis Lee crafted Nola as a refreshingly three-dimensional character: she’s selfish yet generous (her “bed of love” is both sanctuary and battleground), impulsive yet introspective. The series doesn’t shy away from her flaws either — her chaotic hustle as an emerging artist (dealing with a heartbreaking cancelled check for a sold painting and having to face potential eviction), her fleeting yet meaningful connection with Opal (Ilfenesh Hadera), or her candid discussions about the eroticism of the female form.
Though the series was canceled after two seasons, Nola’s impact survives. In an era where Black queer women still lack more readily available and nuanced representation. She’s Gotta Have It may have ended, but Nola Darling’s spirit resonates wherever art and identity collide.