Paula Patton has bet a bevy of beauties (including “Smallville” starlet Kristin Kreuk, Lauren German, and Aussie Jacinda Barrett) to a key female role in Para’s “Mission : Impossible 4″ (though the studio say they’re not calling it that – kinda ridiculous, since it’s a proven, reliable brand!).

Patton, whose credits include “Precious” and “Mirrors”, will play “a young operative who works with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt character” says Deadline.

The 34-year-old actress joins Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames in the Brad Bird-directed blockbuster, set to go into production in the Fall.