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Paula Jai Parker hails from Cleveland, Ohio. In 1987, she relocated to Washington, D.C. to attend Howard University. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree, she moved to New York City, performing at various clubs. Her comedic talent led to a spot on FOX's "The Apollo Comedy Hour," filmed live at the iconic Apollo Theater. After a year, she left the show to focus on film, landing notable roles such as in F. Gary Gray's urban comedy Friday and earning a Cable ACE Award for her performance in HBO's anthology Cosmic Slop.
In 1995, Parker returned to television with the WB series The Wayans Bros., starring alongside Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Throughout the 1990s, she appeared in multiple TV shows, including The Weird Al Show (1997) and David E. Kelley's Snoops (1999). During this time, she also acted in films like the Million Man March docudrama Get on the Bus (1996), the urban comedy Sprung (1997), the Frankie Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998), the ensemble comedy 30 Years to Life (2001), Cover, and the comedy-drama She Hate Me (2004).
In 2000, Parker lent her voice to Trudy Proud, the elegant matriarch in the animated series The Proud Family. The show became a hit and continued to be produced by Disney, earning acclaim from critics. Alongside voice work, Parker took supporting roles in films such as High Crimes (2002), Phone Booth (2003), and Hustle & Flow (2005), as well as starring in My Baby's Daddy. She also appeared in the TV series Touched by an Angel. In 2006, Parker starred in The Genius Club, directed by Tim Chey.
Parker has featured in several music videos, including Rome's "I Belong to You" and 50 Cent's "Follow My Lead" featuring Robin Thicke. In 1999, she made a cameo in Harlem World's "I Really Like It" alongside Tracy Bingham and Tia and Tamera Mowry. In 2001, she appeared in Jay-Z's "Girls, Girls, Girls" video with actresses Tamala Jones and Carmen Electra.
In 2004, Parker married Forrest Martin, whom she met while filming Hustle & Flow. Forrest had recently earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. The couple has one son.
Paula stars in the TV One production Hollywood Divas, set to air later in 2014. She and Forrest, a writer and producer, are collaborating on several projects, including the TV series The White Sisters, with Paula serving as director and actor.
