Reginald Hudlin is unique in the entertainment business because of his success as a writer, producer, director and executive. To quote cultural critic Jimi Israel, “Hudlin is a modern-day Gordon Parks, a true monster in the game who totally re-did the blueprint: what some people used to call a renaissance man. I dig him because he made me think outside of the box. Hudlin writes and directs movies, pens a comic book, and he was running BET. That’s multi-tasking for your ass”.
Hudlin is a pioneer of the modern black film movement, creating movies likeHOUSE PARTY, BOOMERANG and BEBE’S KIDS, which are some of the most profitable and influential films of his generation. He is the executive producer and writer of the upcoming BLACK PANTHER animated series starring Djimon Hounsou, and was executive producer of THE BOONDOCKS. Hudlin also directed the pilot of the hit series EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS and was a producer and director of THE BERNIE MAC SHOW.
During his more than three year tenure as the first President of Entertainment for Black Entertainment Television, Hudlin created 17 of the top 20 rated shows in the history of the network. Those hits include the award-winningKEYSHIA COLE: THE WAY IT IS; the critical and commercial hitAMERICAN GANGSTER; and SOMEBODIES, the network’s first scripted series, which was called one of the five best new shows of the 2008 fall season by USA TODAY and the LOS ANGELES TIMES.
Under Hudlin’s stewardship, BET had its first ever telethon, which supported Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He created the BET HIP HOP AWARDS and the BET HONORS – two successful network franchises. He created a profitable home entertainment division for the network and completely rebuilt the news division, which went on to win 13 awards in two years.
A lifetime comic book reader with over 50,000 books in his collection, one of Reginald’s dreams came true four years ago when be became the full time writer for BLACK PANTHER comic book series for Marvel Comics. He continued writing the series while working as an executive for BET, turning in a 22 page monthly book for over three years. BLACK PANTHER is the most successful black super hero series ever, which led to Hudlin writing an award winning run of SPIDER MAN, Marvel’s flagship character.
Hudlin co-authored his first book BIRTH OF A NATION in July 2004. BIRTH is a comic novel about Hudlin’s hometown of East St. Louis seceding from the United States. The Random House publication received glowing reviews in Time, Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly, among others.
Hudlin’s first feature film, HOUSE PARTY, was based on a short film he directed while a student at Harvard University. The1990 version won the prestigious Filmmakers Trophy and the Best Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival and also received the Clarence Muse Youth Award and a New Visions, New Voices Award from the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.
HOUSE PARTY is one of the most profitable films of the decade and was critically acclaimed, receiving reviews from film critic Roger Ebert, the New York Times, Time, Newsweek and USA Today. The film launched a franchise, inspiring three sequels; a Saturday morning animated series and a comic book. When New Line Pictures successfully raised 100 million dollars in a public stock offering, HOUSE PARTY was the only film touted in their advertising campaign to the financial markets.
Hudlin then directed the Paramount Pictures romantic comedyBOOMERANG starring Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Halle Berry and Chris Rock. BOOMERANG earned $120 million dollars worldwide and produced a double platinum soundtrack by LA Reid and Babyface. The soundtrack featured Boyz II Men’s “End of The Road,” one of the longest charting #1 singles in Billboard history, and the debut appearance of the multi-platinum songstress Toni Braxton.
During this period, Hudlin simultaneously wrote and executive producedBEBE’S KIDS, the first African American animated feature film. BEBE’S KIDS was based on the comic routines of the late Robin Harris, who played Pop in HOUSE PARTY.
In 1995 Hudlin created and co-executive produced COSMIC SLOP, a hip “Twilight Zone”-type anthology special for HBO which won two CableAce Awards.
He then went on to direct THE GREAT WHITE HYPE, a Ron Shelton-scripted boxing comedy starring Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Damon Wayans, Jamie Foxx and Jon Lovitz, followed by THE LADIES MAN. That film starred SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE comedian Tim Meadows, Will Farrell and Julianne Moore.
Expanding into new genres, Hudlin directed SERVING SARA, a road comedy featuing “Friends” star Matthew Perry, Elizabeth Hurley and Cedric the Entertainer.
Reginald has directed television commercials for McDonalds, Burger King, AT&T and the Illinois State Lottery.
Reginald has been a featured speaker at Vermont Law School; the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; Yale University; the Montclair Art Museum; The Directors Guild; the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; the American Bible Society; the San Diego Comic Con; and more.
Hudlin sits on the boards of the UCLA Film, Television and Theatre Department; and the Hollywood Television and Radio Society and the Black Filmmaker Foundation. He is a member of the Motion Picture Academy, the DGA, WGA and, SAG.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Chrisette, daughter Helena and son Alexander.
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