Reginald Hudlin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reginald Hudlin
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Hudlin in 2017
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| Born | December 15, 1961 Centreville, Illinois, U.S.
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| Occupation | Film director, writer, producer |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | House Party Django Unchained Boomerang |
| Spouse(s) |
Chrisette Suter
(m. 2002) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Warrington Hudlin (brother) |
Reginald Alan Hudlin (born December 15, 1961) is an American director, writer, and producer. He is famous for making movies, TV shows, and even comic books!
Reginald often works with his older brother, Warrington Hudlin. Together, they are known as the Hudlin Brothers. From 2005 to 2008, Reginald was in charge of entertainment for Black Entertainment Television (BET). He also helped produce the 88th Academy Awards (the Oscars) in 2016.
Some of his most well-known films include House Party (1990) and Boomerang (1992). He also produced Django Unchained (2012), which was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Reginald Hudlin was born in Centreville, Illinois. His parents were both teachers. He grew up in East St. Louis, where his family had a long history.
His great-great-grandparents, Peter and Nancy Hudlin, were part of the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom. His great uncle, Richard A. Hudlin, was a tennis coach who taught famous players like Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson.
The Hudlin brothers went to the Katherine Dunham's Center for the Performing Arts. This was a special school where they learned about different art forms. Reginald said this experience was very important for him. It led him to attend Harvard University.
In 1979, Reginald finished high school at Assumption High School in East St. Louis.
College and First Film
While at Harvard University, Reginald made a short film called House Party. This film was his final project for college. It won many awards, including first place at the Black American Cinema Society Awards.
The film was inspired by his own experiences growing up. In 1983, Hudlin graduated from Harvard with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies. His short film later became the basis for his first major movie, House Party.
Film and TV Career
After college, Reginald and his brother Warrington started a company. They made music videos for artists like Heavy D. They also created a popular TV commercial for a music collection.
Early Hit Movies
Reginald directed his first full-length movie, House Party, in 1990. His brother Warrington produced it. This low-budget comedy starred the hip-hop group Kid 'n Play. Variety magazine called it one of the most profitable films of that time.
In 1992, Hudlin directed Boomerang, a romantic comedy. It starred Eddie Murphy and an all-Black cast. This included actors like Halle Berry, Martin Lawrence, and Chris Rock. The film was a big success.
In 2017, there was a special event to celebrate Boomerang's 25th anniversary. It was held at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Other Directing Work
Reginald Hudlin has directed many other films and TV shows. Some of his movies include:
- The Great White Hype (1996)
- The Ladies Man (2000)
- Serving Sara (2002)
- Marshall (2017), a movie about the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court justice, Thurgood Marshall.
- Safety (2020) for Disney+.
He has also directed episodes for popular TV series. These include Modern Family, The Office, and The Middle. He was also a producer and director for The Bernie Mac Show for three years.
Leadership at BET
From 2005 to 2008, Hudlin was the President of Entertainment for Black Entertainment Television (BET). During this time, he helped create popular shows like the documentary series American Gangster. He also started the BET Hip Hop Awards and The BET Honors.
Producing and Awards
Hudlin was a producer for Quentin Tarantino's movie Django Unchained (2012). This film starred Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2013, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for his work on Django Unchained.
Since 2013, Hudlin has been an executive producer for the NAACP Image Awards. These awards celebrate the achievements of people of color in entertainment.
In 2016, he helped produce the 88th Academy Awards ceremony. He also produced Black Movie Soundtrack concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. These concerts celebrated Black music in movies.
Comic Books
Reginald Hudlin has also written for Marvel Comics. From 2005 to 2008, he wrote the Black Panther comic series. He wrote the story where Black Panther married X-Men leader Storm.
In 2015, DC Comics announced that Hudlin would be part of bringing back their Milestone Media comic line. This line focuses on diverse superheroes.
Personal Life
In 2002, Reginald Hudlin married Chrisette Suter in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They have two children.
Chrisette Hudlin helped set up a blind date for her lawyer, Doug Emhoff, with Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris later became the Vice President of the United States.
Filmography
Feature Films
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | House Party | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 1992 | Boomerang | Yes | No | No | |
| Bebe's Kids | No | Executive | Yes | Also wrote songs for the film | |
| 1996 | The Great White Hype | Yes | No | No | |
| 2000 | The Ladies Man | Yes | No | No | |
| 2002 | Serving Sara | Yes | No | No | |
| 2017 | Marshall | Yes | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | The Black Godfather | Yes | No | No | Documentary film |
| 2020 | Safety | Yes | No | No | |
| 2022 | Sidney | Yes | Executive | No | Documentary film |
| 2023 | Candy Cane Lane | Yes | No | No |
Producer Only
- Ride (1998)
- Django Unchained (2012)
- Burning Sands (2017)
- Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022) (Executive Producer)
- House Party (2023) (Executive Producer)
Acting Roles
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | She's Gotta Have It | Dog 4 |
| 1990 | House Party | Burglar #1 |
| 1992 | Boomerang | |
| 1993 | Posse | Reporter 31 |
| 1996 | Joe's Apartment | Rodney Roach (voice) |
| 2000 | The Ladies Man | Aloysius |
Short Films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | House Party | Yes | Yes |
| 1985 | Reggie's World of Soul | Yes | No |
| 1986 | The Kold Waves | Yes | No |
Television Work
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Cosmic Slop | Yes | No | No | TV movie; directed one segment |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| 2002–2005 | The Bernie Mac Show | Yes | Yes | No | Directed and produced 11 episodes |
| 2005 | Richard Pryor: The Funniest Man Dead or Alive | Yes | Executive | No | Documentary film |
| Everybody Hates Chris | Yes | No | No | Pilot episode | |
| 2007 | Wifey | Yes | No | No | TV movie |
| 2009 | Raising the Bar | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| The Middle | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| The Office | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| 2009–2010 | Modern Family | Yes | No | No | Two episodes |
| 2010 | Better Off Ted | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| Sons of Tucson | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| Marvel's Black Panther | No | Executive | Yes | Also developed the show | |
| 2010–2011 | Outsourced | Yes | No | No | Two episodes |
| 2010–2012 | Psych | Yes | No | No | Two episodes |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| 2012 | Are We There Yet? | Yes | No | No | Three episodes |
| 2013 | Bones | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) |
Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| 2014–2015 | Bad Judge | Yes | No | No | Two episodes |
| Marry Me | Yes | No | No | Two episodes | |
| Murder in the First | Yes | No | No | Three episodes | |
| 2015 | Weird Loners | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| New Girl | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| Telenovela | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| 2016 | Heartbeat | Yes | No | No | One episode |
| Angel from Hell | Yes | No | No | One episode | |
| Uncle Buck | Yes | No | No | Two episodes | |
| 2019 | Black Monday | Yes | No | No | Two episodes |
| The Last O.G. | Yes | No | No | Three episodes |
Executive Producer Only
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2008 | The Boondocks | Executive producer for 31 episodes |
| 2006 | Somebodies | In charge of co-productions |
| 2008 | Brothers to Brutha | Network executive |
| 2017 | Blue & Green | TV movie |
TV Specials
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Last Days of Russell | Co-executive producer, director, writer |
| 2006 | Bring That Year Back 2006: Laugh Now, Cry Later | Network executive producer |
| BET Hip Hop Awards | Executive in charge of production | |
| 2008 | The BET Honors | Executive in charge of production |
| 2010 | Burr and Hart | Director |
| 2013–present | NAACP Image Awards | Executive producer |
| 2014 | Governors Awards | |
| 2016 | 88th Academy Awards | Producer |
| Showtime at the Apollo | Executive producer | |
| 2020–2022 | Primetime Emmy Awards |
Awards and Recognition
Reginald Hudlin has received many awards for his work:
- 1986: Won first place for his short film House Party at the Black American Cinema Society Awards.
- 1990: Won the Filmmakers Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival for House Party. He was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
- 1995: Won a CableACE award for the TV movie Cosmic Slop.
- 2012: Django Unchained was named one of the Top 10 Films by the American Film Institute Awards.
- 2013: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for Django Unchained.
- 2015: Received the Icon Award at Comic Con.
- 2016: Received the Salute to Excellence Award from the African-American Film Critics Association.
- 2021: Received Miami's Summer of ‘64 Award for helping bring Black stories to the screen.
Images for kids
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Reginald Hudlin in 2017
See Also
In Spanish: Reginald Hudlin para niños
- Warrington Hudlin (Reginald's brother)
- Black Panther (comic series he wrote)
