As an actress, Niecy Nash-Betts has always been committed to complex takes on motherhood. Her résumé has been filled with them, from the working single moms of Reno 911! and Getting On to the fierce caretaker of Claws to the tenacious protectors of When They See Us and Dahmer . For decades, she has combated the image of the “perfect mother” by depicting the gamut of layered, all-too-human women who experience the highs and lows of real-life parenting. Getting that message across onscreen is important for the Emmy winner , who had a less-than-traditional journey to stardom.

Before she was known for her scene-stealing zingers in Ryan Murphy productions like All’s Fair , Nash was busy raising three small children, working nights, and dragging her kids to auditions .…