Niecy Nash facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Niecy Nash
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Niecy at the Essence Festival 2025 Queer Space Event
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| Born |
Carol Denise Ensley
February 23, 1970 Palmdale, California, U.S.
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| Other names | Niecy Nash-Betts |
| Alma mater | California State University, Dominguez Hills |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Don Nash
(m. 1994; div. 2007)Jay Tucker
(m. 2011; div. 2020)Jessica Betts
(m. 2020) |
| Children | 3 |
Carol Denise Betts (born February 23, 1970), known to the world as Niecy Nash, is a famous American actress. She started her acting career in the 1990s with roles in movies like Boys on the Side (1995) and Cookie's Fortune (1999).
Niecy became well-known for playing Deputy Raineesha Williams in the funny TV show Reno 911! (2003–2009, 2020–2022). She also hosted the show Clean House from 2003 to 2010, which earned her a Daytime Emmy Award. She has won other major awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
She has starred in many popular shows, including the comedy-drama Getting On, the sitcom The Soul Man, and the horror-comedy Scream Queens. From 2017 to 2022, she played the main character, Desna Simms, in the crime show Claws.
Niecy has also worked with director Ava DuVernay on important projects. These include the movies Selma (2014) and Origin (2023), and the miniseries When They See Us (2019). Her performance in When They See Us earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination.
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Early life
Niecy Nash was born Carol Denise Ensley in Palmdale, California. She grew up in Compton, California. When she was only five years old, she saw actress Lola Falana on TV and knew she wanted to be an entertainer.
When Niecy was a teenager, she went through difficult times. At age fifteen, her mother was badly hurt by a violent boyfriend. A few years later, her younger brother, Michael, was tragically killed in a school shooting in 1993. In response to this tragedy, her mother started an organization called M.A.V.I.S. (Mothers Against Violence In Schools). Niecy became a spokesperson for the group, which works to make schools safer for children.
Niecy found that making people laugh helped her mother deal with her sadness. This is when she realized she had a gift for comedy. She graduated from Gardena High School and later from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Career
Starting Her Career
Niecy's first movie role was in the 1995 film Boys on the Side. After that, she appeared as a guest star in many popular TV shows, such as NYPD Blue, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and ER.
Her big break came in 2003 when she was cast as Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy series Reno 911!. The show was a huge hit and made her a familiar face to many viewers. During this time, she also hosted the home makeover show Clean House. Her work on Clean House won her a Daytime Emmy Award in 2010.
In 2010, Niecy competed on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. She and her partner, Louis van Amstel, finished in fifth place. She also had roles in movies like Reno 911!: Miami (2007) and the animated film G-Force (2009).
Becoming a Star
From 2012 to 2016, Niecy starred in the sitcom The Soul Man. She then took on a more serious role in the HBO series Getting On from 2013 to 2015. Her performance was so good that she was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
In 2014, she played Richie Jean Jackson in the historical movie Selma. The film was about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and received excellent reviews. From 2015 to 2016, she played the funny security guard Denise Hemphill in the horror-comedy show Scream Queens.
From 2017 to 2022, Niecy played the lead role of Desna Simms in the TNT series Claws. The show was about a group of women working at a nail salon in Florida. Her performance earned her a Satellite Award. In 2018, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Recent Work and Major Awards
Niecy's career continued to grow with powerful roles. In 2019, she starred in the Netflix series When They See Us, which earned her another Emmy nomination. In 2020, she played the civil rights leader Florynce Kennedy in the miniseries Mrs. America.
In 2022, she played Glenda Cleveland in the Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Her incredible performance won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, a Critics' Choice Television Award, and a Golden Globe nomination.
Niecy also became the host of the game show Don't Forget the Lyrics! in 2022. She also starred in the police drama The Rookie: Feds from 2022 to 2023.
Personal life
Niecy was married to Don Nash for 13 years, and they have three children together. They divorced in 2007.
In 2011, she married Jay Tucker. Their wedding planning was shown on a TLC reality show. They announced their divorce in 2019.
On August 29, 2020, Niecy married singer Jessica Betts. When asked about her identity, Niecy has said that she does not label herself and that her marriage was about falling in love with a wonderful person.
Selected Filmography
This is a list of some of Niecy Nash's most well-known movies and TV shows.
Film
- Cookie's Fortune (1999)
- Guess Who (2005)
- Horton Hears a Who! (2008) (voice role)
- G-Force (2009)
- Selma (2014)
- Downsizing (2017)
- Uncorked (2020)
- Origin (2023)
Television
- The Bernie Mac Show (2003–2005)
- Reno 911! (2003–2009, 2020–2022)
- Clean House (2003–2010)
- Dancing with the Stars (2010)
- The Soul Man (2012–2016)
- Getting On (2013–2015)
- Scream Queens (2015–2016)
- Claws (2017–2022)
- When They See Us (2019)
- Mrs. America (2020)
- Never Have I Ever (2020–2023)
- The Rookie: Feds (2022–2023)
- Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)
- Grotesquerie (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Niecy Nash para niños
