Playing a cunning cop in the small town of Greylock, New Hampshire, isn’t the only mission for The Republic of Sarah star Nia Holloway. The CW star came from a background of successful entertainers and manifested that legacy for herself through hard work. Holloway had a vision for her career, a vision for herself, and now a vision for her character AJ. So what is in store for this level-headed member of the Greylock police force? Holloway gave us an overview of what AJ is all about and a glimpse of what she hopes will become of AJ’s character.
The Republic of Sarah is currently airing on the CW. Can you give readers a few highlights on your character AJ?
Absolutely. The Republic of Sarah is about a small-town teacher Sarah who finds a loophole in a map and decides to declare independence for her town from this really, really, greedy mining company who wants to take this really extensive mineral from the ground and destroy the town. Sarah does that with the help of her friends, including myself, AJ. AJ is a cop in Greylock, one of few cops you will see once you watch the show. She’s a cop, 24-years old, a Black woman, very, very strong, cynical, at some moments very funny, but also very level-headed. She also has a very sneaky secretive side that you have to watch the show to get more into that.
What are your hopes for your character AJ in the show in terms of character development?
I have a little bit of insight on what’s going to happen. I think what you get from AJ is she’s very strong, like I said, and she also has a heart for the people. She cares about the people in the town; she cares about her friends. AJ also has this very, very, vulnerable side to her. Once you get a glimpse into her personal life, what’s happening inside closed doors, you can see that she’s very human and that she’s very flawed. She’s going through real-life stuff that can take a toll on anyone, let alone a 24-year old trying to help a friend run a country. I think as far as character development, I’m really looking forward to diving more into AJ’s personal life, why she is the way she is, why she is so cynical, why she is so tough, why did she decide to have this secret, secret love affair. So I think I’m looking forward to diving into what makes AJ AJ.
I know you are very talented. You’ve done stage acting in The Lion King, to screen acting and singing, plus you also come from a talented family line. Can you talk a little bit about your multi-talented family line?
As people say it’s in the blood. I come from both sides, my mother and father’s side. On my mother’s side, my great-grandmother is Sylvia Shemwell. She’s a part of The Sweet Inspirations, which was a very iconic R&B group back in the day, most known for singing with some of our favorite R&B artists but also singing backup for Elvis for a very long time. My grandmother, my father’s mother, is Loleatta Holloway. She’s mostly known for her great big hit “Love Sensation,” “Hit And Run,” and also for her song “Good Vibrations” with Marky Mark, Funky Bunch, better known as Mark Wahlberg. I think from a very young age it’s being surrounded with so many voices and big personalities I always knew that this was what I wanted to do. I know it’s very rare but for nine-year-olds, but when I was nine I had this little dove come over me and I knew that this is what I wanted to do. Since I was nine, my parents have just honestly stowed everything into me to make this happen, and by the grace of God, I’m here at 25 living my dream.
Did coming from a multi-talented family line help shape your interest or passion for the entertainment industry?
Yeah, I think that sometimes when people think of that it can feel like pressure, but it really didn’t feel like that for me. It felt like a privilege because a lot of people aren’t blessed with legacy. A lot of people have to create a legacy or create something out of thin air. So I was very blessed and grateful that my ancestors who came before me laid the groundwork for me to follow and thrive in. So I think that it’s just a privilege for me to be able to live out a legacy that my family had started.
Are there any new projects you are working on?
Not at the moment. I’m currently working on some music that people could expect very soon. As you’re watching the show, you’ll get little hints of AJ singing a couple of tunes. But I think that right now my main focus is continuing to get my feet wet in TV and also pushing into the film industry as well. So I’m hoping some of those things are on the horizon, fingers crossed. I have two singles available right now on all streaming platforms. One is called “Young God,” and the other is called “I’m Your Lady,” so definitely check those out and keep an ear out for the new stuff I have coming.
Catch Nia Holloway as AJ on The Republic of Sarah, Monday nights on The CW.
Holloway’s singles “Young God” and “I’m Your Lady” are now available on all steaming platforms.
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