Paula Abdul

Acting

Paula Abdul

Born 1962-06-19 · San Fernando, California, USA

Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by the Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Abdul's debut studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988), became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from a debut album: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her second album, Spellbound (1991), scored the number-one singles "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time. As of 2025, Abdul places seventh along with Diana Ross and Lady Gaga for the most number-one singles by female artists in the U.S. to date. Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor, Live to Dance, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. She received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She received 17 MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning five, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show, and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990. Abdul was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards' Hall of Fame Award. Abdul was born in San Fernando, California. She is Jewish: her father, Harry Abdul, is of Syrian Jewish heritage and was born in Aleppo, Syria, raised in Brazil and emigrated to the United States. Her mother, Lorraine (Rykiss), was a concert pianist of Jewish heritage, from Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canada. Abdul has an older sister named Wendy. As an avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film Singin' in the Rain. ... Source: Article "Paula Abdul" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Acting credits

Robots poster
6.5

Rodney Copperbottom is a young robot inventor who dreams of making the world a better place, until the evil Ratchet takes over Bigweld Industries. Now, Rodney's dreams – and those of his friends – are in danger of becoming obsolete.

Robots

2005

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers poster
7.0

Decades since their successful television series was canceled, Chip has succumbed to a life of suburban domesticity as an insurance salesman. Dale, meanwhile, has had CGI surgery and works the nostalgia convention circuit, desperate to relive his glory days. When a former cast mate mysteriously disappears, Chip and Dale must repair their broken friendship and take on their Rescue Rangers detective personas once again to save their friend’s life.

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers

2022

Brüno poster
5.6

Flamboyantly gay Austrian television reporter Bruno stirs up trouble with unsuspecting guests and large crowds through brutally frank interviews and painfully hilarious public displays of homosexuality.

Brüno

2009

Can't Buy Me Love poster
6.9

Nerdy high schooler Ronald Miller rescues cheerleader Cindy Mancini from parental punishment after she accidentally destroys her mother's designer clothes. Ronald agrees to pay for the $1,000 outfit on one condition: that she will act as though they're a couple for an entire month. As the days pass, however, Cindy grows fond of Ronald, making him popular. But when Ronald's former best friend gets left behind, he realizes that social success isn't everything.

Can't Buy Me Love

1987

The Master of Disguise poster
4.0

After the patriarch of the Disguisey family is kidnapped by Devlin Bowman in an attempt to steal the most precious treasures from around the world, Italian waiter Pistachio Disguisey utilizes his supernatural ability to disguise himself in an attempt to stop him.

The Master of Disguise

2002

L.A. Story poster
6.5

With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a "wacky weatherman" tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.

L.A. Story

1991

Private School poster
5.7

Private-school student Christine loves Jim. But her classmate, Jordan, is also vying for Jim's attention and trying to end his relationship with Christine. Meanwhile, Jim's friend Bubba embarks on a series of sexual escapades, including dressing up as a woman to access the girls' locker room. Despite Jim and Christine's efforts to spend some time alone, various shenanigans and schemes interfere.

Private School

1983

Waking Sleeping Beauty poster
7.2

By the mid-1980s, the fabled animation studios of Walt Disney had fallen on hard times. The artists were polarized between newcomers hungry to innovate and old timers not yet ready to relinquish control. These conditions produced a series of box-office flops and pessimistic forecasts: maybe the best days of animation were over. Maybe the public didn't care. Only a miracle or a magic spell could produce a happy ending. Waking Sleeping Beauty is no fairy tale. It's the true story of how Disney regained its magic with a staggering output of hits - "Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast ," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and more - over a 10-year period.

Waking Sleeping Beauty

2009

A Smoky Mountain Christmas poster
5.9

A country-western singer on a trip through the Tennessee mountains runs into a reclusive backwoodsman — and a witch.

A Smoky Mountain Christmas

1986

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens poster
7.7

An account of the professional and personal life of renowned American photographer Annie Leibovitz, from her early artistic endeavors to her international success as a photojournalist, war reporter, and pop culture chronicler.

Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens

2007

Impractical Jokers: The Movie poster
6.6

The story of a humiliating high school mishap from 1992 that sends the Impractical Jokers on the road competing in hidden-camera challenges for the chance to turn back the clock and redeem three of the four Jokers.

Impractical Jokers: The Movie

2020

Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie poster
8.1

You can learn a lot from a maniacal baby genius bent on a world of domination, but we kinda hope you don't. In the shockingly hilarious 100th episode of Family Guy, Stewie makes good on his threat to do away with "vile woman" he calls Lois.

Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie

2009

Howard poster
6.8

Though legendary lyricist Howard Ashman died far too young, his impact on Broadway, movies, and the culture at large were incalculable. Told entirely through rare archival footage and interviews with Ashman’s family, friends, associates, and longtime partner Bill Lauch, Howard is an intimate tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent and a rousing celebration of musical storytelling itself.

Howard

2018

The Waiting Game poster
5.0

The two friends Sarah and Amy runs an art gallery in a small town in New England. They share not only the art gallery, but also the longing for true love. Sarah's Uncle Lowell from Mexico pays a unexpected visit. This will be the start of an adventure that will take Sarah and Amy through the drug cartels and the CIA spies, to a passionate encounter with two seductive, also dangerous men.

The Waiting Game

2001

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell poster
8.8

Interviews with the cast, creators, journalists and celebrity fans, plus behind-the-scenes footage from season six.

Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell

2020

Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You poster
4.9

Join stars Paula Abdul, Luke Perry, Sinbad, Pauly Shore, Jaleel White and many, many more as they take an entertaining, music-filled and honest look at HIV and AIDS. You'll get all the latest facts, important dos and don'ts, and you'll meet some wonderful people. Co-hosts Arsenio Hall and Earvin "Magic" Johnson even hit the court for a little one-on-one, and then take "time out" for an informative heart-to-heart! For people who already know about HIV and AIDS, and for those who don't, TIME OUT is a video you can't afford to miss.

Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You

1992

Power Girls poster
NR

Video collection of music tracks by female performers.

Power Girls

2002

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way poster
NR

'Ol' Blue Eyes' eightieth birthday celebration; star-studded entertainment, tributes by a diverse company of guests, songs closely associated with Sinatra sung by vocalists and groups from the early days of rock and roll to the 90's. A living legend toasted by legends of the music world and of Hollywood.

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way

1995

Barbie Dance Club poster
7.5

Dance along to six hot songs written exclusively for Barbie. learn to do the Barbie dance from Paula Abdul (yes, Paula herself). She takes you step by easy step...you'll love it! Try to guess the winners in the dance contest! See Barbie doll in her own music videos and sizzling fashion show video! Watch interviews with the Barbie Dance Club D.J. It's all right here on home video! So put on your dancin' shoes and join the fun!

Barbie Dance Club

1989

Saturday Night Live: 25 Years of Music Vol. 5 poster
NR

Music includes: "Butterfly" Mariah Carey "Don't Speak" No Doubt "Hand in My Pocket" Alanis Morissette "Wannabe" Spice Girls "Special" Garbage "Who Will Save Your Soul" Jewel "Mmm Bop" Hanson "Where It's At" Beck "Snoop's Upside Your Head" Snoop Doggy Dogg "Fuel" Metallica "Two Pina Coladas" Garth Brooks "What Would You Say" Dave Matthews Band "All I Have to Give" Backstreet Boys Comedy includes: Cheerleaders Camp Cheri Oteri, Will Ferrel & Paula Abdul Weed Doctor Kevin Spacey, Beck, Michael Palin & SNL Cast Devil Music Will Ferrell & Garth Brooks

Saturday Night Live: 25 Years of Music Vol. 5

2003

Romy and Michele: In the Beginning poster
5.4

It's 1987, and best friends Romy and Michele, fresh out of high school, are desperate to get away from their square hometown of Tucson and take their rightful place amongst the beautiful, hip people of Hollywood.

Romy and Michele: In the Beginning

2005

Paula Abdul Cardio Dance poster
9.0

Who said exercise has to be like work? This is a workout for people who want to have fun! Paula Abdul brings you the best of her own unique style in this dance-packed cardio workout, followed by lower body toning and adancer's stretch. Count on it, you'll break a sweat, AND, you'll get in shape.

Paula Abdul Cardio Dance

2000

Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story poster
6.2

A single mother’s American Idol audition helps her rise above a history of poverty, sexual abuse, and illiteracy to achieve national prominence.

Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

2006

Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation poster
7.0

Today's top musical stars—including Paula Abdul, Usher and Glee's Matthew Morrison—reveal why this iconic musical continues to influence and inspire musical performers around the world.

Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation

2012