Paula Jai Parker
Biography
Paula Jai Parker is an American actress who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and studied at Howard University before moving to New York City to perform in clubs. From 1992 to 1993 she appeared on the FOX program The Apollo Comedy Hour, and she later joined the sketch show Townsend Television. Her film debut came in 1995 with Friday, and that same year she won a Cable ACE Award for Cosmic Slop. Supporting parts followed in Tales from the Hood, Sprung, Woo and Why Do Fools Fall in Love, then in the early 2000s in High Crimes, Phone Booth and My Baby's Daddy. She appeared as Ruth Brown in Ray and had her breakthrough in the 2005 drama Hustle & Flow, after which she was cast opposite Terrence Howard in Idlewild. She voiced Trudy Proud in The Proud Family from 2001 to 2005, returning for its 2022 reboot, and she had a recurring role on True Blood.
57years old
Turns 58 on August 19in 309 days
- Born Cleveland
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 18
- Career span
- 28 years1995 to 2023
First and latest
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First role
Parker's film debut came in 1995 in the F. Gary Gray comedy Friday. That same year, she won a Cable ACE Award for her part in the HBO anthology presentation Cosmic Slop.
First role
Parker performed on the Fox comedy program The Apollo Comedy Hour from 1992 to 1993, filmed live at the Apollo Theater.
Beyond film
Parker released an extended play album called Paula Jai & Friends in August 2016, which included the single Going Down.
Paula Jai Parker movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Rusty Cundieff directed two of these films. Rusty Cundieff appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Rusty Cundieff's page
Terrence Howard's page
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister's page
Bai Ling's page
Anthony Anderson's page
Also two films together12 more actors
- Richard T. JonesLife of a King (2013) and Phone Booth (2003)
- Clarence Williams IIISprung (1997) and Tales from the Hood (1995)
- Miguel A. Núñez Jr.Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) and Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998)
- John WitherspoonSprung (1997) and Friday (1995)
- Tommy DavidsonThe Proud Family Movie (2005) and Woo (1998)
- Ben VereenIdlewild (2006) and Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998)
- Bobb'e J. ThompsonIdlewild (2006) and My Baby's Daddy (2004)
- Anthony JohnsonHey, Mr. Postman! (2018) and Friday (1995)
- Buddy LewisKings of L.A. (2023) and Woo (1998)
- Aries SpearsThe Proud Family Movie (2005) and Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998)
- Joe TorrySprung (1997) and Tales from the Hood (1995)
- Joanna BacalsoMy Baby's Daddy (2004) and Woo (1998)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Paula Jai Parker's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$286 million
11 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 18 films: 11 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 3 figure not found.
- 11Worldwide figure
- 2US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 3Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 94% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$98M34.2% of the total
- 2$64M22.3% of the total
- 3$28M9.9% of the total
- 4$24M8.2% of the total
- 5$18M6.5% of the total
- 6$13M4.4% of the total
- 7$12M4.3% of the total
- 8$12M4.2% of the total
$17.1 millionfrom the other 3 films with a worldwide figure, 6% of the total