Birth Name:
Paula Patton
Birthplace:
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
Date of Birth:
1975-12-05
Race or Ethnicity:
African and German American
Paula Patton is known for her appearances in the films Idlewild in 2005 and Deja Vu in 2006. She is married to singer/songwriter Robin Thicke.
An article in Women’s Health Magazine states that Patton was born to a White mother and a Black father. However Patton identifies herself as Black and said in an interview that she finds being called bi-racial offensive to her.
I find [the term biracial] offensive. It’s a way for people to separate themselves from African-Americans….a way of saying ‘I’m better than that, I’m black because that’s the way the world sees me.”
Her mother Joyce Patton Vanraden is of German heritage.
Profile by: Lala and Ethnic
Source:
- http://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/paula-patton
- http://bossip.com/
- top photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
{ 339 comments… read them below or add one }
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biracial people shouldnt have to choose there mother over there father embrace both because in reality you are both
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I don’t know why she wants to be called black. She’s clearly a white girl with a black dad like Obama and Drake and J.cole. A white person with a black dad.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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BECAUSE THEY LOOK BLACK! And that’s how society see’s them. Except for the few….. (you’re categorized in that section).
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she loosks part black. not black. you can clearly see white in her. in every mixed person in fact. its wrong to categorize people.. she is mixed NOT black. a black person doesn’t have white family.
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my daughter is mixed im italian and slovak her father is black and indian and she looks like the both of us and she tells everyone she is biracial and she doesnt care what people think its her life nobody should judge a person!or make them pick black or white that is not fair to either parent
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biracial women white mom black father
Hot debate. What do you think?
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NO
SHE IS JUST BLACK
AND
SHE DOESNT WANNA BE BIRACIAL
BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS STUPID
SHE LOOKS BLACK
AND I CALL HER A BLACK GIRL
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she is black, i will consider her black because as it is what she feels comfortable with.. but to say she is just black when she is clearly white as well is hideous! dont you think? what black person looks like her? and even if you do have black people that look like her. what full black person has white family without being albino?
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you obviously don’t know what the term black means, especially in america. You can have 1% African ancestry and still be called “black”. Ever heard of Jim Crow law? Funny thing is, now the whites want to claim the people with black ancestry and these people say, “nope”. White people get upset when blacks choose not to recognize their white ancestry. White Americans have enough to worry about. A lot of them don’t even realize they have black blood! But they will NEVER talk about this….
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its 2012 people not 1960 my daughter is half italian and half black she looks exactly like me the nose and italian features she is a part of me and would never deny her italian heritage
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I thought all HUMANS ORGINS WERE FROM AFRICA…..
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It is. Scientists (from all ethnicities) already found this evidence as fact. So it’s not biased. Yes, that is why Africa is referred to as the motherland. ALL humans originated from the continent of Africa. That is why it isn’t hard to explain why a blonde haired blue eyed woman/man can trace one or more ancestors of theirs back to Africa. I’ve went to school in LA with plenty of them. Blue eyed, dark haired or even blonde, both parents “white”, however, the great grandmother is of African descent/”black”.
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is she a shame to be white come on
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HHAHAHHAHA
SHE LIKES ONLY HER BLACK SIDE
THATS WHY I LOVE THE MEDIA
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why you laughing? its her personal choice? shes only rejecting half of her family.. im mean,,, thats not bad? at least she’s still got some family happy wit her. ? :/
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paula patton is biricial
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only in america all this fuss who realy cares race is some thing you had nothing to do with ,my children are mix race i am a black woman from the west indies who met a man who made me laugh .life is to short go enjoy it ,
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‘Caucasian American’?…… You wouldn’t call someone ‘Negro American’ would you? If you’re going to define people by their ancestors birthplaces you should stick to that and not introduce racial grouping into it. And am I imagining it or does ‘Irish’ seem to take precedent over any other european heritage? Even people BORN IN ENGLAND are listed as Irish because they had an Irish grandparent! Starting to think that ‘Irish’ means something different in the US than it does in the rest of the world.
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I remember when I first submitted this and now one gave a flying f*** about Paula then. I love Paula.
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You can be mixed all you like, there is nothing special about it. You live and die like all people. You can claim both sides, or one side, but nine times outta ten you will not be accepted into that white inner circle. The majority of mixed people in reality know this. This is why they try so hard to claim being mixed, as they believe in someway this will give them a hand up on not being “seen” as Black. (Paula was right on the mark with her comment in reference to being called “biracial”.)
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Zolie, that is a really ignorant thing to say. I am multiracial, Black and White father with an Hispanic mother, and I am absolutely proud of my mixed heritage. My parents divorced when we were very young and my mother had to pick up the majority of the stress that comes with children. So I get upset when people try to tell me that I am trying to distance myself from being Black because I am mixed. Only claiming to be Black is disrespectful to my mother who I love and respect so very much. Whether people like it or not, or whether the person looks it or not, mixed people are mixed! I love ALL my ancestry and would never deny any of it! And I have dealt with racism from whites, blacks, and hispanics so I think the statement you are making about whites is pretty racist.
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To Andrea:
Zolie is correct, but probably could’ve worded it differently for those like you who claim to be so offended. I am multiracial, father being Creole and Scottish. However, like Paula, when she looks intot he mirror she sees a “black” woman. Just because she sees her more dominant features doesn’t necessarily mean she hates her European side. I do not hate my European side, but there is no way I am going to checkmark “white” on an application when I clearly do not look like Becky Sanders from suburbia west. Paula is correct….her experiences make her “black”. My experiences make me “black”. We are NOT ashamed to be “black”. It’s about time people start being proud of their African heritage. We understand Paula does not speak for you, but she speaks for MANY bi/multiracial people who do not distance themselves from their African American heritage. I love my father dearly and I’m sure Paula loves her German parent, but if the situation was on the opposite end, something tells me that you wouldn’t have a damn thing to say about it. Continue being proud of all of your heritage, but shouting and screaming to the world “hey look at me I’m part white, I’m a mulatto! My mom has blonde hair and blue eyes” isn’t going to score you brownie points in the real world. Besides, MOST of today’s Americans ARE of mixed ethnicities anyway including African Americans. So what’s the point in writing a novel about what ethnicity(s) you are when most of America have at least four different heritages.
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So i guess since i look white i should just claim being white? See the double standard there? So shut your fucking ignorant mouth you twat.
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