Paula Jai Parker
Parker reteamed with director Cundieff as flamboyant gold-digger Adina in "Sprung" (1997), a look at modern urban relationships. Her appropriately over-the-top performance stood out as the best part of this misfire, with the actress' oddly likable and zany portrayal of the loud-mouthed and hard-edged character stealing every scene. She hit the big screen again with a supporting role in "Woo" (1998) giving another colorful comedic turn as the cousin of Jada Pinkett's trying title character, who pawns her off on a blind date so that she may spend time alone with her boyfriend. Parker appeared that same year in the Frankie Lymon biopic "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" and the HBO original film "Always Outnumbered." In 1999 she took on the role of brazen private investigator Roberta Young in "Snoops," a part that somewhat revisited her earlier work as super sleuth Val Brentwood on the children's series "The Weird Al Show" (CBS, 1997-98). "Snoops" had an instant audience due to the popularity of both creator David E Kelley and co-star Gina Gershon, and this more mainstream exposure would help to further the already prolific career of this talented and dynamic performer.