Robi Reed
Robi Reed | |
|---|---|
 Robi Reed speaks at World AIDS Day event on December 1, 2013. | |
| Born | |
| Other names | Robi Reed-Humes |
| Alma mater | Hampton University |
| Occupation | Casting director |
| Years active | 1988-present |
| Children | Noah Humes Summer Humes |
| Website | reedforhope |
Robi Reed (born Robin Lynn Reed) is an American casting director[1] and producer. She has over 50 films and television shows to her credit, including The Best Man, Soul Food, For Colored Girls, Love Jones, Set It Off, In Living Color and Girlfriends.[2] Reed got her start working with writer-director Spike Lee. His 1988 release School Daze was her very first film as a casting director.[3] She later went on to cast Lee’s Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues, Crooklyn, Clockers and Jungle Fever.[4]
Reed is currently the Vice President of Talent and Casting for Original Programming at Black Entertainment Television (BET), where she oversees talent and casting for scripted and non-scripted shows.[5]
Career
Reed has had a hand in the careers of many top Hollywood stars and has worked to open doors for African-American actors for over 20 years.[6] She has cast Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah and others in major roles.[4]
She is credited with jumpstarting Halle Berry’s film career in 1991 by offering her a role alongside Samuel L. Jackson in Lee’s Jungle Fever.[7] She also cast Derek Luke to star in his first leading role in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher.[8]
In 1997, Reed earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting in a Drama for her work on The Tuskegee Airmen (HBO). She received a second Emmy nomination in 1998 for her work in casting HBO’s Don King: Only in America; and a third nomination in 1999 for HBO’s A Lesson Before Dying.[9]
Reed is the first African American to be nominated and win an Emmy for casting.[1]
Early life
Reed was born in Mount Vernon, NY, but grew up in Los Angeles where she was exposed to Hollywood at a young age.[10] By the age of 15, she knew she wanted to do casting after accompanying her younger brother, a child actor, to auditions.[3] Reed was fascinated with film and TV and would always read the cast and crew credits from beginning to end. She was determined to know every actor, actress, producer, director and casting agent in Hollywood. She made it her business to learn everything there was to know about the film and TV industry by quizzing herself using index cards to test her knowledge and ability to recall names, parts and projects.[10]
That determination landed Reed her first job as an assistant production office coordinator on the film, The Falcon and the Snowman, starring Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton.[10]
Education
Reed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Communication and Theatre from Hampton University.[11] She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.[12]
Personal
Reed is the mother of two children, a son named Noah (b.19??) and a daughter Summer (b. 19??).[10]
In 2012, she launched the Reed for Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to build alliances with other charities and organizations in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.[13]
Each year, Reed hosts her annual Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration where she brings together close friends, associates and peers to have a good time in the spirit of serving the community.[10] The affair is held every year at the private residence of a select supporting benefactor, which has included the homes of Jamie Foxx,[14] former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,[15] and Judge Greg Mathis.[16] The event started in 2002 as an intimate gathering of friends coming together for Reed's annual end-of-summer barbecue. Today, the event has morphed beyond those humble beginnings into a much anticipated summer event.[10] The Black AIDS Institute had been the charitable beneficiary of Reed's event since its inception, and now, all proceeds benefit the Reed for Hope Foundation.[15]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Notes | Credited |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Mama, I Want to Sing! | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2010 | For Colored Girls | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2009 | Next Day Air | ||
| 2007 | Somebody Help Me | video | |
| 2006 | Crossover | ||
| 2006 | Waist Deep | ||
| 2005 | The Gospel | ||
| 2005 | House of Grimm | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2004 | Never Die Alone | ||
| 2003 | The Fighting Temptations | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2002 | Undercover Brother | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2002 | Turnaround | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2001 | Two Can Play That Game | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2001 | Kingdom Come | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2001 | MacArthur Park | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2000 | Brother | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2000 | Turn It Up | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2000 | Punks | as Robi Reed-Humes |
| Year | Title | Notes | Credited |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Light It Up | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1999 | The Best Man | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1999 | Trippin' | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1998 | Woo | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1997 | Ill Gotten Gains | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1997 | Soul Food | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1997 | Gridlock'd | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1997 | Love Jones | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1996 | Set It Off | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1996 | Sunset Park | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1996 | Don't Be a Menace... | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1995 | Clockers | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1995 | Panther | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1994 | A Low Down Dirty Shame | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1994 | Crooklyn | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1994 | House Party 3 | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1993 | Poetic Justice | ||
| 1992 | Malcolm X | ||
| 1991 | Jungle Fever | ||
| 1990 | Mo' Better Blues |
| Year | Title | Notes | Credited |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Harlem Nights | ||
| 1989 | Do The Right Thing | ||
| 1988 | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka | ||
| 1988 | School Daze |
Television series
| Year | Title | Notes | Credited As |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Being Mary Jane | ||
| 2010 - 2012 | Let's Stay Together | ||
| 2010-2011 | The Game | ||
| 2011 | 8 Days a Week | 2 episodes | as Robi Reed-Humes |
| 2003-2004 | The Tracy Morgan Show | 18 episodes | |
| 2000 | Girlfriends | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1999 | The PJs | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1995 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | 1 episode | |
| 1990-1994 | In Living Color | 125 episodes | as Robi Reed-Humes |
| 1991 | Roc | 2 episodes | |
| 1987 | A Different World | 1 episode |
Television movies
| Year | Title | Notes | Credited As |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Let The Church Say, Amen | ||
| 2007 | Wifey | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2005 | Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story | ||
| 2005 | Their Eyes Were Watching God | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2001 | One Special Moment | ||
| 2001 | Carmen: A Hip Hopera | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 2001 | Commitments | ||
| 2001 | Fire & Ice | ||
| 2000 | Freedom Song | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1999 | A Lesson Before Dying | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1997 | Don King: Only in America | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1996 | Ruby Jean and Joe | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1995 | The Tuskegee Airmen | as Robi Reed-Humes | |
| 1990 | Heat Wave |
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | A Lesson Before Dying | Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or a Made for Television Movie | Nominated |
| 1998 | Don King: Only in America | Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Movie | Nominated |
| 1997 | The Tuskegee Airmen | Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special | Won |
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Malcolm X | Best Casting for Feature Film | Won |
| 1992 | Roc | Best Casting for TV | Nominated |
Additional Awards
- Black Reel Awards
- 2011 - Won for Best Ensemble (For Colored Girls)
- Bronze Lens Award
- 2010 - Honored as Legendary 'Behind the Scenes' Superstar
- NAMIC Vision Awards
- 2007 - Won Legacy Award
- Trumpet Award
- 1993 - Won for Casting (Heat Wave)
External links
References
- ^ a b "Casting director Robi Reed-Humes wins Emmy Award", "Jet", Sept. 30, 1996
- ^ "Robi Reed", "Hollywood.com"
- ^ a b "Role Players: Hollywood's Black Casting Execs", "Blackamericaweb.com", Feb. 20, 2012
- ^ a b Leonard E. Burnett Jr. and Andrea Hoffman,"Robi Reed-Humes", "Black is the New Green", 2010
- ^ "BET Networks names Robi Reed VP of Talent and Casting, Original Programming", "Target Market News", July 15, 2010
- ^ "'For Colored Girls' Cast to Honor Robi Reed", "Essence.com", Nov. 20, 2010
- ^ Miki Turner, "At 40, Halle Berry is ready for anything", "Today.com", April 19, 2007
- ^ Ellen Baskin, "For Director Washington, His Spirit Fit/Derek Luke was a natural for the role of Antwone Fisher", "Newsday", Jan. 5, 2003
- ^ "Awards Search: Robi Reed", "Emmys.com"
- ^ a b c d e f "Robi Reed Bio", "Reedforhope.org"
- ^ "School of Liberal Arts", "Hampton.edu"
- ^ "Famous Deltas", "Southerndivas.com", April 20, 2006
- ^ "Stars Kym Whitley, Keke Palmer, Selita Ebanks Salute Reed For Hope", "Emmys.com", Sept. 9, 2012
- ^ "Eva Marcille Shows Off Her Baby Bump At Robi Reed's Sunshine Beyond Event", "TheYBF.com", Sept. 1, 2013
- ^ a b "Robi Reed Hosts 10th Annual Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration", "Eurweb.com", Sept. 5, 2012
- ^ "Emmy Award-Winning Casting Director and Talent Executive Robi Reed Launches Reed for Hope Foundation", "Blackgivesback.com", Sept. 6, 2012