Niecy Nash's Dating History before She Married Jessica Betts

Niecy Nash's dating history became a subject of interest when she surprised fans with wedding pictures in August 2020. The actress had married singer-songwriter Jessica Betts, but she'd only been romantically involved with men until then.

In early 2020, Hollywood actress Niecy Nash reflected on how she inherited a faulty blueprint about relationships from the women in her family; they taught her that if she found a man, she needed to keep him by any means, no matter the circumstances.

Embracing this blueprint, she developed a reputation as a relationship guru, dishing advice on love and how to keep a man happy. She appeared on several shows to share her expertise and even wrote a book about love.

However, things changed after having to end two marital unions in her life. Still, Niecy wanted to make room for "magic" in it and found love again with another woman. This year, she and her wife, Jessica Betts, will mark their third anniversary as a married couple.

Before then, her dating history included a pastor, with whom she welcomed three children, a Los Angeles-based electrical engineer, and a young professional footballer. Nash carried these relationships publicly from their inception to their ends.

Don Nash

Don Nash is known as an ordained church minister who married Niecy on May 14, 1994. Not much is known about their romance before they tied the knot, but the pair welcomed three children, all of whom joined the entertainment industry.

Three years before they wed, Niecy and Don welcomed their first child, Dominic Nash, on December 12, 1991. While Dominic joined the film industry like his mom, he preferred remaining behind the scenes as a producer.

Still, he has graced the screen as himself on the reality T.V. show "H.E.I.R.," alongside actress Sheryl Lee Ralph's son Etienne Maurice. Niecy once spoke about an incident where Dominic was racially profiled in 2020 amid the George Floyd protests.

She explained that he was leaving her house when police pulled him over and questioned the now-31-year-old not only for rolling a stop but for wearing a T-Mobile shirt while driving a luxurious car. And, what's more, they allegedly pulled a taser on him.

Niecy and Don's second child, daughter Donielle Mikel Nash, was born less than a year into their marital bliss, on January 9, 1995, in Los Angeles. Donielle followed directly in her mom's footsteps, becoming a successful actress.

She has appeared in high-profile productions, including Mindy Kaling's "The Sex Lives of College Girls" and "Never Have I Ever" alongside Niecy. Her younger sister, Niecy and Don's youngest kid, is Dia La Ren Nash.

Dia drew her first breath in Los Angeles on September 8, 1991, and became an actress. She starred in Netflix's "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" as Sandra Smith, and like Donielle, she also appeared in "Never Have I Ever."

Regarding sharing the screen with her daughters, Niecy said she never saw it coming. She also joked about raising her girls on Lifetime movies, saying they used to complain about watching them. But, now, as adults, they've grown to appreciate the films.

After 13 years of marriage, in 2007, Niecy and Don legally dissolved their union. The state of the relationship remained a mystery following their separation, as Niecy rarely spoke of her former husband afterward, nor did he come out with any public statements of his own.

That was until February 2020, when Niecy accepted the Vanguard award at the 2020 Essence Black Women and opened up about divorce and her healing journey during a tearful acceptance speech. Speaking about her first marriage, she said:

"My first marriage was to a pastor and with that divorce, I lost my husband, my pastor and my church, just like that."

Vernon Davis

Following her divorce from Don, Niecy was involved in a brief romance with San Fransisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis. Their relationship began in 2009 when Niecy was 39 and Vernon was 25.

The pair walked hand-in-hand at several red carpet events and were reportedly spotted being publicly affectionate during the Children Uniting Nations Academy Awards Gala that year. It's unclear when their split occurred, but Niecy moved on to new love the following year.

Jay Tucker

Niecy and electrical engineer Jay Tucker met sometime in 2010. After months of dating, they tied the knot at the Church Estate Vineyard in Malibu during an afternoon outdoor ceremony in May 2011. Their luxurious wedding was televised on T.L.C.

Niecy and Jay flaunted their love on social media and quickly gained a reputation as "couple goals." During a chat with Essence in August 2019, Niecy clarified that what the world saw on social media regarding her romance with Jay was the real deal, as she explained:

"When they see us out in the public, we are exactly the way we are in a curated life on Instagram. People think that we like each other, and that's because we do."

However, things took a turn when Niecy underwent full-body cosmetic surgery and joined the cast of "Claws," relocating to New Orleans to film the show. Before then, the former couple was inseparable, as Niecy built on her relationship guru persona.

In 2013, she authored the romance-centered book "It's Hard to Fight Naked." Furthermore, she released a T.N.T. show called "Naked with Niecy Nash," where she talked about sex and romance with celebrity guests.

Sadly, her relationship with Jay saw its end less than a decade after tying the knot. According to an insider who spoke to the Daily Mail in October 2019—revealing their separation and then-pending divorce—their ongoing troubles began in 2017.

Jay didn't like being cities away from his wife, as he stayed in Los Angeles while she worked in New Orleans. He also found the graphic sex scenes she was part of in "Claws" upsetting, and the series became the subject of many arguments during those two years.

From February 2019, Jay rarely appeared on his now-ex-wife's Instagram, and she didn't talk about their relationship until the said insider divulged her private affairs to the Daily Mail. Following the story's publication, the actress confirmed her and Jay's divorce, which they finalized in March 2020.

Jessica Betts

Niecy and Jessica Betts were first acquainted via social media in 2015 and eventually developed a close and endearing friendship. Speaking with PEOPLE about the development of their relationship, she explained:

"I loved her before I was in love with her because she is such a special human being."

When they met, Niecy was still married to Jay. However, after the former couple's separation, Niecy and Jessica began seeing each other differently. Niecy was initially reluctant to date Jessica because she feared their friendship "wouldn't survive."

But she couldn't help falling in love with Jessica's soul, which she felt was the "most beautiful" she'd ever known. The lovers kept their relationship under wraps until they took social media by storm, sharing their wedding pictures just days after tying the knot.

Niecy and Jessica married on August 29, 2020, in front of 24 of their closest friends and family. The ceremony took place in the backyard of their Ventura County home in California, and the newlyweds both announced their new relationship on Instagram on August 31.

Recalling their engagement, they said they'd both been irritated with each other for an entire day when Jessica decided to end their quarrel by asking for Niecy's hand in marriage. After Niecy agreed, she ran up to their bedroom, where she fetched her own ring and did the same.

The couple has been thriving since; they started working together on the Fox game show "Don't Forget The Lyrics" in May 2022. However, that wasn't the only time they graced the screen together, as Niecy appeared in the music videos for Jessica's songs "We Drip" and "Catch Me."

Jessica's musical career began at sixteen when she signed her first record deal. The singer and self-taught guitarist has dabbled in several genres, creating R&B, reggae, gospel, rock, and pop music, and she has a few acting credits under her belt.