Robi Reed

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]

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]

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]

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]

• 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)

• Reed for Hope Foundation
• Sunshine Beyond Summer Celebration
• Robi Reed on IMDb