Niecy Nash

Carol Denise Betts (née Ensley; born February 23, 1970), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress and television host. Her acting career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in films Boys on the Side (1995) and Cookie's Fortune (1999). She garnered further recognition for her portrayal of Deputy Raineesha Williams in the comedy series Reno 911! (2003–2009, 2020–present), along with hosting the Style Network show Clean House (2003—2010), for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award. Nash received two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for playing nurse Denise "Didi" Ortley in the HBO comedy-drama series, Getting On (2013–2015). She also starred on the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man (2012–2016), Fox horror-comedy series, and Scream Queens (2015–2016), From 2017 to 2022, she played the leading role of Desna Simms in the TNT crime comedy-drama Claws (2017–2022), for which she received Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, and in 2022 began starring as Special Agent Simone Clark in the ABC crime series, The Rookie: Feds. Nash starred in three Ava DuVernay's projects: played civil rights activist Richie Jean Jackson in the historical drama film Selma (2014), mother and activist Delores Wise in the Netflix miniseries When They See Us (2019), for which she received Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, and Marion Russell Wilkerson in the biographical drama film Origin (2023). Nash also played feminist leader Florynce Kennedy in the FX on Hulu miniseries Mrs. America (2020), and Glenda Cleveland in the Netflix limited series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022), receiving Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries and well as Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. Early life Nash was born Carol Denise Ensley, in Palmdale, California, on February 23, 1970. She was raised in South Central Los Angeles. At the age of five, Nash developed an interest in entertainment after watching actress Lola Falana on television. When she was fifteen, Nash witnessed her mother get shot by an abusive boyfriend. She became a spokesperson for M.A.V.I.S. (Mothers Against Violence In Schools), the organization founded by her mother after the 1993 shooting death of Nash's younger brother, Michael.