Nia Peeples

Virenia Gwendolyn "Nia" Peeples (born December 10, 1961) is an American R&B and dance music singer and actress. Peeples is known for playing Nicole Chapman on the hit TV series Fame; Pam Fields, the mother of Emily Fields, on the drama Pretty Little Liars; Karen Taylor Winters on The Young and the Restless; and Sydney Cooke on Walker, Texas Ranger. Her most recent television role was Grace's mom, Susan, on The Fosters.

Nia Peeples
Born
Virenia Gwendolyn Peeples

(1961-12-10) December 10, 1961
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1981–present
TelevisionThe Party Machine with Nia Peeples
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 1986)​

​
​
(m. 1989; div. 1993)​

Lauro Chartrand
​
​
(m. 1997; div. 2004)​

​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2015)​
Children2

Early life

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 Scots-Irish, English, Native American, and Italian ancestry.[2][4][5] Peeples attended UCLA during which time she performed as Liberace's opening act in Las Vegas on weekends.

Personal life

Peeples lives in Malibu, California, and has one son Christopher (b. 1989 with ex-husband Howard Hewett) and one daughter Sienna (b. 1998 with ex-husband Lauro Chartrand).

She operates an internet based organization called Elements of Life, which promotes fitness, inspiration, healthy lifestyle changes and emotional well-being. She worked with business coach Amy Applebaum on its development.[6]

On August 11, 2015, Peeples filed for divorce from her surfer husband Sam George. Peeples filed in Los Angeles County, 20 days before the couple's eighth wedding anniversary. Peeples is seeking to keep the couple's home, a Malibu manufactured home with an ocean view that's valued at $875,000. Also listed among the couple's community assets is a Las Vegas condo worth $91,000.

Career

Music

Peeples started her career as part of the performance group The Young Americans. In 1988 she hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with "Trouble",[7] which climbed to #35 on the Billboard Hot 100.[8] Her most successful pop single is "Street Of Dreams", which hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.[8] She made a music video in 1986 for "All You Can Dream", directed by Alan Bloom and conceptualized 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. Peeples also attends and performs at the annual live Fame Reunion concerts overseas.[9]

Acting

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 also hosted the short-lived American version of Top of the Pops in 1987, a weeknight dance music program called The Party Machine with Nia Peeples (1991), and portrayed Texas Ranger Sydney Cooke in the CBS hit series Walker, Texas Ranger from 1999 to 2001. In 2004, she appeared in the Andromeda episode "The Spider's Stratagem", as arms smuggler and love-interest Rox Nava. 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. In 2010, she was cast in ABC Family's TV series Pretty Little Liars, based on the book series by Sara Shepard.[10] Peeples was featured on the July 7, 2013 episode of Celebrity Wife Swap, in which she traded places with singer Tiffany.[11]

Discography

Albums

Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US
[8]		 US
R&B
[13]		 US
Dan
[7]		 AUS
[14]		 CAN
[15]
1988 "Trouble" 35 71 1 — — Nothin' But Trouble
"High Time" — — 10 — —
1989 "I Know How (To Make You Love Me)" — — 28 — —
1991 "Street of Dreams" 12 73 — 74 23 Nia Peeples
1992 "Kissing the Wind" 76 — — 86 76
"Faces of Love" 88 — — — 59
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1981A Single LightDeaf GirlTV movie
1987North ShoreKiani
1989DeepStar SixScarpelli
SwimsuitMariaTV movie
Nasty BoysSerena CruzTV movie
1990Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced SingerCathy ReddingTV movie
1992I Don't Buy Kisses AnymoreTheresa Garabaldi
1994My Name Is KateAnnieTV movie
XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)Sasha TownesTV movie
1995Improper ConductBernie
Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14Allie ThompsonTV movie
Mr. StitchDr. Elizabeth EnglishTV movie
1996TerminalJanet ReardonTV movie
Bloodhounds IINikki CruiseTV movie
1997Odd JobsAssassinTV movie
Tower of TerrorJill PerryTV movie
1998Blues Brothers 2000Lt. Elizondo
Poodle SpringsAngel
Heroes: The Mystique, the Movies, the MenSpecial Guest Host
2000Alone with a StrangerBeth Jenkins
2001BruisedMichelle
The RiffHeather Anderson
2002The Chang Family Saves the WorldPearl EmpressTV movie
Half Past Dead49er Six
2004The CovenunknownTV movie
2005Inside OutMaria
Sub ZeroKelli Paris
2006Alpha MomSusanTV movie
Special UnitTara
Connors' WarAmanda
2009Citizen JaneEvelynTV movie
The OutsideJoanne Blakey
2010FiredogHaley (voice)Post-production
2011Battle of Los AngelesCapt. Karla SmaithTV movie
2012Werewolf: The Beast Among UsVodamaDirect-to-DVD
201223 Minutes to SunriseDirect-to-DVD
2015LavalantulaOlivia WestTV movie
2018MistrustKristen Rhodes
2018Inferno by DanteSpeaker: Exit
2019The Untold StoryCatarinacompleted
2019Purgatory by DanteSpeaker: Matilda and The Gardenpost-production
2020Ulysses CoyoteIsadora Begaypre-production
2020Miracle UndergroundTBApre-production
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1981The Music ShoppeDarcie
1983Tales of the Gold MonkeyZita Henriques1 episode
Hardcastle and McCormickWaitress1 episode
Days of Our LivesMalloryUnknown episodes
1983–1994 General HospitalCarla EscobarUnknown episodes
1983–1986 FameNicole Chapman58 episodes
1984T.J. HookerMaria Dominguez1 episode
1987Top of the PopsHostUnknown episodes
1989MatlockMorgan Gerard1 episode
1989–1990 Nasty BoysSerena Cruz13 episodes
1991The Party Machine with Nia PeeplesHostUnknown episodes
1992The New WKRP in CincinnatiSierra Smith2 episodes
1993Return to Lonesome DoveAgostina VegaMini-series
1994Highlander: The SeriesNefertiri1 episode
Touched by an AngelAngela Evans1 episode
1995Crazy LoveUnknownUnknown episodes
MarkerLisa1 episode
CourthouseVeronica Gilbert11 episodes
1997Early EditionSister Mary1 episode
Crisis CenterLily Gannon5 episodes
1998Real LifeMaya1 episode
1999–2001Walker, Texas RangerSydney Cooke46 episodes
2004AndromedaRox Nava1 episode
The DivisionSandra Prestiss2 episodes
2005BarbershopDet. Hahanna3 episodes
2007Arwin!Ms. Hawkhauser1 episode
2007–2009 The Young and the RestlessKaren Taylor130 episodes
2010–2017Pretty Little LiarsPam Fields38 episodes
2013Celebrity Wife SwapHerself"Nia Peeples/Tiffany"
2014LongmireAdele Chapman1 episode
2017–2018The FostersSusan9 episodes

See also

References
  1. "Nia Peeples Biography (1961-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  2. "Nia Peeples 2003 Philippine Daily Inquirer Interview - Fame Episode Guide". Sites.google.com. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  3. Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Article Index - INQUIRER.net". Inq7.net. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  5. "Sincerely, NIA…"Beauty is in it. Your best you is in it"". Bella Petite. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  6. "Nia's Elements of Life |". Niaselementsoflife.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  7. "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  8. "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  9. "The Carnival: Getting The "Groove On" For 10 Years". Hollywire.com. February 2, 2009. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  10. "ABC Family Announces Pick-Up Of Dramas Huge And Pretty Little Liars" (PDF) (Press release). ABC Family. January 27, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 28, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  11. "Nia Peeples, Tiffany". Celebrity Wife Swap. Season 2. Episode 6. July 7, 2013. ABC.
  12. "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  13. "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. "RPM 100 Singles > Nia Peeples". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
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