Robi Reed (born Robin Lynn Reed) is an American casting director 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."Robi Reed", Hollywood She began her career working with the writer-director Spike Lee. His 1988 release, School Daze, was her first film as a casting director."Role Players: Hollywood's Black Casting Execs", "Blackamericaweb.com", February 20, 2012 She went on to cast Lee's Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues, Crooklyn, Clockers and Jungle Fever.Leonard E. Burnett Jr. and Andrea Hoffman,"Robi Reed-Humes", "Black is the New Green", 2010

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."BET Networks names Robi Reed VP of Talent and Casting, Original Programming", Target Market News, July 15, 2010

Career Reed has played a significant role to shape the careers of many top Hollywood stars and has worked to open doors for African-American actors for over 20 years."'For Colored Girls' Cast to Honor Robi Reed", Essence, November 20, 2010 She has cast Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah and others in major roles.

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.Miki Turner, "At 40, Halle Berry is ready for anything", Today, April 19, 2007 She also cast Derek Luke to star in his first leading role in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher.Ellen Baskin, "For Director Washington, His Spirit Fit/Derek Luke was a natural for the role of Antwone Fisher", Newsday, January 5, 2003

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."Awards Search: Robi Reed", Emmys

Reed is the first African-American to be nominated and win an Emmy for casting.

Early life Reed was born in Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Los Angeles where she was exposed to Hollywood at a young age."Robi Reed Bio", Reed for Hope Foundation By the age of 15, she knew she wanted to do casting after accompanying her younger brother, a child actor, to auditions.

Reed developed an early interest in the film and television industry and became familiar with the roles of actors, producers, directors, and casting professionals by closely following film and television credits. She has stated that she studied the industry, extensively, using methods such as index cards to improve her knowledge of individuals, productions, and their professional associations.

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.

Education Reed earned a Bachelor of Science degree in speech communication and theatre from Hampton University.School of Liberal Arts, Hampton University She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority."Famous Deltas", Southerndivas, April 20, 2006

Personal Reed is the mother of two children, a son named Noah and a daughter Summer.

In 2012, she launched the Reed for Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to build alliances with other charities and organizations in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases."Stars Kym Whitley, Keke Palmer, Selita Ebanks Salute Reed For Hope", Emmys, September 9, 2012

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. It is held every year at the private residence of a selected supporting benefactor, which has included the homes of Jamie Foxx,"Eva Marcille Shows Off Her Baby Bump At Robi Reed's Sunshine Beyond Event", The YBF, September 1, 2013 the former Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa,"Robi Reed Hosts 10th Annual Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration", Eurweb, September 5, 2012 and Judge Greg Mathis."Emmy Award-Winning Casting Director and Talent Executive Robi Reed Launches Reed for Hope Foundation", Black Gives Back, September 6, 2012 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 grown into a much-anticipated summer event. 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.

Filmography Films Year Title Notes Credited 1988 School Daze 1988 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka 1989 Do the Right Thing 1989 Harlem Nights 1990 Mo' Better Blues 1991 Jungle Fever 1992 Malcolm X 1993 Poetic Justice 1994 House Party 3 as Robi Reed-Humes 1994 Crooklyn as Robi Reed-Humes 1994 A Low Down Dirty Shame as Robi Reed-Humes 1995 Panther as Robi Reed-Humes 1995 Clockers as Robi Reed-Humes 1996 Don't Be a Menace... as Robi Reed-Humes 1996 Sunset Park as Robi Reed-Humes 1996 Set It Off as Robi Reed-Humes 1997 Love Jones as Robi Reed-Humes 1997 Gridlock'd as Robi Reed-Humes 1997 Soul Food as Robi Reed-Humes 1997 Ill Gotten Gains as Robi Reed-Humes 1998 Woo as Robi Reed-Humes 1999 Trippin' as Robi Reed-Humes 1999 The Best Man as Robi Reed-Humes 1999 Light It Up as Robi Reed-Humes 2000 Punks as Robi Reed-Humes 2000 Turn It Up as Robi Reed-Humes 2000 Brother as Robi Reed-Humes 2001 MacArthur Park as Robi Reed-Humes 2001 Kingdom Come as Robi Reed-Humes 2001 Two Can Play That Game as Robi Reed-Humes 2002 Turnaround as Robi Reed-Humes 2002 Undercover Brother as Robi Reed-Humes 2002 Antwone Fisher as Robi Reed-Humes 2003 The Fighting Temptations as Robi Reed-Humes 2004 Never Die Alone 2005 House of Grimm as Robi Reed-Humes 2005 The Gospel 2006 Waist Deep 2006 Crossover 2007 Somebody Help Me video 2009 Next Day Air 2010 For Colored Girls as Robi Reed-Humes 2011 Mama, I Want to Sing! as Robi Reed-Humes

Television series and mini-series Year Title Notes Credited As 1987 A Different World 1 episode 1990-1994 In Living Color 125 episodes as Robi Reed-Humes 1991 Roc 2 episodes 1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special 1 episode 1999 The PJs as Robi Reed-Humes 2000 Girlfriends as Robi Reed-Humes 2003-2004 The Tracy Morgan Show 18 episodes 2010-2011 The Game 2011 8 Days a Week 2 episodes as Robi Reed-Humes 2010 - 2012 Let's Stay Together 2013 Being Mary Jane 2017The New Edition Story3 episodes2018The Bobby Brown Story2 episodes

Television movies Year Title Notes Credited As 1990 Heat Wave 1995 The Tuskegee Airmen as Robi Reed-Humes 1996 Ruby Jean and Joe as Robi Reed-Humes 1997 Don King: Only in America as Robi Reed-Humes 1999 A Lesson Before Dying as Robi Reed-Humes 2000 Freedom Song as Robi Reed-Humes 2001 Fire & Ice 2001 Commitments 2001 Carmen: A Hip Hopera as Robi Reed-Humes 2001 One Special Moment 2005 Their Eyes Were Watching God as Robi Reed-Humes 2005 Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story 2007 Wifey as Robi Reed-Humes 2012 Let The Church Say, Amen

Awards and nominations + Primetime Emmy Awards Year Title Category Result 1997 The Tuskegee Airmen Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Special 1998 Don King: Only in America Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or Movie 1999 A Lesson Before Dying Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries or a Made for Television Movie

+ Casting Society of America (CSA) - Artios Awards Year Title Category Result 1992 Roc Best Casting for TV 1993 Malcolm X Best Casting for Feature Film

Additional awards Trumpet Award 1993 - Won for Casting (Heat Wave) NAMIC Vision Awards 2007 - Won Legacy Award Bronze Lens Award 2010 - Honored as Legendary 'Behind the Scenes' Superstar Black Reel Awards 2011 - Won for Best Ensemble (For Colored Girls)

References

External links Reed for Hope Foundation Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration