"Getting On" is a dark comedy/drama series about a team of nurses working in a geriatric unit who find humor and compassion in difficult situations. Per Variety, Niecy Nash's role as nurse Didi Ortley allowed her to stretch everyone's idea of what she can do, moving her from the strictly comedy genre into deeper, more difficult subject matter.
"I spent a lot of time in my career being told that I could only do one thing," Nash said on Variety's "My Favorite Episode" podcast. "You do broad comedy, that's your lane. And I'm like, no, I can do something else." When Nash landed the role on "Getting On," it was her chance to "step into those waters. ... It was so different for me," she said. "I do a lot of TV where I have on five packs of hair, three pairs of eyelashes, and 45 Spanx. But this was a very stripped-down character."
The show also offered the opportunity for "actors and actresses of a certain age to go and still get work," Nash told Variety, explaining that it can be difficult for older actors to find their place in Hollywood.
Nash's performance garnered two Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, per Variety. The HBO series ran from 2013 to 2015. Although it had just three seasons, it certainly showed the world that while she is a funny woman, Nash can do much more than comedy.
