The lead character in Being Mary Jane has the last name Paul: she is Mary Jane Paul.
Played by Gabrielle Union, Mary Jane is a successful television news anchor whose professional ambition and complicated personal life drive the series. She works at Satellite News Channel, balancing demanding newsroom responsibilities with family obligations, romantic relationships, and the expectations placed on her as a prominent Black woman in television news.
The character is also referred to as “MJ,” but that nickname can create confusion because Mary Jane is not the Marvel character Mary Jane Watson. In Being Mary Jane, her surname is Paul, and the series follows an original television protagonist created for the show. Her full name is often presented as Pauletta “Mary Jane” Patterson in character descriptions, while “Mary Jane Paul” is the name consistently used for the central character.
The series began with a television film in 2013 before becoming a regular BET series in 2014. Gabrielle Union remained the lead throughout its run, and the show concluded with a two-part finale in 2019. The title emphasizes both Mary Jane’s public identity and the private life behind her on-air persona.