Ask dé Paula what she wants people to know about her and she'll tell you,"I want people to see me for me, see my true talent and hard work. It ain't easy bein' me."

dé Paula, or as her friends refer to her, "Miss Thang", was born to a huge San Franciscan family. Yep! She's from "Yay Area", and proud of it. Shortly after she was born, she and her mother moved to various cities in california. "I've lived almost everywhere in California; San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Benicia, Stockton, San Diego, you name it." It wasn't til she arrived in Stockton to live with her father that she achieved stability. "No more moving!" dé Paula was 12 years old with an attitude and thought she knew it all. Living with her father painfully showed her how to be humble.

"OOOOH BOY, Living with my father was something else! Everyday was a lesson. Everytime I thought I was grown, he was right there to prove me wrong." She goes on to add "... but I needed that. I am thankful he wasn't a dead-beat dad. It was hard at first but he helped make the woman I am today."

After finishing high school in Lodi, CA, dé Paula stuck around and completed a year and a half at a local junior college. She then moved to San Diego and competed another year and a half at San Diego State University. Her major was communication. Right out of high school she wanted to be an anchor for the news, however in her second year of college she was a bit confused. The dream had always been to be a model/actress. So it was easy to make the decision to drop out of school and persue acting full time. "I was like a mad woman. I took millions of pictures, photo shoots, acting classes, I shopped like crazy trying to stay trendy and in style. That broke me down quick! I realized I had to get a REAL job."

Now 25, hard work is paying off. She has held a steady job since the day she left high school. Sometimes working more than one. Working hard and stayng focused has given her the sanity it takes to deal with the few ups and serious downs of the entertainment business. "I have a plan. How successful will I be? Not really sure, but the plan is in place and it's working so far."

After my interview with dé Paula, it would only be fitting of me to report that she is as real as it gets.