Cover Stories Actress Niecy Nash Receives 1st Emmy Nomination
Actress Niecy Nash received her first Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal as Denise ‘Didi” Ortley on the hit HBO show ‘Getting On’. Emmy winner Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black) and Cat Deeley, (host of So You Think You Can Dance) announced the nominations live from the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 16, 2015.
Born Carol Denise Ensley, the Emmy nominated actress Niecy Nash reminds you of a sister who will tell you the hard truth while simultaneously making you laugh, and then engulfing you with a big hug right after she straightens you out. You have seen her on “Judging Amy”, “Reba”, “CSI”, “Reno 911”, on the tenth season of “Dancing with the Stars”, “Hot in Cleveland”, as host of the reality series “Clean House”, “The Soul Man “(opposite Cedric the Entertainer) and as a co-star in the critically acclaimed film “Selma”.
In 2010, Nash won a Daytime Emmy® in the Outstanding Special Class category as Producer/Host of “Clean House: The Messiest Home in the Country”.
The California native spoke with The Sentinel about her Primetime Emmy nomination.
Los Angeles Sentinel (LAS): Congratulations! How excited are you?
Niecy Nash (NN): Words cannot express how excited I am. I wasn’t campaigning for it, so it’s especially nice to be honored for my work.
LAS: Does this nomination feel different from your previous Daytime Emmy nomination?
NN: It does feel different because of all the women of color who are nominated this year. Diversity is a high priority for the television industry and I believe that the red carpet should reflect the real work that’s happening in front of the camera. I’m really happy about the recognition that women of color are receiving this year for their work.
LAS: Tell us about ‘DiDi’ your character on the HBO series Getting On.
NN: I love playing nurse DiDi! She is so different from other characters that I’ve played. She’s grounded, so down to earth. There is no glamour with DiDi, she’s a solid woman who wouldn’t be the same if she were all dolled up and fabulous. I would describe DiDi as the calm against all the crazies.
LAS: Getting On follows the hospital staff as they struggle to provide quality healthcare in the long-term care geriatric ward. What is it like working as a part of an ensemble cast for HBO?
NN: We have a great cast and it’s been a joy to work with them. It’s absolutely teamwork that makes DiDi who she is. Laurie Metcalf, Alex Borstein, and Mel Rodriguez are wonderful actors and I share this nomination with them. HBO is very detailed and very good at what they do. Prior to the first day of shooting, I made rounds with real nurses, and experienced real medical training. The preparation helped me to form my idea of who DiDi is and how she would handle different situations. DiDi is very different from me but I would say she high on my list of favorite characters that I have played.
LAS: You are also an accomplished actress and author () any new books on the horizon?
NN: Not yet…I’ve been pretty busy (thank you Lord) working on Soul Man and I have a new show premiering this fall on the FOX network – Scream Queens with KeKe Palmer.
LAS: Congratulations on your new show and the Sentinel wishes you well on your big night. As the summer whizzes by, if you had to describe a favorite summer activity/vacation, where would you go?
NN: Jamaica. Any summer activity that involves Jamaica, my husband plus friends equals a fabulous time.
The 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Ceremony will air on Sunday, September 20th on the FOX Network.