Niecy Nash-Betts and her wife Jessica Betts, who she affectionally calls her “hersband,” have been representing queer love for a few years now. The two were married in 2020 and have since become a power couple for LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood.
In an upcoming episode of The Rookie: Feds called “I Am Many,” the couple rekindles their on-screen romance that’s been brewing on and off the entire season. Nash-Betts stars in the show as Simone Clark, a former school counselor turned special agent. Betts will guest star, again, as Dina, Simone’s love interest.
Below, you’ll find an exclusive clip of the episode airing Tuesday, April 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
The Advocate recently caught up with the married couple and they shared that their love — unlike their on-screen counterparts — is very much on. On Tuesday’s episode, Simone has to face a challenging case, while also unpacking her relationship with Dina after they’re forced to reconnect.
“What’s funny is that there was an episode where Dina and Simone broke up and for the whole week before we filmed it, we were just walking around the house so busted up like mad,” Nash-Betts says. “And I was like, ‘Can we remind ourselves that we're not breaking up?’…We didn't like it at all.”
The couple says that they didn’t realize how important their visibility would be to people — queer and not.
Nash-Betts says when she fell in love with Betts, she “wasn’t even privy to what it would mean in the world.”
It wasn’t until after the couple appeared on the cover of Essence magazine that she realized the impact.
“I was like, wow, this is important that people feel seen through our union,” she says.
Betts echoes her wife’s comments. She adds that “representation matters.”
“I saw that people were actually inspired,” says Betts, “They were inspired by the love and the authenticity of it.”
As for what is in store for Simone and Dina on The Rookie: Feds?
“I count it a joy that my first love on the show was a person that I get to wake up to every morning,” Nash-Betts says. “Listen, Simone and Dina all the way if you ask me.”
Watch the clip below.
