Nia Peeples

Nia Peeples
Born Virenia Gwendolyn Peeples
(1961-12-10) December 10, 1961
Hollywood, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active 1981–present
Television The Party Machine with Nia Peeples
Spouse(s)
Guy Ecker
(m. 1984; div. 1986)

Howard Hewett
(m. 1989; div. 1993)

Lauro Chartrand
(m. 1997; div. 2004)

Sam George
(m. 2004; div. 2015)
Children 2
Website niaselementsoflife.com

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

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.

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",[6] which climbed to #35 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7] Her most successful pop single is "Street Of Dreams", which hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991.[7] 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.[8]

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 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. In 2004 Peeples appeared in the season 4 episode of Andromeda The Spider's Stratagem as arms smuggler and love-interest Rox Nava. 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.[9]

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). They were featured on the July 7, 2013 episode of Celebrity Wife Swap, in which Peeples traded places with singer Tiffany.[10]

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.[11]

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, California 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.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US
[7]		 US
R&B
[13]		 US
Dan
[6]		 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
2019The Untold StoryCatarina
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 2013-02-09.
  2. 1 2 "Nia Peeples 2003 Philippine Daily Inquirer Interview - Fame Episode Guide". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  3. ↑ Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Article Index - INQUIRER.net". Inq7.net. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  5. ↑ "Sincerely, NIA…"Beauty is in it. Your best you is in it"". Bella Petite. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  6. 1 2 "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Dance Club Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  7. 1 2 3 "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "Nia Peeples, Tiffany". Celebrity Wife Swap. Season 2. Episode 6. July 7, 2013. ABC.
  11. ↑ "Nia's Elements of Life |". Niaselementsoflife.com. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
  12. ↑ "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  13. ↑ "Billboard > Artists / Nia Peeples > Chart History > Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
  14. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  15. ↑ "RPM 100 Singles > Nia Peeples". RPM Magazine. Retrieved 2013-06-30.
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