Niecy Nash is a California-native born as Carol Denise Ensley on February 23, 1970, to parents Sonny and Margaret Ensley. Nash became enamored with acting at the young age of five after seeing Black actress Lola Falana on television. She also attributes her acting career to coping with the tragic death of her brother. In a 2015 interview with Fresh Air, Nash discussed her mother’s depression after the death of her sibling: “And so when my mother went into this depression, what I started to do was I would go to the foot of her bed every day and I would perform. And I would do characters, I would do voices, I would do a comedy routine, I would dance, I would sing. My mother went from laying down in the bed to sitting up in the bed. And she said, ‘I got my peanuts and my water. Go on and do your rendition of things.’ So I just kept performing.”
Nash would later receive a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Drama from California State University. In 1995, Nash earned a bit-part in the drama Boys on the Side, which would mark her professional acting debut. She has since gone on to have a successful career, most recently starring in the Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Here are her best performances, ranked.
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8 The Soul Man
TV Land
The Soul Man is a spin-off series of Hot in Cleveland, starring Nash and Cedric the Entertainer. The series follows the life of famed R&B singer Reverend Boyce “The Voice” Ballentine, who opts to leave his glamorous lifestyle behind in favor of a more modest living as a minister despite the dismay of his wife and daughter. Nash and co-star Cedric the Entertainer have fantastic chemistry in this delightful comedy.
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7 Reno 911!
Comedy Central
Reno 911! marks one of Nash’s most memorable performances. Nash stars as deputy Raineesha Williams in this Cops-style parody. Williams is an over-the-top boisterous personality always looking to exploit the system. Nash earned a Gracie Allen award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her hilarious characterization. The popular series inspired a 2020 revival on Quibi, starring the original cast.
6 Scream Queens
20th Century Fox
Scream Queens is a horror-comedy series created by Ryan Murphy. It features an ensemble cast including Abigail Breslin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Oliver Hudson, Ariana Grande, Lea Michele, Keke Palmer, Emma Roberts, and, of course Nash. Nash plays security guard turned police officer Denise Hemphill, who is initially responsible for the safety of the Kappa Kappa Tau Sorority sisters when under attack by the Red Devil. In season 2, Hemphill helps solve the green meanie murders. Nash brings hilarious wit and charm to every role she portrays and her role in Scream Queens is no exception.
5 Claws
Le Train Train
In the comedy-drama Claws, Nash stars as badass boss babe Desna Simms, a nail salon owner who moonlights as a money launderer for the Dixie Mafia. Nash won audiences over with her honest depiction of women in their 40s, telling The Washington Post: “[They] were not married, didn’t have children, were having sex for their own pleasure [and] bossing up in their respective careers,” she says. “I wanted them to see themselves represented on television in a real way.”
4 Getting On
Anima Sola Productions
HBO’s dramedy Getting On is one of Nash’s best performances because it is the one that Nash herself credits as showcasing what she can offer outside of comedy. In an interview for Variety’s " My Favorite Episode" podcast, Nash states, “I spent a lot of time in my career being told that I could only do one thing.” She continued, “You do broad comedy, that’s your lane. And I’m like, no, I can do something else." Her role in Getting On spurred more dramatic roles, including When They See Us, and more recently Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
3 Selma
Harpo Films
Selma is an Ava Duvernay film that is based on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery protest marches in favor of African-American voting rights. Nash stars as Richie Jean Jackson, who was a key player in the civil rights movement, offering up her home as a base for strategizing. Nash discussed the role with The Christian Post, stating, “She actually opened her home to the movement. She made sure they could come there to galvanize and get their game plan together.”
2 When They See Us
Nash proves her acting chops in the Netflix limited series When They See Us as the helpless mother of a Black New York teenager wrongfully convicted of rape in the heartbreaking and explosive drama centered around the true story of the Central Park Five, now known as The Exonerated Five. Nash stars as Dolores Wise, mother of Korey Wise, played expertly by Jharrel Jerome. Nash was nominated for several awards for her performance in the series, taking home an Image Award and a Black Reel award.
1 Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Netflix
Despite the controversy surrounding the Netflix limited series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, it is hard to deny the incredible performances throughout by both Evan Peters as Dahmer and series stand-out Nash as concerned citizen and neighbor Glenda Cleveland, who single-handedly tried to stop Dahmer’s reign of terror by reporting him to the police on several occasions for suspicious behavior. Her performance has earned praise among critics and viewers alike, and has been heralded as “the performance of her career.”
