Actor J Alphonse Nicholson finally made it official with his long-time partner Nafeesha. The pair have been together long before his groundbreaking turn as Lil Murda on Starz P-Valley. Now an established actor, J was able to give his woman the wedding she deserved after years of supporting him and his dreams from behind the scenes.
From the moment he first came up on the screen as Lil Murda, people have been fascinated with the man behind the complex character. Lil Murda is a closeted DL rapper in love with the very androgynous owner of The Pynk, Uncle Clifford. His character has to navigate toxic masculinity tropes, homophobia, and gender identity while maintaining his tough exterior.
While the push for equality in Hollywood has been strong in recent years, and Uncle Clifford’s character is played by queer actor Nicco Annan, Murda’s real-life counterpart is very straight and very taken. J Alphonse Nicholson has talked about his journey as a straight man navigating the role and how his wife was his biggest support system as he figured out who Lil Murda was.
Those curious about his wife have discovered through his various interviews that she is a woman named Nafeesha who is not in the spotlight. While it’s unclear what she does, what is clear is that she met and fell in love with J. while he was still trying to get his career off the ground and playing drums on the streets in New York. When the role of Lil Murda came along, she immediately supported J. in taking on the character and helped him understand how important the role would be to fellow men of color struggling with homophobia and sexuality.
Nafeesha is not completely shy when it comes to the spotlight, however. She was featured in a series of Target ads on J’s social media last year, where they celebrated black-owned businesses, spending time together despite their busy schedules and the Christmas season. While J’s IG page lists him as a father as well, the couple seems very protective of their kid and has never posted any photos. J has also limited comments on posts of his wife, making it clear that he is eager to honor and protect his family.
Nafeesha’s page is private but shows her married name, Nafeesha Nicholson. In her bio, it says, “Oakland, CA, indigenous land of the Ohlone people, The Black Panther Party for Self Defense and MC Hammer.” Her bio picture is a photo of Prince sporting an afro. She also shared a link to Essence magazine’s coverage of the couple’s nuptials this past week. Seven years after meeting, the duo tied the knot in Los Angeles on October 7th, surrounded by 150 guests.
J. can be seen looking emotional in photos from the day. During his speech, he opened up about how much he appreciated her for believing in him. “She told me, and I believe her, that if that never changed, she would be with me to this day,” he shared in a short speech. J. even played a special arrangement for Nafeesha on the same bucket he used to play on the NYC subway when they met.
Congrats to the happy pair.
