Paula Abdul
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 19, 1962 (age 64)
- Birthplace
- San Fernando, California, USA
Biography
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Raging Midlife
Movie · as Mary Todd
Kobe: The Making of a Legend
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
The Muppets Mayhem
TV · as Paula Abdul · 1 ep
The Golden Bachelor
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Movie · as 3-D Reporter / Paula Abdul
2022 American Rescue Dog Show
Movie · as Self - Judge
Janet Jackson: Japanese Singles Collection - Greatest Hits
Movie · as (archive footage)
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
JANET JACKSON.
TV · as Self · 2 eps
This Is Pop
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Made for Love
TV · as Anydoors · 4 eps
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Paris in Love
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Secret Celebrity Renovation
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Impractical Jokers: The Movie
Movie · as Paula Abdul
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell
Movie · as Self
Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Masked Dancer
TV · as Self - Panelist · 9 eps
Canada's Drag Race
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
Celebrity Ghost Stories
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Little Late with Lilly Singh
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Movies That Made Us
TV · as Self · 1 ep
RuPaul
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Howard
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
A Sister's Secret
Movie · as Detective Tucker
American Idol
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
The Nineties
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Steve
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Lip Sync Battle
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Fresh Off the Boat
TV · as Holly · 1 ep
The Arsenio Hall Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation
Movie · as Self
Live to Dance
TV · 7 eps
Impractical Jokers
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The X Factor
TV · as Self - Judge · 26 eps
Waking Sleeping Beauty
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Talk
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Family Guy Presents: Stewie Kills Lois and Lois Kills Stewie
Movie · as Paula Abdul (voice)
VH1 Divas 2009
Movie · as Self - Host
Brüno
Movie · as Self - American Idol Judge
The Jay Leno Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
2009 Game Show Awards
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
RuPaul's Drag Race
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 1 ep
Drop Dead Diva
TV · as Judge Paula · 5 eps
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV · as Self - Guest · 3 eps
The Streamy Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Hey Paula
TV · as Self · 7 eps
Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story
Movie · as Self
Let's Dance
TV · 1 ep
Hotel Babylon
TV · as Herself · 1 ep
Robots
Movie · as Watch (voice)
American Idol: The Best of Seasons 1-4
Movie · as Self - Judge (archive footage)
American Idol: The Worst of Seasons 1-4
Movie · as Self - Judge
Romy and Michele: In the Beginning
Movie · as Paula Abdul
The Friday Night Project
TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep
So You Think You Can Dance
TV · as Self - Judge · 1 ep
Dancing with the Stars
TV · as Self - Guest Judge · 3 eps
Hell's Kitchen
TV · as Self - Restaurant Patron · 1 ep
The Reichen Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Tony Danza Show
TV · as Self · 5 eps
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Sesame Street: Zoe's Dance Moves
Movie · as Self
Saturday Night Live: 25 Years of Music Vol. 5
Movie · as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
TV · as Self · 4 eps
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV · as Self · 4 eps
All of Us
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Celebrities Uncensored
TV · as Self · 1 ep
That's So Raven
TV · as The Host · 1 ep
Power Girls
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
American Idol: The Search For A Superstar
Movie · as Judge
The Master of Disguise
Movie · as Choreographer (uncredited)
Less than Perfect
TV · as Kathleen · 1 ep
American Idol
TV · as Self - Judge · 315 eps
The Waiting Game
Movie · as Amy Fuentes
Good Day Live
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Bernie Mac Show
TV · as Paula Abdul · 1 ep
Paula Abdul Cardio Dance
Movie · as Self
Mr. Rock n Roll: The Alan Freed Story
Movie · as Denise Walton
Family Guy
TV · as Paula Abdul (voice) · 2 eps
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
TV · as Self · 2 eps
TRL
TV · 1 ep
Touched By Evil
Movie · as Ellen Collier
The View
TV · as Self · 5 eps
The Daily Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
E! True Hollywood Story
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Muppets Tonight
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
TV · as Paula Abdul · 1 ep
Spin City
TV · as Paula Abdul · 1 ep
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Movie · as Self - Performer
The Single Guy
TV · as Paula Abdul · 1 ep
The Wayans Bros.
TV · as Sasha · 1 ep
Cybill
TV · 1 ep
Paula Abdul's Get Up & Dance
Movie · as Self
All That
TV · as Self · 1 ep
For Our Children
Movie · as Self
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Paula Abdul: Under My Spell Live
Movie · as Self
Time Out: The Truth About HIV, AIDS and You
Movie · as Self
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
TV · as Self · 4 eps
L.A. Story
Movie · as Roller Skater in Front of Tail O' the Pup (uncredited)
Barbie Dance Club
Movie · as Self
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Nase vorn
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Can't Buy Me Love
Movie · as Dancer (uncredited)
The Tracey Ullman Show
TV · 1 ep
Going Live!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sacrée soirée
TV · as Self · 3 eps
A Smoky Mountain Christmas
Movie · as Choreographer (uncredited)
Al TV
TV · as Self · 1 ep
MTV Video Music Awards
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Private School
Movie · as Cheerleader (uncredited)
Champs-Elysées
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Entertainment Tonight
TV · as Self
Junior High School
Movie · as Sherry
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self (uncredited) · 2 eps
American Music Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
Today
TV · as Self · 1 ep