![Quantcast](http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-GS-HF4BKvzCmv.gif)
![A Lifetime To Go: Niecy Nash & Wife Celebrate The Anniversary Of Breaking The Internet](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNzM3ODMwNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc3MTE4MTAyNX0.dLcYBiaX0_z05KNQbqAVzce7j6IisQBBEBp1KP3GwjA/img.jpg?width=1200&height=600&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C171)
A Lifetime To Go: Niecy Nash & Wife Celebrate The Anniversary Of Breaking The Internet
Recently, Niecy Nash and wife Jessica Betts celebrated the one-year anniversary of when they announced the to the world that they had wed on August 29, 2020. The marriage shook the internet in the best way, because up until then, no one even knew that Ms. Nash was a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, Nash had previously being married to two men, and having finalized her divorce from second husband Jay Tucker earlier in the year.
Needless to say, we were happy to see her living openly and out loud for the world to see so unapologetically.
And sis has kept that same energy 365 days later as the couple has celebrated their anniversary of being happily in love, which we love to see.
The festivities kicked off with a post of the two side-by-side, secretly being fitted last year for their big day. They then stepped their anniversary celebrations up a notch, with a backyard carnivale-esque party with their close friends and family. Betts also upgraded her ring, and the two jetted off to Aruba for a celebration, which they brought us all along for. The posts were everything, the lives were lit, and seeing them be so in love was refreshing. Nash captioned a photo:
"Sending love to our tribe who kept our confidence, shared our love & prayed for our success. Almost one year ago we gathered in our backyard to cement our union… The Marathon Continues"
Back in March, the actress opened up about finding her love, and even how her kids dealt with finding out she was marrying again, to a woman. She told Red Table Talk:
"I met the most beautiful soul I had ever met in my entire life. And after spending time together, I was like, 'Oh honey, this fits me like an old pair of jeans I've had in my closet my whole life. There was something that [made me feel] like, 'I don't want to be away from this energy,'... I felt like I was in a situation where my soulmate."
She even went on to say that her beautiful girls were just as surprised as she was:
"My daughters were like, 'Wait what?! [But] my children were able to meet Jessica before they knew we were dating, so they were able to meet her and form their own opinion about her as a person. And they all were like, 'Oh my god, she's so cool!' They were exchanging numbers. They already liked her."
As for her mother, Nash reveals that her mother sang a different tune, due to being 'from a different generation' (something we all know too well).
"I have never doubted for one second that my mother loves me. I felt like her fear was, 'How will you be received? How will I be perceived?' I come from a long, long line of women who felt like their identities were wrapped up in whether or not they had a man. Blind, crippled, crazy, married or lazy, get you one and keep one. It makes you validated to have a 'him.' So you put a lot of stock in that. It doesn't really matter about your happiness. Thank god for therapy because we are all in it, and been in it, and it's a process."
With her marriage to Betts, Niecy has been married three times in her lifetime and is a proud mom of three children. Her first marriage was to ordained minister Don Nash, with whom she shares all her kids.
"When I married my first husband I was looking for a savior. I had experienced a lot of childhood trauma. 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.' A lot of people say, 'I stayed for my children,' but I left for my children. Because I wanted them to see what real love looked like."
And love is what she's found because she's got a lot of love to give.
""If I had to label myself in this moment I would label myself with the term 'free.'"
Energyyyy. Happy anniversary to the Betts!
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by The 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards/Getty Images for GLAAD
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Blair Underwood Initially Turned Down 'Sex And The City' Because 'It Was About How Samantha Was Fascinated By Dating A Black Man’
Actor and heartthrob Blair Underwood is opening up about why he turned down Sex and the City the first time he was offered a role. Many fans of the HBO series may recall Blair's time on the show in which his character was dating Miranda (Cynthia Nixon). However, he was previously offered another role where his character would date Samantha (Kim Cattrall).
During his interview with AV Club, the Set It Off star revealed that he was uncomfortable with the initial offer due to the character's fascination with him being a Black man.
“I actually did say ‘no’ the first time,” he said. “The first time they had offered the role, to be honest with you, it was about how Samantha was fascinated by dating a Black man and wanted to know if, uh, all of the rumors were true about our anatomy! And I said, ‘Listen, I’m honored, thank you, but I just don’t want to play a character based on race, on curiosity about a Black man.'”
But that didn't stop them from reaching out again. This time he was offered to play Dr. Robert Leeds, the love interest to Miranda and he decided to go for it. "So they were nice enough to call about a year later, and I said, 'Well, is it gonna be about race?' And they said, 'No, no, no, we’re not even gonna mention race!' And I think it really did only come up maybe once," he recalled.
"It did five episodes, and I think Samantha mentioned it once, saying something about 'a Black doctor' that Miranda was dating. And that’s really been a consistent thing in my career: not wanting to be boxed as 'the Black guy.'
"I’ve had that conversation with many producers along the way, and they were so great. They said, 'No, he’s just a doctor who Miranda meets in the elevator, and they have a nice little fling.' And it was amazing."
Blair has had a wide-ranging career playing everything from a lawyer on L.A. Law to playing Madame CJ Walker's husband on Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madame CJ Walker. And during his interview, he revealed another role that he initially turned down, Set It Off. The movie, which is considered a classic in Black culture, stars Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox, and Kimberly Elise. Blair's character, Keith, played a banker and love interest to Jada's character, Stony.
He explained why he said no at first and eventually accepted the offer. "I had initially said “no” to that. Because I was playing this historic, iconic African-American historical figure in Jackie Robinson, and the time, y’know, there was Boyz N The Hood, and Menace II Society was out there, and I’d finished playing this noble Negro… [Laughs]," he said.
"And I’m reading the script, and there’s a scene where Jada Pinkett’s character—Jada Pinkett-Smith now—was going to sell her body so she could make some money to send her brother to college. And I remember, honestly, I threw the script across the room. I was, like, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something uplifting for the Black culture and Black characters, and I don’t know if I want to see this.”
After a conversation with the movie's director F. Gary Gray and the actor's manager encouraging him to finish reading the script, Blair had a change of heart. What he first thought about the movie turned out to be totally different.
"So I finished the script, and I saw that the character they were asking me to play was really the love story in the midst of all of this turmoil of all of these characters, the four ladies: Queen Latifah, Vivica Fox, Kimberly Elise, and Jada," he explained.
"It was so well-written, it was such a great platform for them. And to be able to play the love story and the storyline that gave Jada’s character a leg up and a way out of this world, something to hope for, to wish for, someone to love her… I said, 'You know what? I’d like to be a part of that.'
"And I’m so glad I did, because that film resonates to this day. People all the time come up to me and say that they love that movie. So I’m glad that I did it."