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Paula Jai Parker
Born (1969-08-19) August 19, 1969 (age 55)
Education Howard University
Occupation Actress
Years active 1992–present
Spouse(s)
Forrest Martin
(m. 2004)
Children 1

Paula Jai Parker (born August 19, 1969) is an American actress. She is well-known for her roles in movies like Friday (1995), Hustle & Flow (2005), and Idlewild (2006). Many people also know her as the voice of Trudy Proud in the Disney Channel cartoon series, The Proud Family (2001-2005). She also voiced Trudy in The Proud Family Movie (2005) and the newer show, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (2022).

Early life

Paula Jai Parker was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1987, she moved to Washington, D.C. to study at Howard University. She earned a special degree in Fine Arts. After college, she moved to New York City and performed in many clubs.

From 1992 to 1993, Paula was on a TV comedy show called The Apollo Comedy Hour. This show was filmed live at the famous Apollo Theater. She was also a cast member on another short TV show, Townsend Television.

Career highlights

In 1995, Paula Jai Parker started her movie career in the comedy film Friday. That same year, she won an award for her role in an HBO show called Cosmic Slop. Later, she joined the TV show The Wayans Bros.. During the 1990s, she appeared in several other TV shows. These included The Weird Al Show (1997) and Snoops (1999).

Paula also had important roles in many movies during the 1990s. She was in the horror movie Tales from the Hood (1995). She also appeared in Get on the Bus (1996) and the comedy Sprung (1997). Other movies included Woo (1997) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998). In the early 2000s, she acted in movies like High Crimes (2002) and Phone Booth (2002). In 2004, she played Ruth Brown in the movie Ray. A big moment in her career was the 2005 movie Hustle & Flow. She later worked with the same actor, Terrence Howard, in the musical movie Idlewild (2006).

One of Paula's most famous roles is the voice of Trudy Proud. She voiced this character in The Proud Family cartoon series from 2001 to 2005. She also voiced Trudy in The Proud Family Movie in 2005. In 2022, she returned to voice Trudy in the new series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. She also played the famous singer Billie Holiday in an episode of Touched by an Angel in 2000. She has also been a guest star on other popular TV shows. These include The Shield, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The Mentalist.

From 2013 to 2014, Paula had a role in the HBO series True Blood. In 2014, she was one of the main stars of the reality TV show Hollywood Divas. She also had recurring roles in the shows Hand of God and Recovery Road in 2015. In 2016, she released a music album called "Paula Jai & Friends."

Personal life

Paula Jai Parker married Forrest Martin in 2004. They met while working on the movie Hustle & Flow. Forrest was an intern on the movie set. Paula almost didn't take the role in the movie, but her manager encouraged her. Paula and Forrest have one son together.

Discography

  • Paula Jai & Friends (2016)

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Cosmic Slop Tang TV movie
1995 Friday Joi
Tales from the Hood Sissy Johnson
1996 Don't Be a Menace to South Central ... Party Girl
Get on the Bus Jamilia
1997 Sprung Adina
1998 Always Outnumbered Melodie TV movie
Woo Claudette
Why Do Fools Fall in Love Paula King
1999 The Breaks Ann
2001 30 Years to Life Stephanie
2002 High Crimes Gracie
Phone Booth Felicia
2003 Love Chronicles Sara
2004 My Baby's Daddy Rolonda
She Hate Me Evelyn
Ray Ruth Brown
Konsequenz Baby Short
2005 Hustle & Flow Lexus
The Proud Family Movie Trudy Parker-Proud (voice) TV movie
Animal Reecy Video
2006 Idlewild Rose
The Genius Club Tatiana
2007 Cover Monica Wilson
2010 Confessions of A Lonely Wife -
2011 King of the Underground Elizabeth Gayle
2013 When a Woman's Fed Up Laticious
Life of a King Gina Sanders
Pastor Shirley Pastor Shirley
2014 4Play Linda
Patterns of Attraction Desiree Stewart
Act of Faith Shartruce
Assistant Motives Joyce Miller
You Me & Her Karen Short
2015 The Summoning Angela
2016 Last Call at Murray's Danice
She's Got a Plan Rhonda
Echo Park Blues CeCe McCoy Short
2017 The White Sistas Jordan White
2018 Taco Shop Eve
Hey, Mr. Postman! Ms. Kelly
2020 Blinders Evelyn
2022 A Miracle Before Christmas Martha
2023 Kings of L.A. Mason
Sasha Lanes Ashanti
The Furry Fortune June

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992-93 The Apollo Comedy Hour Herself Main Cast
1993 Townsend Television Herself Main Cast
1994 Soul Train Herself/Guest Host Episode: "CeCe Peniston/Outkast/Tashan"
Roc Jill Episode: "No Place Like Home"
1995 Pointman Udia Episode: "Silent Auction"
1995-96 The Wayans Bros. Mia Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2
1997 Riot Lisa Episode: "Homecoming Day"
The Parent 'Hood Sabrina Episode: "Wendell and I Spy"
The Weird Al Show Val Brentwood-Gal Spy Main Cast
Cosby Tanya Episode: "The Two Hilton Lucases"
1998 NYPD Blue Cara Wilson Episode: "Speak for Yourself, Bruce Clayton"
1999 Snoops Roberta Young Main Cast
2000 Touched by an Angel Billie Holiday Episode: "God Bless the Child"
2001-05 The Proud Family Trudy Parker-Proud (voice) Main Cast
2003 Gadget & the Gadgetinis Jeanette Sir (voice) Episode: "The General's Daughter"
2004 The Shield Desirae Episode: "Cracking Ice"
2005 Lilo & Stitch: The Series Trudy Parker-Proud (voice) Episode: "Spats: Experiment #397"
CSI: Miami Deana Walters/D-Nasty Episode: "Shattered"
2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Julia Beltran Episode: "Toe Tags"
2007 Side Order of Life Stargell Grant Recurring Cast
2008 My Name Is Earl Sylvia Episode: "Orphan Earl"
2009 Fear Itself Patty Orwell Episode: "Something with Bite"
2010 The Mentalist Astrid Episode: "Red Sky at Night"
Fish Hooks Yolanda (voice) Episode: "Hooray for Hamsterwood"
2011 Funny or Die Presents Paula Episode: "Episode #2.6"
2012 Let's Stay Together Sherry Steele Episode: "Inspect Me, Inspect Me Not"
The Exes Amelia Episode: "How Holly Got Her Groove Back"
2012-19 Family Time Lori Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2-7
2013 The Soul Man Drew Episode: "Bride and Prejudice"
2013-14 True Blood Karen Guest: Season 6, Recurring Cast: Season 7
2014 Front Seat Chronicles Rachel Episode: "See You in Court"
2014-16 Hollywood Divas Herself Main Cast
2015 Hand of God Ida Congdon Recurring Cast: Season 1
2016 Recovery Road Margarita Jean-Baptiste Recurring Cast
Ray Donovan Sylvie Starr Recurring Cast: Season 4
How To Get Away with Murder Yvonne Episode: "It's About Frank"
2017 NCIS: Los Angeles Ellie Episode: "Forasteira"
2019 9-1-1 Judith Spivey Episode: "Triggers"
Black Jesus Teresa Recurring Cast: Season 3
2019-22 Crown Lake Headmistress Catherine Merriweather Recurring Cast: Season 1-2, Main Cast: Season 3
2019-23 A House Divided Stephanie Sanders Main Cast
2020 Criminal Minds Captain Vivian Paige Episode: "Under the Skin"
Insecure Sheryl Episode: "Lowkey Feelin' Myself"
Etheria Karen Episode: "You Me & Her"
2021 Them Hazel Emory Recurring Cast: Season 1
Queen Sugar Celine Recurring Cast: Season 6
Colin in Black & White Aunt Zora Episode: "Crystal"
2022 Celebrity Family Feud Herself/Contestant Episode: "Episode #9.2"
All Rise Charlene Addison Episode: "It Ain't Over Till It's Over"
American ... Diamond Episode: "The Escape Wheel"
2022- The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Trudy Parker-Proud (voice) Main Cast

Music video

Year Song Artist
2001 "Girls, Girls, Girls" Jay-Z

Documentary

Year Title
2007 Angels Can't Help But Laugh
2008 So You Want Michael Madsen?
2011 Kiss and Tell: The History of Black Romance in Movie
Mama & Me

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
1995 CableACE Award CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Drama "Cosmic Slop" Won
2006 Women Film Critics Circle Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Comedic Performance "Hustle & Flow" Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2020 Indie Series Awards Indie Series Award for Best Lead Actress — Drama "A House Divided" Nominated

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Paula Jai Parker para niños

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