Play cousins is a cultural euphemism often adopted by the Black community. Through friendships, community organizations, and many other ties — people routinely choose their family regardless of bloodlines. However, in some unpredictable ways, those who could’ve been regarded as play cousins have actual biological connections. Niecy Nash-Betts brought this to the forefront, revealing she is related to fellow actors Danielle Brooks and Sterling K. Brown.
In an Instagram post, the 53-year-old actress shared a picture posing with Brooks and Brown, congratulating them on their Oscar nominations and announcing to the world that the trio are blood-related cousins.
“Both of my COUSINS are OSCAR NOMINATED ‼️‼️ Yes! We are blood-related! REAL cousins!” Nash-Betts wrote in the caption of her post. “I’m so proud of my fam! @thedaniellebrooks @sterlingkbrown I’m rooting for you!”
Brooks, 34, is a first-time Oscar nominee for her portrayal of Sofia in the movie musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” Brown, 47, is also a first-time Oscar nominee. His nomination is for his performance in “American Fiction.”
Although most of the world did not know that Nash-Betts, Brooks, and Brown were related until the social media post, the three actors have reputable resumes in Hollywood. Each has starred in respected television shows, cementing them as household names across the industry.
A previous post from AFROTECH noted that Nash-Betts is at the top of her game, recently winning an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her portrayal as Glenda Cleveland in “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”
This most recent accomplishment has honored her talent. Furthermore, all her hard work has led Niecy Nash-Betts to build an estimated net worth of $5 million. However, she isn’t the only cousin in the family securing fortunes, making Hollywood success a family affair.
A graduate of The Julliard School in New York, NY, Brooks is most known for her role as Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson in Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series, “Orange is the New Black.” While that portrayal was her introduction to the masses, she was no stranger to the arts.
Before her Oscar-nominated performance in “The Color Purple,” she starred in the Broadway play “The Piano Lesson” and starred as Mahalia Jackson in the television biopic “Mahalia.”
In addition to acting, Brooks is the co-founder of Black Women on Broadway. According to the organization’s website, it “seeks to serve and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Women in Theatre through mentorship and fellowship opportunities.”
Brooks’ emerging career has garnered her an estimated $1 million net worth, per Celebrity Net Worth.
According to PBS, Brown received his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a master’s in fine arts from The New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
While playing Randall Pearson in the TV series “This Is Us,” Brown captivated hearts and emotions. In addition to his work in the NBC drama, Brown has starred and appeared in works like the film “Black Panther,” the drama series “Army Wives,” and the comedy series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”
In 2018, he launched Indian Meadows Production under a pact with 20th Century Fox. The company aims to “champion diversity through the development and production of entertaining, educational and inclusive projects across multiple forms of media, including film, broadcast, cable and streaming,” PBS reports.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Sterling K. Brown has accumulated an estimated net worth of $10 million.
