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Paula Jai Parker built up an impressive resume of film and television work before landing a high-profile regular role on David E Kelley's detective series "Snoops" (ABC, 1999-2000). A spirited comedic performer with a powerful and uncompromising presence, Parker proved her skills as a regular on one season of the syndicated "Apollo Comedy Hour" before landing a featured starring role on Robert Townsend's short-lived variety series "Townsend Television" (Fox, 1993)....

Filmography

Everybody's A Player - ( Kiki / / Announced / )
Cover - ( Monica Wilson / 2008 / Released / )
The Genius Club - ( Tatiana / 2008 / Released / )
Idlewild - ( Rose / 2006 / Released / )
Animal - ( Reecy / 2005 / Released / )
Hustle & Flow - ( Lexus / 2005 / Released / )
My Baby's Daddy - ( Rolanda / 2004 / Released / )
She Hate Me - ( Evelyn / 2004 / Released / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment )
Phone Booth - ( Felicia / 2003 / Released / )
30 Years to Life - ( Stephanie / 2002 / Released / )
Why Do Fools Fall in Love? - ( Paula King / 1998 / Released / )
Woo - ( Claudette / 1998 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Rumors - ( / 1997 / Released / )
Sprung - ( Adina / 1997 / Released / )
Get on the Bus - ( Jamilia / 1996 / Released / )
Friday - ( Joi / 1995 / Released / )
Tales From the Hood - ( Sissy / 1995 / Released / )
TV Credits
Fear Itself ( 2008 / Released ): Actor
A Side Order of Life ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
TV Episode Cast

Coming Out ( 2007 )
TV Episode Cast

When Pigs Fly ( 2007 )
TV Episode Cast

Try to Remember ( 2007 )
TV Episode Cast

Children and Art ( 2007 )
TV Episode Cast

The Proud Family Movie ( 2005 / Released ): Voice
CSI: Miami ( 2002 / Released ): Actor
The Shield ( 2002 / Released ): Actor
The Proud Family ( 2001 / Released ): Voice
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ( 2000 / Released ): Actor
Snoops ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
Always Outnumbered ( 1998 / Released ): Actor
Riot ( 1997 / Released ): Actor
The Weird Al Show ( 1997 / Released ): Actor
Cosmic Slop ( 1994 / Released ): Actor
NYPD Blue ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
Townsend Television ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
Cosby ( Released ): Actor
Roc ( Released ): Actor
The Wayans Bros. ( Released ): Actor
Touched By an Angel ( Released ): Actor
Full Biography (Back to top)

Paula Jai Parker built up an impressive resume of film and television work before landing a high-profile regular role on David E Kelley's detective series "Snoops" (ABC, 1999-2000). A spirited comedic performer with a powerful and uncompromising presence, Parker proved her skills as a regular on one season of the syndicated "Apollo Comedy Hour" before landing a featured starring role on Robert Townsend's short-lived variety series "Townsend Television" (Fox, 1993). The versatile, actress compellingly took on a more dramatic role in "Tang", an installment of the 1994 HBO anthology special "Cosmic Slop", for which she earned a CableACE Award as Best Actress in a Dramatic Special or Series. On the big screen, Parker could be seen in supporting roles in F Gary Gray's "Friday" and Rusty Cundieff's horror anthology "Tales From the Hood" in 1995, followed by a 1996 appearance in Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus". She also stayed busy with a recurring role on The WB comedy series "The Wayans Bros." from 1995 to 1996.

Parker reteamed with director Cundieff as flamboyant gold-digger Adina in "Sprung" (1997), a look at modern urban relationships. Her appropriately over-the-top performance stood out as the best part of this misfire, with the actress' oddly likable and zany portrayal of the loud-mouthed and hard-edged character stealing every scene. She hit the big screen again with a supporting role in "Woo" (1998) giving another colorful comedic turn as the cousin of Jada Pinkett's trying title character, who pawns her off on a blind date so that she may spend time alone with her boyfriend. Parker appeared that same year in the Frankie Lymon biopic "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" and the HBO original film "Always Outnumbered". In 1999 she took on the role of brazen private investigator Roberta Young in "Snoops", a part that somewhat revisited her earlier work as super sleuth Val Brentwood on the children's series "The Weird Al Show" (CBS, 1997-98). "Snoops" had an instant audience due to the popularity of both creator David E Kelley and co-star Gina Gershon, and this more mainstream exposure would help to further the already prolific career of this talented and dynamic performer.


Profession(s):
Actor, singer, dancer
Sometimes Credited As:
Paula Jai Parker
Paula Jai Parker-Martin

Horizontal Line
Education
Howard University Washington, DC
Awards (Back to top)
CableACE Award Best Actress in Dramatic Special or Series "Cosmic Slop: Tang" 1995

Milestones (Back to top)
2006 Cast in "Idlewild," a feature about music performers in the 1930s
2005 Starred in Craig Brewer's "Hustle & Flow" opposite Terrence Dashon Howard
2004 Featured in the Spike lee film "She Hate Me"
2003 Featured in the thriller "Phone Booth"
2001 Co-starred in the Sundance-screened ensemble comedy "30 Years to Life"
1999 Starred as brazen private investigator Roberta Young in "Snoops" (ABC) David E Kelley's high-tech detective drama
1998 Featured in the comedy "Woo", starring Jada Pinkett
1998 Appeared in the HBO original film "Always Outnumbered"
1998 Acted in the biopic of 1950s hit singer Frankie Lymon "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"
1997 Reteamed with Cundieff, co-starring as a gold-digging single woman in his comedy "Sprung"
1997 "Riot", a 1995 filmed fictionalized look at 1992's Los Angeles riots, featuring the actress in one of four vignettes, aired on Showtime
1997 Was a regular on the CBS Saturday morning children's series "The Weird Al Show", playing super sleuth Val Brentwood
1996 Appeared in Spike Lee's "Get on the Bus"
1995 Appeared in F Gary Gray's comedy "Friday", starring Chris Tucker and Ice Cube
1995 Was featured in "Tales From the Hood", an urban supernatural horror film directed by Rusty Cundieff
1994 Starred in "Tang", one of the three parts of the HBO's anthology special "Cosmic Slop"
1993 Was a regular on the short-lived variety series "Townsend Television" (Fox)
Raised in Cleveland, Ohio
Featured on the syndicated series "The Apollo Comedy Hour"
Had a recurring role on The WB's comedy "The Wayans Bros"


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