Say so long to the former shy girl. Robin Thicke’s wife is ready for hollywood and strips down to prove it.
The lovely and talented, Paula Patton, is covering the December issue of Complex magazine. In the new issue she speaks on her new role in the upcoming sequel ‘Mission Impossible’, meeting Tom Cruise for the first time, and more.
Check out pics and excerpts:
Paul Patton is an actress, wife, and mother but she is lighting up the big screen these days. Many of you may recognize her from the romantic comedies (Just Wright, Jumping the Broom) and critical darlings (Déjà Vu, Precious) alike and in her hubby’s steamy video “Lost Without You” video.
Paula still professes that she is still a shy girl off screen.
It’s safe to say that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is the biggest film of your career so far. Not every actress gets to be in a franchise that’s earned over $4 billion worldwide. Making Mission?
Impossible was a dream come true. It challenged me as an actor because it’s so technical. Any time you’re challenged you get better. I learned so much from working with Tom Cruise—it was remarkable. Also, I got to do my own stunts, and that felt more freeing than anything I’ve ever done. To be able to be that physical was exciting.I want to be peaceful, but I have a lot of violent rage inside of me. Mission: Impossible was great for helping me get some of that out.
Was that first meeting with Tom Cruise intimidating?
No, actually. He made me feel comfortable; he was so kind. At first I felt like I shouldn’t waste my time, because I just didn’t see how they’d actually cast me. I didn’t think of myself being hired to be in this. Then they kept calling, so I figured, “OK, I have nothing to lose. It would be cool to be a spy. [Laughs.] And it’d be amazing to work with Tom. If they’re calling, there has to be a reason—you have to have more faith in yourself.” So they called and said that they wanted me to do a chemistry read with Tom, and it was like no screen test I’d ever done before. I had my trailer, and the test was on a big soundstage in Paramount. It felt very “old Hollywood.” It was very exciting. I had to learn how to disarm a gun a little bit—or at least be able to fake it—that same day!
Had you ever used a gun before?
Yeah, I had, actually. Before I got married, back in 2005, I did this TV pilot that Antoine Fuqua directed and produced, starring Josh Brolin and myself as homicide detectives—but it didn’t get picked up. I got to learn how to use a gun then, so I wasn’t coming into Mission Impossible as naïve and fresh as I would have otherwise.
There’s a scene in the movie where you come to blows with another actress. Did you have any real-life fighting experience?
Not at all. I’d never physically hit anybody until I was doing the rehearsal. They had a stunt man, and we were getting ready, and the timing got screwed up and I really connected with this guy’s chin. And, I have to say, it was gnarly! [Laughs.] But, also, I’ve never felt worse. It’s a whole other thing to hit skin. It didn’t feel good at all, and yet it was like, “Wow, that worked! I can really hurt someone.” It just goes to show you that the smallest person can inflict the most damage if they know what they’re doing, and it’s good for women to know that.Listen, I’m not someone to be played with! If need be, I can hurt someone.
There’s a duality to you, in other words.
Yes! Duality! Thank you, that’s the word I’m looking for. I want to be peaceful, but I have a lot of violent rage inside of me. Mission: Impossible was great for helping me get some of that out without really hurting anyone.
Hollywood is definitely lacking in female action heroes. Is that something you’d be game for?
Hell yeah. I’d love to do more action films. I was always athletic as a child, so for me it’s fun to run and jump and get physical. I love all of that. It would be amazing to keep kicking ass in other films, or in more Mission: Impossible films—whatever comes my way. I’m just open to wherever life takes me. I try to put up light guardrails in my life, and leave room for things to come my way and surprise me. If you’re too rigid in your quest for something, you might not see the other amazing possibilities that are thrown at you.
Didn’t you make documentaries before you started acting?
Well, since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be an actress. I would put on plays in my parents’ backyard and wear my mom’s dresses—playing dress-up was my favorite thing in the world. But in high school I became friends with this guy who was this Spike Lee wannabe, and he took me to see Do the Right Thing, and it just changed me. From that, the idea that I could create stories and characters for black women and men to play who weren’t just stereotypes, was incredible for me. I actually made a couple short films after that.
Is that inner revolutionary still inside of you?
Absolutely, but maturity has let me know that there’s a way to deliver a message and still entertain the audience. Back then, I didn’t care about entertaining anyone— I had a point to make, dammit! [Laughs.] The most important thing for anyone who wants to make movies is to entertain people. If you find a way to layer it, give them more depth, and make them think about things, that’s the ultimate success. It’s sad, we now live in a place where commerce is more important than art, but you have to move with the times.