She was born DeWanda Jackson in Jessup, Maryland and raised in Woodlawn, Laurel, and Baltimore. In high school, Wise thought she wanted to be a therapist until she took AP Psychology and decided that was not the case. She began acting her sophomore year of at Atholton High School when her high school theatre Director, Nathan Rosen offered her a part in a production en lieu of detention. In 2006, she graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a bachelor's in fine arts in drama and urban studies. During her undergraduate years, Wise worked as a resident assistant and a stocker at Trader Joe's.

Wise married fellow actor Alano Miller in 2009 after three months of dating. Wise is a vegan. She lives in Pasadena, California.