Paula Patton

**Paula Maxine Patton** (born December 5, 1975) is a highly acclaimed American actress and producer. Patton first came into limelight with her feature film debut in the 2005 comedy _Hitch_. Following her successful debut, she has had starring roles in hits like _Déjà Vu_ (2006), _Precious_ (2009), _Jumping the Broom_ (2011), _Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol_ (2011), _2 Guns_ (2013), _Warcraft_ (2016), and _Sacrifice_ (2019). Interestingly, Patton was also involved in the music industry where she provided additional vocals for Usher's 2004 album _Confessions_ and wrote songs for multiple Robin Thicke albums under the name 'Max', derived from her middle name. Patton's significant break came in 2006 when she secured the pivotal female lead role of Claire Kuchever in the science fiction thriller _Déjà Vu_ alongside Denzel Washington. The film was a box office hit, grossing over US$180 million worldwide. Patton's career soared as she took on diverse roles across different genres: from the comedy-drama _Swing Vote_, supernatural horror film _Mirrors_ to critically acclaimed drama film _Precious_ where she played Ms. Blu Rain, a dedicated teacher. Furthermore, Patton has made her foray into the television space when she was cast in the NBC crime drama series, _Law & Order: Special Victims Unit_ and later on as lead character in the ABC drama series _Somewhere Between_. Even at present, she continues to contribute significantly to the film and television industry.