Niecy Nash has been dominating Hollywood and Television with her diverse roles in projects such as Claws, The Rookie: Feds and Netflix’s Dahmer- Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
With a career spanning more than 25 years, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, thanks to her memorable performances and infectious personality. In honor of Nash’s rich career, let’s take a closer look at the star’s rise to fame and why she continues to captivate fans across the world.
Born on Feb. 23, 1970, Nash grew up in Palmdale, California with her family. She attended California State University, Dominguez Hills where she studied theatre arts.
Niecy Nash was destined for stardom
Nash knew from a very young age that she was destined to be on the big screen.
While speaking to her alma mater in 2010, the Reno 911 alum said it was legendary actress Lola Falana that sparked her passion for acting.
“I said, ‘My God, who is that?’” Nash recalled of seeing the star on TV when she was 5 years old.
“My grandmother said, ‘Baby, that’s Lola Falana.’ I started to hyperventilate right there. I said, ‘That’s what I’m going to be! Glamorous! Black! On TV! Gimme that!’’”
Nash’s climb to Hollywood stardom came with a few devastating setbacks.
While in her early 20s, she witnessed her mother being shot and wounded by a former boyfriend, according to her university’s website. The actress suffered another blow in 1993 when her brother Michael Ensley was fatally shot during a mass shooting at Reseda High School in California. He was 17.
The star and her mother fell into a deep depression. Acting and comedy quickly became a source of therapy to help ease some of their shared grief.
“She said, ‘I’m getting in the bed and I’m not getting back up,’” said Nash. “At that young age, I didn’t know what to do. But I knew that I was funny. I knew I could make my mama laugh. So I went to her house every…
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