The Emmy winner previews what her “Dahmer” follow-up and latest Ryan Murphy collab has in store.
Niecy Nash-Bettsis in her prestige drama era.
Unlike Deputy Raineesha Williams onReno 911!, her new cop role means business.
Micaela Diamond as Sister Megan, Niecy Nash-Betts as Lois Tryon in ‘Grotesquerie’.Prashant Gupta/FX
And Super Bowl-erTravis Kelcepops up, too!
Nash-Betts opens up toEntertainment Weeklyabout the new horror drama, which premieres Sept. 25 on FX.
Am I warm in using that description?
Niecy Nash-Betts as Lois Tryon, Courtney B. Vance as Marshall Tryon in ‘Grotesquerie’.Prashant Gupta/FX
Well, I do play Lois Tryon.
She is a detective and she is hunting the most heinous serial killer ever.
What really intrigued you about this role and made you want to sign on?
I love playing things that I have yet to play.
It almost appears as though the person committing these crimes is taunting her.
So there is also a level of mental fatigue and anguish that she deals with.
Prashant Gupta/FX
A very brief description of the show mentioned unspecified “inner demons.”
How much more specific can you get with that?
Let me see how I can answer this for you… Did Ryan bring this opportunity to you while you were working onDahmer?
Ryan, he will forever have me at hello.
I want to do a story about that."
It was maybe like three or four, and he was like, “Pick two.”
Do you remember your first reaction to either hearing Ryan talk about the story or reading the scripts?
Reading the script for the first time, my head popped off.
I said, “Where does this come from, Ryan?
Whoareyou on the inside?
What is happening in your mind?”
He said, “I don’t know.
That’s just the way I am, girlfriend.”
I don’t even know how he comes up with these things.
I really don’t.
In reading it, I wanted to dive in.
So I said, “Let me pick up the mantle.
Let me lead the charge.
Let’s do it.”
You’ll see it.
Is that kind of fair to say?
I think that Ryan has something for you with this one.
This one is different.
This is very different.
To me, it’s not like anything I’ve seen him do before.
If you are a Ryan Murphy fan, you’re going to love it.
If you’re a Niecy Nash-Betts fan, you’re going to love it.
If you’re a Travis Kelce fan, you’re going to love it.
How you would describe that relationship with Lois and Sister Megan?
We are two unlikely people who have been friends, who have never worked together in any capacity.
Can I tell you what I cannot wait for?
I cannot wait for Halloween because I know we’re going to be a costume.
I remember you posted videos with Travis Kelce on Instagram and social media from the set.
In one of the captions, you were joking how you were “giving Whitney Houston” andThe Bodyguardvibes.
Is it fair to say that your characters very muchdon’thave aBodyguard/Whitney Houston vibe on the show?
I can say this about Travis Kelce: He was a pleasure to work with.
He wanted to confirm that he studied hard, that he was well prepared.
He took notes, and I think he did a really good job.
I took him under my little wing.
I said, “Now let me try this.
Let’s do this.
Let’s read it at lunchtime.”
All of the things that he was amenable to, and he comes across on camera beautifully.
I gather that Courtney B. Vance is playing your husband, and Raven Goodwin is playing your daughter.
You got that right.
We are a family with a lot of issues, and they all get unpacked.
It’s the backdrop to all of these crimes.
This is the thing that she’s dealing with.
Are there ways that this show and this role are pushing you in new and more interesting ways?
But then I feel like after that, people forgot I was funny.
There was drama, drama, drama, drama [being offered].
I never had to play a woman with these very specific issues, fighting these very specific demons.
It’s going to be another layer for people.
It was very important for me… because this is my first time being a lead for Ryan.
I did another pilot for him years ago calledPretty Handsome.
It was very important to me to get it right.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
