Nia Peeples
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| Nia Peeples | |
|---|---|
| Born | Virenia Gwendolyn Peeples December 10, 1961 Hollywood, California, United States |
| Occupation | Actress/Singer |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouse(s) | Guy Ecker (1984–1986) Howard Hewett (1989–1993), 1 child Lauro Chartrand (1997–2004), 1 child Sam George (2004 - present) |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Virenia Gwendolyn "Nia" Peeples (born December 10, 1961) is an American R&B and dance music singer and actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Nicole Chapman on Fame. She is also known for her role as Karen Taylor Winters on The Young and the Restless and as Sydney Cooke on Walker, Texas Ranger.
Contents |
Personal life[edit]
Peeples was born in Hollywood, California, the daughter of Elizabeth Joan (née Rubic), a flamenco dancer, and Robert Eugene Peeples.[1][2] She was raised in West Covina. Her maternal grandparents were immigrants from the Philippines, and were of Filipino, Spanish, French, and German descent.[3] Her father, who was originally from Mississippi, was of Scottish, Irish, English, Native American, and Italian ancestry.[2][4][5]
She attended UCLA on a music scholarship, during which time she performed as Liberace's opening act in Las Vegas on weekends.
Career[edit]
Peeples started her career as part of the performance group The Young Americans.
Music[edit]
In 1988 she hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Trouble," which climbed to #35 on the Hot 100. Her most successful pop single is "Street Of Dreams," which hit #12 on the Hot 100 in 1991.
She made a music video in 1986 of "All You Can Dream", directed by Alan Bloom and conceptualised by Keith Williams, for the purposes of promoting the values of UCLA. She appeared in Prince's video for Raspberry Beret.
On February 4, 2009, Peeples presented Debbie Allen with a Lifetime Achievement Award at The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball 10th anniversary show.[6]
Acting[edit]
Notably, Peeples portrayed performing arts student Nicole Chapman on the hit TV series Fame. In 1987 she was in the movie North Shore as Kiani. She hosted the short-lived American version of Top of the Pops as well as a weeknight dance music program called The Party Machine with Nia Peeples, and portrayed Texas Ranger Sydney Cooke in the CBS hit series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1999-2001.
Nia Peeples joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in 2007, playing the role of Karen Taylor, and was released from the role in the spring of 2009. Her last air date was in May 2009.
Peeples has been cast in the 2010 ABC Family TV series Pretty Little Liars, based on the book series by Sara Shepard.[7]
Discography[edit]
- Girlfriend (1987)
- Nothin' But Trouble (1988)
- Nia Peeples (1991)
- Songs of the Cinema (2007)
Filmography[edit]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | A Single Light | Deaf Girl | TV movie |
| 1984 | Fame | Nicole | |
| 1987 | North Shore | Kiani | |
| 1989 | DeepStar Six | Scarpelli | |
| Swimsuit | Maria | TV movie | |
| Nasty Boys | Serena Cruz | TV movie | |
| 1990 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer | Cathy Redding | TV movie |
| 1992 | I Don't Buy Kisses Anymore | Theresa Garabaldi | |
| 1994 | My Name Is Kate | Annie | TV movie |
| XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl) | Sasha Townes | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Improper Conduct | Bernie | |
| Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14 | Allie Thompson | TV movie | |
| Mr. Stitch | Dr. Elizabeth English | TV movie | |
| 1996 | Terminal | Janet Reardon | TV movie |
| Bloodhounds II | Nikki Cruise | TV movie | |
| 1997 | Odd Jobs | Assassin | TV movie |
| Tower of Terror | Jill Perry | TV movie | |
| 1998 | Blues Brothers 2000 | Lt. Elizondo | |
| Poodle Springs | Angel | ||
| Heroes: The Mystique, the Movies, the Men | Special Guest Host | ||
| 2000 | Alone with a Stranger | Beth Jenkins | |
| 2001 | Bruised | Michelle | |
| The Riff | Heather Anderson | ||
| 2002 | The Chang Family Saves the World | Pearl Empress | TV movie |
| Half Past Dead | 49er Six | ||
| 2004 | The Coven | unknown | TV movie |
| 2005 | Inside Out | Maria | |
| Sub Zero | Kelli Paris | ||
| 2006 | Alpha Mom | Susan | TV movie |
| Special Unit | Tara | ||
| Connors' War | Amanda | ||
| 2009 | Citizen Jane | Evelyn | TV movie |
| The Outside | Joanne Blakey | ||
| 2010 | Firedog | Haley (voice) | post-production |
| 2011 | Battle of Los Angeles (film) | Capt. Karla Smaith | TV Movie |
| 2012 | Werewolf: The Beast Among Us | Vodama | Direct-to-DVD |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | The Music Shoppe | Darcie | |
| 1983 | Tales of the Gold Monkey | Zita Henriques | 1 episode |
| Hardcastle and McCormick | Waitress | 1 episode | |
| Days of Our Lives | Mallory | unknown episodes | |
| General Hospital | Carla Escobar | unknown episodes, 1983–1994 | |
| Fame | Nicole Chapman | 27 episodes, 1983–1986 | |
| 1984 | T.J. Hooker | Maria Dominguez | 1 episode |
| 1987 | Top of the Pops | Host | unknown episodes |
| 1989 | Matlock | Morgan Gerard | 1 episode |
| Nasty Boys | Serena Cruz | 13 episodes, 1989–1990 | |
| 1991 | The Party Machine with Nia Peeples | Host | unknown episodes |
| 1992 | The New WKRP in Cincinnati | Sierra Smith | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Return to Lonesome Dove | Agostina Vega | mini-series |
| 1994 | Highlander: The Series | Nefertiri | 1 episode |
| Touched by an Angel | Angela Evans | 1 episode | |
| 1995 | Crazy Love | unknown | unknown episodes |
| Marker | Lisa | 1 episode | |
| Courthouse | Veronica Gilbert | 11 episodes | |
| 1997 | Early Edition | Sister Mary | 1 episode |
| Crisis Center | Lily Gannon | 5 episodes | |
| 1998 | Real Life | Maya | 1 episode |
| 1999–2001 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Sydney Cooke | 46 episodes |
| 2004 | Andromeda | Rox Nava | 1 episode |
| The Division | Sandra Prestiss | 2 episodes | |
| 2005 | Barbershop | Det. Hahanna | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Arwin! | Ms. Hawkhauser | 1 episode |
| The Young and the Restless | Karen Taylor | 130 episodes, 2007–2009 | |
| 2010-present | Pretty Little Liars | Pam Fields | Recurring role |
See also[edit]
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
References[edit]
- ^ "Nia Peeples Biography (1961-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
- ^ a b "Nia Peeples 2003 Philippine Daily Inquirer Interview - Fame Episode Guide". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
- ^ http://www.dinnel.com/news/20284/Nia-Peeples-The-Elements-of-Life.html
- ^ "Article Index - INQUIRER.net". Inq7.net. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
- ^ Name *. "Sincerely, NIA…”Beauty is in it. Your best you is in it”". Bella Petite. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
- ^ "The Carnival: Getting The "Groove On" For 10 Years". Hollywire.com. February 2, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ^ "ABC Family Announces Pick-Up Of Dramas Huge And Pretty Little Liars" (Press release). ABC Family. January 27, 2010. Archived from the original on January 28, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
External links[edit]
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- 1961 births
- American dance musicians
- American female singers
- American soap opera actresses
- Living people
- People from Hollywood, Los Angeles
- American people of Filipino descent
- American people of Spanish descent
- American people of French descent
- American people of German descent
- American people of Scotch-Irish descent
- American people of English descent
- American people of Native American descent
- American people of Italian descent
