Atlanta actress plays a young Nicki Minaj in TV pilot

Ariana Neal remembers the first time she met Nicki Minaj.

Ariana was nervous, and a bit starstruck, but the award-winning rapper, singer and songwriter instantly put her at ease.

“She was awesome,” Ariana said. “She was very laid-back and down to earth. You know, she’s really a big artist.”

Ariana, 11, recently was tapped to play a young Minaj on the new Freeform (formerly ABC Family) sitcom “Nicki,” inspired by the performer’s childhood in Queens. The show, which is still in the development stage, shows her vibrant family, and the personal and musical evolution that led to her eventual rise to stardom.

“Nicki” shot in Queens this winter with director Tim Story of “Ride Along” and “Think Like a Man.”

It also will feature Selita Ebanks as Minaj’s mother, Wesley Jonathan as her father and McCarrie McCausland as her brother. In the pilot, Whoopi Goldberg plays a neighbor, Miss Martha.

What stands out most about Minaj? “How strong she is,” Ariana said. “She’s determined.”

Ariana, who lives in McDonough with her parents and younger brother, Aaron Neal Jr., also discovered she and Minaj had a lot more in common than one might expect. Ariana is a pretty good singer as well as an actress.

“We both love music,” said Ariana, who recently returned from filming the pilot in New York. “I love music before acting.”

She also has an acting role and recorded a song with R&B-gospel singer Shirley Murdock for the soundtrack of “Restored,” a faith-based film.

Her time in New York blew up on Twitter, with Minaj fans lauding her as the perfect choice for the role of 12-year-old Nicki.

“She and Nicki were actually able to hang out, and they got to know each other pretty well,” said Ariana’s mother, Anna Neal.

Ariana is no stranger to film.

Her acting credits include “Get Hard” with Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell, “Fruitvale Station” with Michael B. Jordan and “Christmas on the Bayou” with Edward Asner and Hilarie Burton. She also has filmed several commercials.

Ariana learned she had the “Nicki” role late last year.

“I freaked out, but it was very exciting,” she said. Her family celebrated with sparking apple cider. “It was an early Christmas present.”

Ariana has been acting since she was 5 and began singing even earlier, said her father, Aaron Neal.

“Singing is her passion, her God-given gift,” he said.

Could there be two acting pros in the family?

Neal said his son has followed his big sister on the set “and you can tell he’s starting to pick it up. He’s showing a lot of personality.”