Paula Patton plays spy Jane Carter, a role that required her to hone her skills in martial arts, capoeira, kick boxing and weapons. (Photo: Getty)

Paula Patton plays a spy with considerable assets in “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.” She gives Tom Cruise a run for his money in the stunt department, too.

“I was doing physical stunts; feet in the mud, fingernails full of dirt, shooting and fighting for my life,” Patton tells GQ magazine.”

Patton also does her part to promote the movie with sexy photo spreads.

The 36-year-old actress, who is married to Grammy winning singer Robin Thicke, 34 the son of “Growing Pains” actor Alan Thicke, gave birth to son Julian Fuego in April 2010.

In the movie, she plays spy Jane Carter, a role that required her to hone her skills in martial arts, capoeira, kick boxing and weapons usage before she could get into the character.

“It was quite a bit of training, especially because I’d just had my son five months prior so as you can imagine, I wasn’t in tip-top shape,” she said in a recent interview.

“It wasn’t just about the outward appearance, which of course got affected, but it was about being able to do these stunts.”

She called working with the 49-year-old Cruise, who reprises his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, an “amazing experience.”

“Those are the moments you dream of as an actress. He is very generous in that he wants to share the spotlight with everyone and make everyone shine,” she said.

The film debuted over the weekend and finished fourth at the box office with $13 million domestic gross from a limited opening.

Check out her behind-the-scenes video below: