Niecy Nash-Betts of 'DAHMER' Shines Bright on the Cover of 'Queue' Issue 13

Issue 13 of Queue is here, and we feel so lucky to be spotlighting stunning cover star Niecy Nash-Betts, who recently received her fifth Emmy nomination for her indelible work as Jeffrey Dahmer’s next-door neighbor, Glenda Cleveland, in creator Ryan Murphy’s DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

While DAHMER, which earned 13 total Emmy nominations, explores the serial killer’s familial relationships — including Emmy-nominated work from Evan Peters as Dahmer and Richard Jenkins as Dahmer’s father — it also centers on the experiences of Nash-Betts’s Cleveland, who attempted to warn the authorities about her neighbor’s suspicious behavior. Nash-Betts has proven herself a versatile talent, with a career spanning both comedy and drama, and her role in DAHMER holds special meaning for the actor. She tells Queue that the series is “a jarring reminder that some of the things and themes that we explore in this series still happen today. Women are still not believed. Marginalized communities are still overpoliced and underserved. White privilege still runs rampant. So, it’s not a far reach to say, ‘Oh, I wonder what exploring this idea is about.’ No, you just got to wake up and look around.”

A profound examination of rage in our modern era, the bracing dark comedy BEEF also earned 13 Emmy nominations, including nods for its stars, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Also earning two nominations, for writing and directing, is the limited series’ visionary first-time creator Lee Sung Jin. “I wanted to make a show that wasn’t necessarily laughing at jokes or punchlines, but rather laughing at the broken ways we all think,” Lee tells Queue.

Off-kilter comedy is a specialty of lauded filmmaker Tim Burton, who brought his unique stylistic sensibilities to Wednesday, a series that throws preternaturally intelligent Wednesday Addams into the thick of a murder mystery when she enrolls at her parents’ alma mater, Nevermore Academy. In addition to directing the first four episodes, for which he earned his very first Emmy nomination, Burton served as executive producer on the series, which earned 12 Emmy nominations across above- and below-the-line categories. “I think in a past life I might have been a teenage girl because when I read this [script], I just felt like Wednesday shared my worldview,” he tells Queue.

True to our mission to present the story behind the story, Issue 13 also explores some of the outstanding crafts and craftspeople that make both The Crown and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story such transfixing entertainment. The issue also includes a special section that highlights Netflix’s sports-themed programming, with features that go behind the scenes of such engrossing docuseries as Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Full Swing, Break Point, and Quarterback. Producer Peyton Manning also recently joined the Skip Intro with Krista Smith podcast to share his favorite moments from the series. Head to the Netflix shop and order the latest Queue to sample these stories and much, much more.

All interviews included in this issue were completed prior to July 14, 2023.