Woman Crush Wednesday: Patina Miller

When I hear the word “goddess”, there is one woman that instantly comes to mind: Patina Miller. Along with being a Tony Award winning actress, she’s also a star on television and on the big screen. Patina currently stars as press coordinator Daisy Grant on CBS’ hit TV show Madam Secretary and Charlotte Jenkins on PBS’ season two of Mercy Street. Oh, and let’s not forget she kicked butt as Commander Paylor in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015). Is there anything Patina can’t do? Here’s why she’s Pop Culturalist’s Woman Crush Wednesday this week and quite honestly, every week:

She teaches us to love our bodies.

If you follow Patina on Instagram, you know how adamant she is about health and fitness. She often posts videos of her daily work-outs and we can’t help but feel motivated to go to the gym. We all have the same hours in the day as Patina; if she can spend hours on set of Madam Secretary and still manage to get a boxing session in, what’s our excuse? By promoting a healthy lifestyle and body confidence, Patina encourages her fans to be the best version of themselves.

She portrays strong women on stage and on screen.

If you watch Madam Secretary, you know Daisy Grant is someone you don’t want to mess with. As press coordinator to the Secretary of State (Téa Leoni), Daisy constantly has to juggle overbearing journalists and maintaining strict confidentiality. Even in the most hectic of situations, when it seems like the world is on the brink of disaster, Daisy stays composed and professional. Whether she’s briefing the press about a global crisis or making big decisions about her personal life, Daisy is the epitome of confident. The best thing about Patina’s portrayal of Daisy is that it stays true to what women face everyday in the workplace; there are moments of insecurity when Daisy doesn’t believe she’s doing the right thing or she questions personal decisions. Patina excels in representing those moments of vulnerability and doubt. When she starred in Broadway’s Sister Act, she commanded the stage as Delores Van Cartier. The goofy nun makes the best out of tough situation and ends up inspiring her sisters in a beautiful way. The role landed Patina her first of two Tony nominations.

She inspires us to go above and beyond to reach our dreams.

Patina often mentions how she had to face her fears when she starred as Leading Player in Pippin. The role, which was originated on Broadway by Ben Vereen in 1972, is by no means an easy one; it requires acrobatics and strenuous choreography but Patina worked hard to perfect her portrayal in the revival. Her hard work paid off – she won the Tony Award for the role in 2013. Her dexterity on stage and willingness to push herself is awe-inspiring to watch. Patina proves that with an open mind and determination, anything can be accomplished.

If you want a daily dose of positivity and beauty, follow Patina on Instagram and Twitter.

Until Patina makes her triumphant return to Broadway, we’ll enjoy watching her be an inspiration to women everywhere on our TV screens! Make sure to catch her in Madam Secretary, Sundays at 9/8c on CBS. Season 2 of Mercy Street premieres on January 22nd, 8/7c on PBS.

Photo Credit: Danielle Kosann