Fame - Nia Peeples wants people to remember her name.
By Rita Robinson - staff Writer

Nicole Chapman, one of three new characters on syndicated television's "Fame", is supposed to be a hard working, serious, strait "A" over- achieving student. Like many of the characters on "Fame", Nia Peeples, who plays Nicole, is much like the character she portrays on the fast-paced, musically oriented show.Peeples, 22, a former West Covina High School 3.98 GPA honers student, salutorian, the senior class president and homecomming queen, was selected from amoung 8,000 hopefuls to fill the spot of Nicole. It isn't just a pretty face that got peeples the job, although she has that too."A lot has to do with being at the right place atthe right time". She acknowledges that her ethnic looks give her an advantage also. With parents of Scotch, Irish, American Indian, German, French, and Fillipino desent, she has been able to play Polynesians, Italians, and Latinos with ease. Peeples was 8 when she began performing Polynesian dances with her family. It helps too, that she is a proficient dancer, singer, and actress whose goal is to keep

on improving in every part of her professional life. She makes no bones about her desire for a career. Before getting the "Fame" role, Peeples appeared with Liberace in Las Vegas, had taped 13 episodes of a new TV series entitled "Music Shoppe" which has already appeared in Europe, had appeared in "Silver Spoons", "Square Pegs", "Tales Of The Gold Monkey", "General Hospital", "Hardcastle & McCormick, and "T.J. Hooker". Rather than being the long-suffering actress, Peeples says getting there wasn't all that difficult. She worked for a catering service for a short period of time (and made important contacts catering to the Hollywood crowd), but she's mostly been able to support herself with her

Nia & Billy Hufsey share a hug on the set of "Fame".

singing,dancing, and acting talents. She already has a healthy flow of fan mail,was nearly mobbed in New York where the "Fame" troup gave concerts to audiences of 10,000 and she's been asked for her autograph. It's heady stuff, and a bit bewildering to her. She recalls that once while visiting her parents in West Covina, she was in her "Grubbies" and ran into Sizzler to get a bit to eat. Customers asked if she hadn't appeared on "General Hospital", and seemed overwelmed that she wouls eat dinner with them. "I'd like to keep it on a level of letting people know it's just a job", she says. Often, the job requires working 12 - 15 hours per day. But That's OK with Nia. Along with the work comes the glamour. It has enabled her to buy her dream car-a Camaro Z-28 and she was given complete freedom to go select her

Billy Hufsey, Nia, Janet Jackson, and Paula Brown take a break.

wardrobe for the series from "Neiman-Marcus. "I just went thru the store pulling stuff of the racks and never even looking at the price", she says "It was wonderful". She recalls that while in New York where "Fame" is really big ( the show revolves around the New York High School Of The Performing Arts ),you have to be on your toes all the time - dressed to the nines and prepared for anything. The first day there for the concert series photographers were waiting at the hotel and fans ran after her as she came from the concert hall. "I stopped, turned around and said "Hi". She says the crowd seemed stunned that she would simply stand there and talk to them. "It only took about 5 minutes or

Close up of above photo.

so ( to get away )", Peeples says. She acknowledges, however, that established stars such as Debbie Allen ( who plays Lydia Grant ), Gene Anthony Ray ( Leroy Johnson ), and Carlo Imperato ( Danny Amatulio ) probablywould find it difficult to get away from fans within five minutes. Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson's sister, who is one of the three new cast members, ( JesseBorrego, who plays Jesse velasquezis the third one ), are swamped by fans too, she says. Allen, who not only acts in the series, but choreographs and directs, too, remains Peeples favorite. "She's a worker, she's worked her way up". Peeples, who says she has had little formal training, but is taking singing, dancing and acting lessons, wants to eventually return to college, ( she spent one semester at UCLA on an alumni scholarship ), someday. She also plans to start a family when she's about 30. "Family is very important to me". But for now she wants her career. "I'm still trying to earn my respect here", she says, adding that, after all, this is MGM and they make movies here too.