We first paid attention to the lovely actress when she popped up with OutKast’s Big Boi and Andre 3000 in the semi-musical “Idlewild.” Denzel went back into time over-and-over to save her life in “Dèjà Vu” and she garnered critical-acclaim in “Precious.”

By KEVIN ‘CHILL’ HEARD

Managing Editor

We first paid attention to the lovely actress when she popped up with OutKast’s Big Boi and Andre 3000 in the semi-musical “Idlewild.” Denzel went back into time over-and-over to save her life in “Dèjà Vu” and she garnered critical-acclaim in “Precious.”

Married to R&B sensation Robin Thick and a brand new mom, Paula Patton now takes the lead starring role in “Jumping the Broom,” with an all-star cast that includes Angela Bassett, Loretta Divine, Mike Epps and Megan Goode.

In the film, Patton is the marrying kind, but her real-life fam left her with a bit of baby weight to deal with. “I read the script and it said, ‘Sabrina (her character) in bra and panties.’” Patton smiles, stating “and that was my diet. The script was my diet.” 

In the film, Patton’s character is set to marry the man of her dreams, but her Martha’s Vineyard family is not quite a match for her husband’s blue-collar relatives.

For the brand new mom, Patton had a decision to make as to her intentions of going back to work after having a child. “My son was two months old when I got the script,” she quipped. “I was gonna take a little longer off, but I read the script and loved it.”

Making the decision to go for it, help was on the way. “[Having a child] was a brand new experience for me,” Patton recalled. “I called my mom. She was a school teacher for 30 years and she told me that she had to go back to work when I was two months. My son was 3 months old then, and my mom said ‘I’ll come with you and help you out. You should do this if you feel passionate about it.’ She came and helped me.”

When asked if she herself jumped the broom when she wed blue-eyed soul singing sensation Robin Thick, she offered “No, I didn’t jump the broom when I got married.” She laughed and then questioned, “What, just because [my husband] is White, I didn’t jump the broom?”

After being assured that was not the intent of the question, she gave up a “just kidding” smile and concluded “But to be real with you, I did not know about the tradition until I read the script. But I would have, because I love the idea.”

“Jumping the Broom” opens nationwide May 6, and is rated PG-13 with some sexual content.