Paula Jai Parker facts for kids

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

Early Life and Beginnings

Paula Jai Parker grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. She went to Cleveland Heights High School. After high school, she moved to Washington, D.C. to study at Howard University. She earned a degree in Fine Arts.

After college, Paula moved to New York City to start her acting career. She performed in many clubs. From 1992 to 1993, she was on a comedy show called The Apollo Comedy Hour. This show was filmed live at the famous Apollo Theater. She also appeared on another sketch comedy show called Townsend Television.

Acting Career Highlights

Paula Jai Parker started her movie career in 1995. Her first film was the comedy Friday. In the same year, she won an award called the Cable ACE Award. This was for her role in an HBO show called Cosmic Slop. She also appeared on the TV show The Wayans Bros. with Shawn and Marlon Wayans.

Throughout the 1990s, Paula acted in many movies. These included the horror film Tales from the Hood (1995) and Get on the Bus (1996). She also appeared in comedies like Sprung (1997) and Woo (1997). In 1998, she was in Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

In the early 2000s, Paula continued to act in films. She was in High Crimes (2002) and Phone Booth (2002). In 2004, she played a role in She Hate Me. She also played the singer Ruth Brown in the movie Ray. A big moment in her career was the 2005 movie Hustle & Flow. She then starred with Terrence Howard again in the musical film Idlewild (2006).

Voice Acting and TV Roles

From 2001 to 2005, Paula Jai Parker became very well-known for her voice acting. She was the voice of Trudy Proud in The Proud Family. This was a popular animated comedy series on the Disney Channel. 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.

Paula also had guest roles on many TV shows. She played Billie Holiday on Touched by an Angel in 2000. She also appeared on shows like The Shield, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The Mentalist.

From 2013 to 2014, Paula had a recurring role on the HBO series True Blood. In 2014, she was one of the main stars on the TV One reality show, Hollywood Divas. She also had recurring roles on Hand of God and Recovery Road. In 2016, she released an 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 film set. Paula almost didn't take the role in Hustle & Flow, but her manager encouraged her. Paula and Forrest have one son together.

Awards and Recognition

Paula Jai Parker has received several awards and nominations for her acting.

• In 1995, she won a CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Drama for her work in "Cosmic Slop".
• In 2006, she won the Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Comedic Performance for Hustle & Flow.
• She was also nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2006 for her part in Hustle & Flow.
• In 2020, she was nominated for an Indie Series Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Drama for A House Divided.

See also

In Spanish: Paula Jai Parker para niños