Holly Robinson Peete: how she tackles demands of a showbiz career life as an NFL wife raising three children

Jet, March 22, 2004 by Margena A. Christian

Boundless energy is what actress Holly Robinson Peete possesses. There's no other way to describe it.

After 17 uninterrupted years on TV, the actress continues to conquer Hollywood professionally. At home, Holly holds it down in her personal life as the wife of NFL veteran quarterback Rodney Peete and as the mother of 6-year-old twins, Ryan Elizabeth and Rodney Jackson "RJ," and a 19-month-old son, Robinson James.

Tackling the demands of showbiz can be rigid, but the consistency of television has worked.

"I can he a complete and total mom," she tells JET. "Being on a sitcom is pretty much the only job I could have and be fulfilled career-wise and have the opportunities to take the kids to school every day."

Currently, Holly is the star of the WB's "Like Family." This happens to be her fourth TV series. Others have included "Hangin' With Mr. Cooper," "For Your Love." and "21 Jump Street." where she got her big break in 1987.

In the beginning, singing was her passion. As tuck would have it, Holly found her niche as an actress. But she did sing the theme song for the cop drama "21 Jump Street."

Show business seemed like a logical move for the Sarah Lawrence College graduate. Her mother is Dolores Robinson, a top Hollywood talent manager who was one of the few Black females in that position in the '80s, and her father, Matthew T. Robinson, Jr., who died in 2002, was the first actor to play Gordon on the children's show "Sesame Street" (JET, Aug. 26,2002). He also was the voice of the purple-faced puppet Roosevelt Franklin. In 1983 Matthew joined with fellow Philadelphia native Bill Cosby as a staff writer and producer for "The Cosby Show." He remained with the show until it ended hi 1992.

By the age of 4, she made her first appearance on TV It was with her dad on "Sesame Street." By the age of 11, Holly found herself hanging out on TV sets with her mother. There she would study some of her mom's famous clients at work.

"This gave me an unbelievable advantage to understand what show business was and how I needed to be and remain a professional when I got my shot," she says. "It was a real edge. I was watching what people did wrong and right. Ultimately this contributed to the longevity I've had on television. I'm real proud of that."

Holly's steady business partner since the onset of her career has been her mother. She credits Dolores as the driving force behind her permanence as an actress.

"No one else will have your back like your mom," emphasizes Holly. "This is a business relationship that we've had for 18 or 19 year's. I'm so blessed and privileged to continue on television almost consecutively. I don't take anything for granted. She had a lot to do with it. This business arrangement definitely works."

Holly manages to harmonize her solid showbiz career with her real-life family time. She's married to NFL veteran quarterback Rodney Peete, who was the backup quarterback to the NFC champion Carolina Panthers.

"Our relationship is kind of unorthodox in that we have a dual city, bicoastal thing going while he's playing football," she says. "I'm working in California and most of the teams he's played for have been on the East Coast. It strikes a nice balance in our lives."

Lasting romance in Hollywood is pretty rare, and lengthy Hollywood marriages are even more of an oddity. They were introduced in 1993 by Holly's close buddy, actress Lela Rochon. Holly admits she was hesitant about dating a football star.

"They've got this reputation and I saw he had a lot of women on the side," she laughs. "I didn't know if I even wanted to go down that road. But he was really ready. He made it easy for me to make those decisions that I wanted to be a life partner with him ... I grew up out here, so I understand the Hollywood thing. Rodney went to USC out here and was a big star in college and had a taste of a lot of the trappings of being a celebrity. By the time we connected, we were like been there and done that. It helped."

The couple were married in 1995 by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime family friend (JET, July 5, 1995). They've been married for eight years.

Respect for each other, adds Holly, contributes to the strong Peete family foundation.

"It's so refreshing to find a Brother who isn't threatened by the things I do," she sighs with relief. "A lot of people will point a finger and say that Rodney will take a backseat co my things. But Rodney doesn't have a problem with that. I know when it's his time to shine. He just played in his first Super Bowl after 15 years, I was so proud of him. I feel like we're two people paralleled in our relationship and careers. He's been a steady quarterback and had longevity in his career and I've had the same type of longevity in my career. I feel like he s my total equal. We're in a tight partnership."

In 1997, they became the parents of twins, a boy and a girl. Two years ago they welcomed another son.

"It's a juggle. The kids are so far apart in age. I am fortunate enough to be able to have people there. I have my mother who lives 8 minutes away, and that's by choice. So she's always been there I wouldn't have gotten through the first few years of the twins when Rodney had to go back to work without her."