A Date With Niecy
Essence|September 2017

Pull Up a Seat as Emmy-nominated Actress Niecy Nash Takes Us Through Her Journey From Dreaming of Making It in Hollywood to Leading the Hit Show Claws.

Charreah K. Jackson
A Date With Niecy

Niecy Nash loves to date. She goes on dates with each of her three kids separately to keep the bonds strong and cherishes regular double dates with her husband, Jay Tucker, and some of their favorite couples, including Lisa Leslie and her husband, Michael, and Laila Ali and her husband, Curtis. “I am grateful to be living my dream, so I take full advantage of it and work to stay connected,” she says. While filming TNT’s Claws in New Orleans (masking for South Florida), Nash spent most Sundays having brunch at the popular Commander’s Palace. “I have a standing reservation, so if you’re looking for me, that is where I’ll be.” After a shrimp appetizer, drum fish with crab on top for a main course and strawberry shortcake for dessert washed down with “some St-Germain liqueur, topped off by some champagne, thank you very much,” Nash would hop up and perform with the band—and if her mom, Margaret, was in town, she would join in. Her penchant for grabbing life with both hands is one of the many reasons we fell in love with Nash—and got on her calendar when she was in New York City for an appearance at the Vulture Fest.

“Hello?”

That’s how my date with the actress begins. I thought I would be the early one, but she is already seated inside the Manhattan restaurant we’d agreed to meet for breakfast and calling me. And how does Nash have my number? Well, some women collect cool shoes or maybe great wigs. Our girl Ms. Niecy collects people. Once you meet her, she’s a friend for life. Years after we had filmed a few fun videos for ESSENCE, she still had my number locked in. I learn she’s only changed her number once in the past 15 years. “I still got a Yahoo, girl,” she says.

This story is from the September 2017 edition of Essence.

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This story is from the September 2017 edition of Essence.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.