She's not exactly trying to stretch herself as an actress now, is she?

Richie's character will reportedly be heavily involved in all the action of the comedy/spy series.  She has fight scenes. With pom-poms!

"She was really into the action,” Chuck producer Josh Schwartz told PEOPLE. “She was like, ‘how much a** am I allowed to kick, and when can I start kicking it?’ She came really prepared.”

Well, she's had to submerge her evil, violent instincts because of seven-month-old Harlow. She had to be all mommy-like, when all she's wanted to do is get out there and torment people.

This won't be Nicole's only foray into television this year. A TV adaption of her novel, The Truth About Diamonds, is in the works. Evil karate-kicking cheerleaders sound like more fun to watch, though.