The inspiring story of Thuso Nokwanda Mbedu Woody’s Gets Its Downtown Wings

by KIAN AHMADI

Trays of meatballs, mac ‘n’ cheese, wings, and more wings lined the countertop of Linwood “Woody” Lacy’s restaurant for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating Woody’s Wings’ new location in the heart of downtown.

A crowd of roughly 60 city officials, friends, family members, and faithful customers gathered in the restaurant on Thursday morning for that ribbon-cutting celebration at 91 Church St. The event marked the official move downtown of a restaurant that had originally been on Whalley Avenue.

Woody and his wife Lachelle took the podium to thank family, friends, and city officials for their support when “things were rough.”

“We wouldn’t be here without her,” Woody said pointing to city Deputy Director of Economic Development Cathy Graves. He teared up recognizing her for her support through the years, calling her a “guardian angel.”

He added that they received two grants from the Community Foundation’s new Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem program, a total of $17,000. He said he plans to use the newest $7,000 to distribute his very own “Woody’s Signature Sauce” and secure a liquor license, a step toward his goal of having a bar in his new place.

Their family-owned and operated business began in 2016 inside their third-floor apartment in Westville with just three flavors of wings.

He recounted his long and often difficult path to this moment, reaching back in time to when he was a “knucklehead” who ended up incarcerated at 17. Woody went from cooking mofongo in prison to learning professional cooking skills working at the New Haven Lawn Club years later. He said he prospered during the pandemic, despite products being so expensive his business stayed strong. He cooked and sold wings from “two gas grills and a tent in his backyard,” childhood friend Ami Murphy said.

Lachelle said having this prime spot downtown “feels like a dream.” When she had to leave the much smaller location in Westville almost a year ago, she

by Ben Ebuka, Face2FaceAfrica.com

Growing up in the early 1990s, Thuso Mbedu never dreamt of being an entertainment figure. At a very young age, she wanted to be a dermatologist, but after taking a dramatic arts class in the 10th grade, she

Her acting career has earned her fame and fortune locally and internationally, rising to become one of the most sought after actresses from South Africa. At 27, she was named in the 2018 Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List, and one of the 100 Most Influential Born on July 8, 1991, at the Midlands Medical Center in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, to a Zulu mother and Xhosa and Sotho father, she never enjoyed the care of her parents who died when she was barely four years old. She was raised by her grandmother, a very strict school principal in school and at home. Her name reflected the multicultural tribes of her parents – Thuso is a Sotho name, Nokwanda is a Zulu name, and Mbedu is

Mbedu went to Pelham Primary School and Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School and graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in 2013, where she studied Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management. Earlier in 2012, she took a summer course at the Stella Adler

Her acting career began in 2014 when she played a minor role of ‘Nosisa’ in the popular South African Soap Opera ‘Isibaya’ from Mzansi Magic. In 2015, she played a guest role as ‘Kheti’ in the Second Season of the SABC 2 youth drama series ‘Snake said she never imagined having a location so nice. Now their business is as successful as ever, with space for customers to dine in, and a menu with 46 flavors of wings, eggrolls, salads, and much more.

She got her first starring role in the teen drama television series ‘IS’THUNZI’ from Mzansi Magic where she played ‘Winnie.’ Her international debut was in ‘The Underground Railroad’ an American fantasy historical drama series based on the novel ‘The Underground Railroad’ written by Colson Whitehead.

Woody credited Lachelle, who graduated from the city’s small business academy in 2019, for their success.

Mayor Justin Elicker declared during Thursday’s ceremony, “The weather today is hot, and this business is hotter.”

In 2022, she starred in her first film ‘The Woman King’ an epic historical drama about Agosie, where an entire female warrior unit protected the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 17 – 19th century. She played ‘Nawi’, a zealous recruit in the military unit.

The crowd shuffled towards the back of the room where tables formed the beginning of a buffet line prepared by the Lacy family. Ronald Huggins, a longtime friend and customer of Woody’s and a top city youth services official, pointed out the honey cajun wings as his favorite.

In 2017, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘DSTV Viewers Choice Awards’ and the ‘International Emmy Awards for the ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role

‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2018, she won the ‘South African Film and Television Awards’ for ‘ Best Actress – TV Drama’ for her role ‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the 2016 -2017 television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’ She was also nominated for the ‘International Emmy Awards for ‘Best Performance by an Actress’ for her role

“Hands down the best flavor,” he said. Woody said everything he does is for his family. His son Xavier, 16, and daughter Caylah, 21, both work for the restaurant, and his 8-year-old son Layden is keen to do the same when he’s older. Woody said he distributes free meals from his restaurant to around 20 families in need per week, and said he relates to their struggles and wants to give back.

‘Winnie Bhengu’ in the television drama series ‘IS’THUNZI.’

In 2021, she was nominated for the ‘Television Critics Association Award’ (Individual Achievement in Drama), the

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‘Black Reel Awards’ (Outstanding Actress – TV Movie / Limited Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthropology Series or Television Movie), the ‘Gotham Awards’ (Outstanding Performance in New Series), the ‘Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards’ (TV Breakout Star), and the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ (Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie), all for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 TV series ‘The Underground Railroad.’

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She won the ‘TV Breakout Star’ award from the Hollywood Critics Association TV and won the ‘Outstanding Performance in New Series’ award from the Gotham Awards.

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In 2022, Mbedu was nominated for the ‘Independent Spirit Awards (Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series), for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in the 2021 television series ‘The Underground Railroad.’ She won the ‘Critics Choice Television Awards’ for ‘Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Movie’ for her role ‘Cora Randall’ in ‘The Underground Railroad.’

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In her keynote speech at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit, Thuso Mbedu tearfully spoke of how she overcame the loss of her dear parents, grandmother, and aunt. But her role in Amanda Lane’s ‘IS’THUNZI’ gradually renewed her hope in life.

“…my world was that blur, until Amanda Lane happened in 2016. The role that Amanda Lane gave me was the difference between life and death for me. Receiving that audition brief, I told myself that I would audition like it was my last audition. I gave it the last of everything that I had, that at the time I got the callback, I had nothing left. I secretly made the decision not to do the callback because I had nothing left to give. But fortunately, I received the callback. So I didn’t do the callback because the role was mine. I had given up. I was in a very dark place at the time, and the character, the role, the opportunity, was a much needed light. And I told myself that I will act as if it was the last character that I will play. And through a great script and an amazing director, I earned two International Emmy Awards for that role…”