Niecy Nash-Betts’ time on the set of DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story wasn’t easy. In order to portray Glenda Cleveland, Jeffrey Dahmer’s real-life neighbor who repeatedly tried to call attention to his crimes, the actor had to delve deep into some of the darkest corners of her psyche — especially opposite Evan Peters as the notorious serial killer. “The weight of Glenda Cleveland’s story was heartbreaking,” she told Krista Smith in a new episode of the podcast Skip Intro. Luckily, the actor had her real daughter by her side to keep things light off-screen. Nash-Betts revealed that her 23-year-old daughter, Dia Nash, also played her character Glenda’s daughter in the award-winning series. She called her daughter’s presence “a gift.”

“Children don’t bear these emotional weights the same way adults do,” she told host Krista Smith. “It’s one in the morning, I'm trying to get into character and make sure I’m present to what the scene calls for and my baby is like, ‘Hey mom, you want to do a TikTok?’ That light was welcoming. I loved having my baby with me on set. Anytime I get a chance to work with any of my children or my spouse, I take it.”

Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, DAHMER is the first installment in the Monster anthology series, and tracks the systemic racism and institutional failures that enabled Jeffrey Dahmer’s 13-year killing spree. The series, which earned Peters a Golden Globe win for best actor in a limited series or anthology and won the British Television Academy Award for best international program, also notably calls attention to the serial killer’s many victims, including Cleveland.

For more great celebrity interviews, check out Skip Intro on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.