Nicole Chapman - Character of the Month

 

Nicole Chapman's mother, Diane Petit was a single teenager when she got pregnant. Feeling she couldn't give her child the life she deserved, she gave her baby daughter up for adoption. Adopted by a wealthy   couple Ted and Joyce Chapman, Nicole had a happy childhood. 

Always feeling a pressure to live up to her adopted families expectations Nicole became an over achiever: A straight A student, voted most likely to succeed in her Kindergarten class. Beautiful, talented and determined she strives to achieve her dreams. We see in "Parent's week" how hard Nicole pushes herself to try to impress her medical attorney Mother by attempting a project that is way too time consuming, leaving no time for eating and sleeping!

 When Nicole first starts attending the school of the arts, she finds she has an attraction to fellow new student Jesse Velasquez.  They embark on a 2 year turbulent relationship, which sees them breaking up and getting back together a number of times. Nicole struggles with how intense Jesse can be and the pressure she feels to have sex. However, deep down there is a very strong bond between them and they support each other through their ups and downs. 

However, in "The Last Dance" Nicole starts to feel trapped in the relationship, she loves Jesse but doesn't feel that is enough. After an amicable break up the couple decide they are better off as friends.

Fiercely loyal and hardworking Nicole is the one who finds a clause to keep Jesse in America when it is discovered in "Wishes" that he is an illegal immigrant.

After best friend Holly Laird quits the school in "Choices" to Move to L.A. to take a job on a Soap Opera, Nicole becomes impatient for her first professional job too. Actively pursuing a part in a Broadway show, which she gets but the schedule clashes with her school classes and when the leading lady is injured Nicole steps into the lead and has to quit the school too. However, finding the work not as satisfying as she thought she decides to re-enroll into the school.

With her good looks Nicole has more than her fair share of admirers. As well as Jesse, both Chris and Danny get hung up on Nicole. Even Dwight develops a crush which gets a little out of hand in "Self Defense".  In "The Ballad of Ray Claxton", juvenile delinquent Ray also falls for Nicole. 

Nicole pursues other opportunities and even has her own show on a local Public Access Channel as well as being part of the The Cuties girl group, with fellow students and DJ on the School radio station.

Nicole is a huge fan of recording artist Frannie Fortune and was thrilled to get to meet her in "Fame and Fortune", although things go to her head a little when she is asked to replace Frannie on a song recording.

In the episodes "Go Softly Into Morning" we discover that having attended a student party where alcohol was being served, Nicole got into a car with a fellow student who had been drinking.  The car got into an accident and Nicole was killed. Devastated her fellow teachers and students set up a branch of S.A.D.D. at the school of the arts, who held a tribute show in Nicole's Name.