Niecy Nash facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Niecy Nash
Nash in 2010
Born	Carol Denise Ensley (1970-02-23) February 23, 1970 (age 55) Palmdale, California, U.S.
Other names	Niecy Nash-Betts
Alma mater	California State University, Dominguez Hills
Occupation	Actress, comedian, television host
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Don Nash ​ ​ (m. 1994; div. 2007)​ Jay Tucker ​ ​ (m. 2011; div. 2020)​ Jessica Betts ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	3

Niecy Nash, born Carol Denise Ensley on February 23, 1970, is a well-known American actress, comedian, and TV host. She started her acting career in the late 1990s. She became famous for playing Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy show Reno 911! (2003–2009, 2020–2022). She also hosted the show Clean House (2003—2010), for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award.

Niecy Nash was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as Denise "Didi" Ortley in the comedy-drama series Getting On (2013–2015). She also played Lolli Ballentine in The Soul Man (2012–2016) and Denise Hemphill in Scream Queens (2015–2016). From 2017 to 2022, she starred as Desna Simms in the crime comedy-drama Claws. She currently plays Detective Lois Tryon in the horror drama series Grotesquerie (2024–present).

Nash has worked with director Ava DuVernay on several projects. These include the films Selma (2014) and Origin (2023). She also worked with DuVernay on the miniseries When They See Us (2019), which earned her another Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Nash also played Florynce Kennedy in the miniseries Mrs. America (2020). In 2022, she starred in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for her role. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for this role.

Niecy Nash's Early Life

Niecy Nash was born Carol Denise Ensley in Palmdale, California. She attended California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Niecy is a spokesperson for M.A.V.I.S. (Mothers Against Violence In Schools). This group works to teach people about violence that can happen in schools.

Niecy Nash's Career Journey

Nash at the 2008 Emmys

Starting Her Acting Career

Niecy Nash first appeared in a movie in 1995, called Boys on the Side. She also guest-starred in many TV shows. These included NYPD Blue, Judging Amy, Reba, and ER. In 1999, she was in the film Cookie's Fortune. She also had a regular role in the TV series City of Angels in 2000.

From 2003 to 2009, Nash played Deputy Raineesha Williams on the comedy show Reno 911!. She hosted Clean House from 2003 to 2010. She also voiced Mrs. Boots in the animated series Slacker Cats. In 2008, she starred in the sitcom Do Not Disturb. Nash won a Daytime Emmy in 2010 for her work on Clean House. She announced she was leaving the show on August 4, 2010.

Nash in 2008 commercial for Clorox products

Nash was a contestant on the tenth season of Dancing with the Stars in 2010. She finished in fifth place. In 2011, she had her own reality show called Leave It To Niecy on TLC. It was about her life with her new husband and stepson. She also appeared in movies like Code Name: The Cleaner (2007) and G-Force (2009).

Later Roles and Awards

In 2012, Nash began starring in the sitcom The Soul Man. This show ran for five seasons until 2016. In 2013, she also started starring in the HBO comedy series Getting On. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in this show in 2015 and 2016.

In 2014, Nash played Richie Jean Jackson in the movie Selma. This film was about important historical events. Critics loved the movie, and it was on many "top ten" lists. That same year, Nash joined the cast of The Mindy Project. She played Dr. Jean Fishman, a rival character.

From 2015 to 2016, Nash was in the horror-comedy series Scream Queens. She played a security guard and then an FBI Agent. She also appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In 2017, Nash got a main role in the TNT series Claws. This show was about a nail salon in Florida. For her work in Claws, Nash received great reviews.

In July 2018, Niecy Nash received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for people in entertainment. In 2018, she was cast in the Netflix series When They See Us. Her performance in this series earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

In 2020, Nash starred in the Netflix movie Uncorked. She also had a recurring role in the Netflix comedy-drama Never Have I Ever. That same year, she played Florynce Kennedy in the miniseries Mrs. America. Nash also hosted her own talk show for CBS Television Distribution. She returned as Deputy Raineesha Williams in the seventh season of Reno 911!. She starred in the Lifetime movie Stolen by My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story.

In 2021, Nash was a guest host for The Masked Singer. In 2022, she became the host of a new version of Don't Forget the Lyrics. Nash also guest-starred in The Rookie. Her character later got her own spin-off show, The Rookie: Feds, which started in September 2022.

In late 2022, Nash starred as Glenda Cleveland in the Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She received very positive reviews for her acting. She won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award for this role. In 2023, she starred in the movie Origin.

Niecy Nash's Personal Life

In February 1993, Niecy Nash's brother, Michael Ensley, passed away at age 17. After this sad event, Nash started telling jokes to help her mother feel better. She realized she had a talent for comedy and decided to use it to help others.

Nash was married to Don Nash for 13 years. They had three children together. They divorced in 2007.

In 2010, Nash got engaged to Jay Tucker. They were married in May 2011. In 2019, Nash announced they were getting divorced, and it was finalized in 2020.

On August 29, 2020, Nash married singer Jessica Betts.

Niecy Nash's Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Videos

Video Games

Niecy Nash's Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Niecy Nash para niños