Niecy Nash Had 2 Husbands and 3 Kids Before Marrying Gay Partner Jessica Betts

Publish date: 2024-05-06

Niecy Nash was married to Don Nash (1994–2007) and Jay Tucker (2011–2020) before she met and married her current partner Jessica Betts. Together with her first husband, she has three children, a son named Dominic Jabari Nash and two daughters, Donielle Mikel Lanae Nash and Dia La Ren Nash. 

A lot of people get married for different reasons, and for a large percentage, love and companionship top the list. For some reason, the love shared between some couples tends to grow cold -on the part of one or both parties- or even vanish after some time and as a result, they chose to part ways and damn the consequences, rather than live the rest of their lives in a loveless union. Among the women who have taken such bold step in recent time is the American entertainer and television personality, Niecy Nash.

The comedian has two failed marriages on her record but that notwithstanding, she never gave up on love, however, she gave up on men. What this means is that Niecy’s first two marriages were to men – the first being a minister with whom she has three children, and the second, an engineer.

Her union with the preacher lasted for 13 years before they parted ways and not long after, she got involved with her second husband and tied the knot with him in 2011. Sadly, they got divorced in early 2020. Following the crash of her second marriage, Niecy decided to give love and marriage the third shot, but this time, with a fellow woman named Jessica Betts.

Niecy Nash’s First Husband Is Rev. Don Nash, An Ordained Minister 

The world may never have known that anyone like Rev. Don Nash exists if not for his marriage to a popular figure; Niecy Nash. Probably because he is a minister of the gospel, Rev. Nash prefers to keep his business away from the public. As a result, there is very little information about his life available for public consumption. Some of the very few facts about him include that he was an R&B singer before he became a pastor, as revealed by Niecy in 2012 during an interview with Britanny Lewis of GlobalGrind.

Niecy and Don Nash reportedly got married in 1994 and at that time, the entertainer was only 24 years old (one year younger than Don) and had not yet started her career in the entertainment industry. This could likely be why details of their wedding and when and how she met the preacher are not known.

Although Nicey eventually launched her career in 1995 and started gaining some sort of fame in the course of their marriage, she still kept everything about her union with Don far away from the media. The former couple stayed married for 13 years before calling it quits in 2007. While they were together, they had three children named Donielle, Dia, and Dominic.

As usual, divorce usually leads to losses- tangible or intangible. In Nicey’s case, she revealed during a speech at the 2020 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon that took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, that she lost her husband, her pastor, and her church, “just like that.” Looking back at her relationship with Rev. Don Nash, the actress told Jada Pinkett Smith and her co-hosts in an episode of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk in March 2021, that she experienced a lot of trauma as a child and was looking for a savior when she married him.

According to her, “I won’t tell you I didn’t love him, but I will tell you I needed saving. I stayed in that marriage for 17 years to a large degree, in the latter years, because we had a church together and it this weight on me that [told me], ‘You can’t divorce, you are a Christian.'” When she got tired of living in pretense, she left. As she told Jada, “many people believe that I stuck with Don that long because of my children, but I left for my children. Because I wanted them to see what real love looked like,” she explained.

The Comedian Got Married A Second Time To An Electrical Engineer Named Jay Tucker

After she parted ways with her first husband, Niecy Nash wasted no time getting back into the dating pool as she got involved with Jay Turner barely two years later. Jay seems to be one of those guys who believe in keeping their personal lives private and as a result, we are yet to find out a lot about his family background, childhood, early education among other things. However, having been able to dig up details of his tertiary education and career, we are glad to share them with you.

The handsome African American engineer is a former student of Roxbury College from where he bagged a Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering upon his graduation in 1991. He landed his first job as an applications engineer at APC-MGE (now known as the IT business of Schneider-Electric) the same year he graduated and worked there until 1996. From 2000, Jay served in the position of sr. field sales engineer/business development officer at Emerson Network Power and remained there until 2010 when he got another job as a sales manager – western region at GE Power.

He worked with the company for five years before landing a more lucrative job at Hammond Power Solutions in Greater Los Angeles Area in 2015. After working in the position of business development manager for five years and eight months, Jay Tucker decided that it was time to move on to bigger things. In October 2020, he took over the position of sr. sales engineer/business development at Industrial Electric Mfg. (IEM) in Greater Los Angeles Area and still works there to date.

In an attempt to see if we could find out more information about Tucker, we decided to check on social media, but alas, he is not a fan of social media. In fact, he does not even seem to be on any other social media platform except Instagram where he has gained more than 19 thousand followers. Being a private person, he shares only pictures and videos of things related to his work and profession on the social media site.

The Pair Met In 2009 and Tied The Knot The Next Year

The former lovebirds met back in 2009 at a Labor Day party and knew instantly that there was strong chemistry between them. They eventually started dating and subsequently got engaged on the 7th of September 2010. The duo went on to host their close friends to a party that weekend and shared their big news with them.

In a subsequent chat with People, Nash, speaking of her engagement said, “I have to say, this second time around, it feels custom”. Continuing, she revealed that the ink on her first divorce papers had not even dried up when she said to herself, ” Ooh, the next time I become a wife, I got this thing down pat!” And this was because she believed that there was someone custom-made for her (referring to Jay Tucker at the time), she told the magazine.

Eight months later, the couple was all set to walk down the aisle and exchange marital vows. To keep fans abreast with their wedding plans and get some advice too, they documented the process for a television show titled Niecy Nash’s Wedding Bash. The show, which aired on the TLC network, followed Niecy as she made plans in preparation for her wedding to Tucker. It showed details of different aspects of the wedding preparation from Niecy picking her wedding dress to the bridal shower (during which Jay surprised his then-soon-to-be wife with a big bouquet of roses) to the wedding ceremony itself and everything in between.

Talking about the show, the Getting On star told US Weekly that one major thing she wanted women to learn from it was that they could get a second chance. “You can get a do-over. Through this show, I want to tell them that the first time you fall in love doesn’t have to be the last time,” she added.

Niecy Nash and Jay Tucker eventually tied the knot in a lavish ceremony on the 28th of May 2011 at the Church Estate Vineyard in the beach city of Malibu, Los Angeles County, California. For the occasion, the actress was dressed in a strapless gown designed by Ines DiSanto while her husband looked dapper in a black suit. Present at the event were family, friends, and Hollywood actresses such as Sherri Shepherd, Holly Robinson-Peete, Rebecca Romjin, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who served as Nash’s maid of honor, among others.

Speaking to Essense on their wedding day, Niecy said, “I will tell you that my wedding was a picture of Jay and I’s relationship, in that we have so much fun,” as she exchanged glances with her new husband. In the weeks that followed, the comedian gladly talked about her husband, giving him credit whenever the opportunity presented itself. On one of such occasions, according to Essence, she said, “My Mr. Wonderful is here because he’s comfortable in his skin, he is warm, so loving and sexy.”

8 Years Down The Line, Jay and Niecy Decided It Was Time To Say Goodbye

Speaking in an interview Niecy once said that Jay was good to her, her children, and her family. She went further to describe him as a supportive and loving man whom she wouldn’t trade-in. Sadly, these qualities of Jay’s didn’t matter to the actress anymore when the going got tough. As a result, she was willing to bury the years they had spent together and move on.

Before they ended their marriage, Nash and Tucker first shared the news of their parting on October 30, 2019, in a joint statement posted on Nash’s Instagram account that reads:

In November 2019, Nash spoke about their announced split, telling Extra staff, Cheslie Kryst, in New York City that, their separation was just a phase in their lives and that they still loved each other. However, “The love has just transitioned into a different type, and so we just said, ‘Let’s let the world catch up to where we have already been,’ because by the time you get it, the news is real old in our lives. Speaking of Jay she said “That’s my friend. He always will be.”

The following month, precisely on December 12, 2019, Us Weekly reported that Niecy had filed for the annulment of her second marriage on that day. She filed the documents at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles. As revealed in the documents obtained by People, Niecy listed their separation date as 1st June 2019 (just three days after their union clocked eight years) and also asked the court to terminate the right to spousal support for both of them.

On the 10th of March 2020, their union was legally dissolved, and according to TMZ, the couple was able to reach an agreement on the sharing of their property. As reported by the online newspaper, Niecy was to get their house in Bell Canyon, California, and their 2016 Tesla. She was also to retain ownership of her production company named Chocolate Chick. It was agreed, on the other hand, that Jay Tucker would get their 2011 Ford F-150 truck and a share of $184,820 from the sale of another property.

However, both Niecy and Jay agreed to give up the right to spousal support and keep everything they earned after they got separated on June 2, 2019.

The Comedian Opens Up About Walking Out On Her Marriage A Second Time

A month before the television personality got divorced from Jay Tucker, she revealed that her decision to end her marriage with him was a very difficult one since a lot of people had perceived them to be a perfect pair. She said this while accepting the Vanguard Award at the 2020 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon, adding that even her family acknowledged that they looked good together and encouraged her to stay married to him since he was not physically abusing her.

Continuing Niecy Nash said, “The untethering from my family’s beliefs, the internet’s expectations and my marriage ending caused me so much pain….’But what about my happiness?’,” she recalled asking her family. In the end, Niecy clearly explained that the divorce was all about her making herself a priority and giving herself a chance at self-discovery.

Embarking on the journey, Nash said she had a very strong support system, including the American motivational speaker, Iyanla Vanzant, actress Gabrielle Union, and Oprah Winfrey among others. It was actually Oprah who motivated her to find herself when she asked her the question, “Who are you without a man?” And in response, the actress remembered saying, “Girl, I don’t know”.

For Niecy, going through with her quest for self-exploration meant doing away with the “myth” she inherited from the women in her family, which, according to her, is, “You are nothing without a man. Get one, keep one, no matter what. Blind, crippled, crazy, married, or lazy. Get one baby girl because they will validate you. This long line of women that I come from had never been taught what choosing themselves looks like.” However, as Nash has done away with that mentality, the “generational curse” has now changed, the actress said, for her daughters.

Although both of her first two marriages did not work out, the comedian told the co-hosts of Red Table Talk –Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Norris- that she had nothing bad to say about her ex-husbands because they were both kind people, though different.

An Insider Unveils The Real Reason Behind The Crash Of Niecy and Jay Tucker’s Marriage

According to a report published on DailyMail.com on 30th October 2019, a source close to Niecy and Jay told the newspaper that things were very rough between the couple during the last two years of their marriage. And this was as a result of the following: Niecy’s full-body cosmetic surgery, the explicit sex scenes of her television show titled Claws, and the strain of residing in different cities.

Following her leading role as Desna Simms in TNT’s crime comedy-drama series, Claws, Niecy had to spend a lot of time in New Orleans where the show was being filmed and this didn’t go down well with her husband. She also underwent plastic surgery in order to transform her body for the same television show, and that was when things reportedly started going downhill.

In the words of the source, “They were living in two different cities, and Jay expressed he didn’t like his wife being in New Orleans while he was in LA. Niecy got a brand new body right before she went to film Claws down in New Orleans and that’s when their troubles began”. The source went on to tell Dailymail.com that, “Jay was really uncomfortable with her graphic sex scenes on the show, and that made their problems worse”.

When Claws premiered in Los Angeles in June 2017, Tucker didn’t show up and that was because they had been having problems because of the show, the source claimed. And although he was present when the actress was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in July 2018, he was absent two months later when she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in When They See Us.

From then on, the couple, who were once very attached, began to be seen less and less together until the news of their split broke out.

A Few Months After Her Second Divorce, The Actress Tied The Knots With Jessica Betts

According to the insider who spoke to Dailymail.com in October 2019 about the issues that led to the end of Niecy’s union with Jay Tucker, “Niecy loves love and she loves being married. So don’t expect much grass to grow under her feet. I’m certain she’ll be declaring that the third time is the charm and talking marriage again sometime in the near future.” True to these words, the Claws star became a wife a third time just within months of finalizing her second divorce.

Her current partner, Jessica Betts, is a professional singer and songwriter. Though a Chicago native, the musician currently lives in New York City. In 2005, Betts emerged winner of a singing contest TV series titled The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott and since then, she has grown in the art of singing and performing by integrating her guitar skills into her brand.

The singer has one album titled #LLCoolJess under her belt, and a number of singles including “Get Up” (2000), “Take You Back” (2011), “Do It All Night feat. Jessica Betts & LottaZay” (2012), “Holding On” (2012), “Gimme Dat” (2013), “EarthQuake” (2016), “Gimme Dat” (2017), and “Catch Me” (2018).

How Long Has Niecy Nash Been With Jessica Betts?

Many of us got to know about the relationship between Nash and Betts for the first time through the news of their wedding. However, they have known each other long before now and it appears like the love they share has been growing for some years without even the couple knowing that it was going to land them in marriage.

In 2016, Niecy Nash praised Bett’s musical talent in a video she posted on her Instagram page, describing her as an artist that feeds one’s soul. She ended the short video with a declaration of her love for Betts. See it below.

In 2018, Jessica Betts appeared in an episode of Claws, playing the role of Nadege. While on set, Nash made a video that showed her and Betts hanging out as ‘homegirls’, which she shared on Instagram on June 13. On August 13, 2018, Jessica also shared a video of her and Nash having a good time on the set of the same TV series with the latter dressed in a wedding gown as she portrayed a bride, unknown to either of the ladies that it was a foreshadowing of what fate had for them in the future.

According to Today, the ladies had been friends for four years and six months before they moved from being ‘homegirls’ to lovers. Judging by the videos above, they have obviously been happy in each other’s company and this may have prompted their decision to take things to the next level.

The Ladies Pooped The Question To Each Other!

In September 2020, Jessica Betts and Niecy Nash took their relationship up a notch when they asked for each other’s hand in marriage in a non-conventional two-way proposal. Sharing details of the romantic moment to People, the When They See Us actress said, “You know how you have those days where your significant other can just do things that drive you crazy? I feel like I was driving [Jessica] crazy all day.”

Cooling off later at night, the couple was sitting in their jacuzzi before Nash got up and went upstairs, then the unexpected happened! According to the actress, “she came up and she was like, ‘You know what? You’ve been getting on my nerves all day. But if anybody is going to get on my nerves, I want it to be you.’ Then she said, ‘You are absolutely the best thing that has ever happened to me. Marry me, Cora.’ That’s her nickname for me, is Cora.”

Niecy said yes, of course, and Jessica put a ring on her finger. Afterward, they went downstairs and hung out some more in the swimming pool and the jacuzzi, and while at it, Jessica asked, “Well, what happens now? When do I get a ring? What do we do next? I don’t know how all this goes. I’ve never been married before.” At this point, Nash, who had already bought a ring for her, went upstairs and came back with the ring, and asked her to marry her. “So we both proposed to each other the same night, which is weird but fun”, the actress finished.

During her interview with the Red Table Talk co-hosts, Niecy disclosed that she had never been romantically involved with a woman before Betts, and despite being married twice, she also said that being with Betts “was the first time in my life I had ever felt fully seen. And it changed me.”

Niecy Came Out As Gay With The News Of Her Marriage To Jessica Betts

Nash left many fans very surprised on August 31, 2020, when she revealed that she had gotten married to singer, Jessica Betts. The private ceremony that took place at the couple’s home in Ventura County, California, on August 29th, 2020, was planned by William P. Miller and attended by their closest family and friends- all totaling 24 in number. The event featured a variety of delicious meals prepared by Chef Will Jones, personal hand sanitizers, custom-made face masks with the writing, “#LoveWins,” and a lot of dancing.

Sharing the news of her marriage on Instagram, the Hollywood star posted a photo of herself and her new wife, Betts, hand in hand and all smiles, and captioned it, “Mrs. Carol Denise Betts.” Jessica Betts also shared the same picture on her Instagram with the caption, “I got a whole Wife ???????? @niecynash1 #Bettsofbothworlds #LoveWins.”

The disclosure came as a shock because the actress had never come out publicly as part of the LGBTQ community, and her first two marriages were with men. However, she has made it clear that she does not label her sexuality in any particular way. Speaking of Betts, she also told People that her marriage does not have anything to do with gender, rather, “it has everything to do with her soul. She is the most beautiful soul I have ever met in my life.”

Speaking to People in September 2020, Nash told the newspaper that even though she and Jessica were friends, she never saw her as someone she would date. However, after her separation from Tucker, something shifted, according to the actress. “I loved her before I was in love with her because she is such a special human being,” Nash said. “But we began to see each other in a way we never had before. Sometimes you get so broken by love, you run from it. But I’ve learned that you should always hold space for magic because it can happen at any time.”

Did Niecy Nash’s Sexuality Cause Her Marriages To Fail?

Following the announcement of Niecy’s marriage to a woman, a lot of people tagged it “her coming out” and opined that her sexuality had been repressed, which must be the reason she walked out on her previous marriages with men. However, in an exclusive interview with People on the 9th of September 2020, the actress reiterated that her marriage to Betts had nothing to do with gender, rather, it had everything to do with who she is in this moment.

She went on to correct the notion that her marriage was her coming out, saying she does not feel like her marriage was her coming out of anywhere, but instead, a going into herself and being sincere about who she loves. “And I’m not limiting myself on what that love is supposed to look like,” she added.

Continuing, the phenomenal actress stated that her present sexuality had nothing to do with her failed marriages neither did she use the union as a cover for her queer identity. According to her, “I was not suppressing my sexuality my whole life. I love who I love. At one point in my life, I married twice and I love those people. And today I love this person. I’ve done everything I wanted to do on my own terms and my own way. So my choice now in a partner has nothing to do with who I’ve always been. It’s a matter of who I am in this moment.”

Addressing the same issue on March 31, 2021, the mother of three restated that her marriage to Betts is not a coming out as she was never living a sexually repressed life. I loved the boys I was with when I was with them. Now, this is who I love. I wasn’t living a lie or trying to make myself like a man. I liked him, I liked him real good,” explained Niecy.

Niecy Is A Mother Of Three Grown Children

Judging by her looks, one can easily conclude that Niecy Nash has never been pregnant. But that’s not true. The screen goddess has not only been pregnant before but three times for that matter. Yes, she has birthed and nurtured three children- a son and two daughters- into adulthood. The actress’s three kids were fathered by her first husband, Don Nash, and despite growing up with divorced parents, they have really turned out well.

Even though their mother is a celebrity with so much about her life out in the open, a lot of information about Niecy’s children are kept away from the public. Nevertheless, we’ll share with you the much we’ve been able to unearth so far while we hope to discover more soon

Her First Child Is A Son

Full Name: Dominic Jabari Nash

Date of Birth: 1993

Age: 29 Years Old

Occupation: Actor/Producer

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Dominic is the first of Niecy and her first ex-husband’s three children. Although there is no information about his date and place of birth, a March 2021 report by Huffpost had it that he is 28 years old, meaning that he was born in 1993, if the report is accurate.

Being the son of an actress, it was no surprise that Dominic tried following in his mother’s footsteps careerwise. He appeared on TLC’s Niecy Nash’s Wedding Bash (2011), which detailed his mother’s wedding plan to her second husband, Jay Tucker, and also appeared as himself in the 2017 comedic web series, H.E.I.R., which he co-produced alongside four other people. The series documents the lives of Dominic Nash and Etienne Maurice, son of the legendary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, as they work towards establishing themselves in the entertainment industry.

The only male among his parents’ children, Dominic never loses a chance to express his love for the ladies in his life. On an occasion of a Mother’s Day celebration, he posted a picture of the entire family and captioned it, “Celebrating Mother’s Day with the ladies of my life, Love y’all ❤️”.

Despite having a busy schedule, as he tries to stand on his own, the young man still manages to maintain his relationship with his mother. Speaking to HuffPost in 2015, Niecy, while talking about how she keeps a close connection with each of her children, said, “Me and my son, we do movie dates. So when a new movie comes out, me and my son, we date. We go to the movies to do that.”

Niecy’s Second Child Is An Actress Just Like Her

Full Name: Donielle Mikel Lanae Nash

Date of Birth: October 1, 1995

Age: 28 Years Old

Occupation: Actress, Entrepreneur

Donielle is the second child and first daughter birthed by Niecy and Don Nash. She was born on the 1st of October 1995, judging by the fact that she celebrated her 25th birthday on the said date in 2020. Obviously influenced by her mother, she is pursuing a career in acting and has already been credited for her role in a number of on-screen works including Modern Family, where she played the role of a pregnant juror in one episode in 2017; Superstore, where she appeared in one episode in 2018, portraying the character of a bloody nose woman, and The Soul Man in which she acted as Daphne in 2016.

Apart from acting, Niecy disclosed through an Instagram post on June 1, 2019, that Donielle has other talents. Sharing a video of the young lady singing, the proud momma wrote, “She writes. She acts. AND my funny child sings! ???? Get it ALL Donielle! @sarcasticmsnash ❤️”. Additionally, the talented young lady is an entrepreneur. She is the funder of D.Mikel & Co, an online store where she sells accessories, beauty & hair essentials such as human hair, headbands, press-on nails, earrings, eyelashes, make-up brushes, among others. Donielle is also a brand influencer, with over 17.7k followers on her Instagram page @d.mikelandco, and a black rights advocate.

Donielle is currently in a relationship with a handsome young black man named Elijah Dunston. Although she never formally introduced him as her boyfriend, she has shared a lot of pictures of them with captions that suggest he is her man. In one of such photos, she captioned it “Him ???????? ????❤️ @elijahdunston3” and in another “My Heart♥“, leaving us with the impression that they are dating.

The Comedian’s Last Child Is A Spitting Image Of Her

Full Name: Dia La Ren Nash

Date of Birth: 29 September 1999

Age: 24 Years Old

Occupation: Actress

The third and last child of her parents, Dia celebrated her 21st birthday on September 29, 2020, and by our calculations, it means she was born in the year 1999. She graduated from high school on Saturday, June 10, 2017. According to an Instagram post by her mother, the then-teenager graduated with flying colors as she finished with honors and was named the most improved in her class in addition to serving as the dance guard captain. The proud mother also shared a picture of herself and Dia on June 12, 2017, as she gave the young lady a few tips that will help her live a happy life.

Also an actress, Dia made her screen debut in 2004 (at the age of five) when she appeared in a small role in the comedy TV series Reno 911! After many years, she was again seen on the screen in Niecy Nash’s Wedding Bash (2011), and in 2018, she appeared as a teen version of her mother’s character, Desna Simms, in an episode of Claws.

During an interview with SheKnows in December 2020, Niecy Nash said she didn’t suspect that any of her children would follow in her footsteps in acting. Although some people might be thinking her kids would land roles easily with her influence, the actress said that that was not the case.

She went on to reveal that both of her daughters won roles on the Netflix series Never Have I Ever, and even though she (Niecy) plays a recurring role on the show, she never had a hand in them being cast on the show. According to her, Donielle and Dia “auditioned for the series separate and independent of each other, and separate and independent of me, and they both won roles on the show, so season 2 we will all be on the same television series! It’s a family affair.”

Although Niecy’s children are all grown and pursuing their individual interests, they still share a very close bond with each other and with their parents.

How Did Niecy’s Marriage to Betts Affect Her Children?

Just as many of her fans were taken unawares with the news of her marriage to Jessica Betts, Niecy’s children were also caught off-guard by their romance. Recalling Donielle and Dia’s reactions when they got to know about their relationship the actress told the Red Table Talk co-hosts that her daughters were like, “‘Wait what?!'” Speaking of Dia she said, “My youngest daughter, she reminded me, she was like, ’Wait a minute, Mom, are you the same mom that was like, ‘Girl, I’m strictly dickly?’ And I was like, ‘Wah, wah. Like yeah, but no.’” Dominic on his own part, Niecy added, “was like, ‘Woooooooow.

Accepting Betts as their mother’s lover was no big deal to Niecy’s children as she went on to explain that they had met her before they knew about their romantic involvement. As a result, they were able to form their own opinion about her as an individual. “And they all were like, ‘Oh my god, she’s so cool!’ They were exchanging numbers. They already liked her,” she added.

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