Reginald Hudlin

Early life and education

Hudlin was born in Centreville, Illinois, the son of Helen Hudlin (née Cason), a teacher who worked in special education, and Warrington W. Hudlin, Sr., an insurance executive and educator. Hudlin's older brother, Warrington Hudlin, is also a film director, as well as an actor and producer. Hudlin is the youngest, with middle brother, Christopher Hudlin, working with their father in the insurance business.

The Hudlins grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, where the family had deep roots. The Hudlin Brothers are paternal great-great-grandsons of Peter and Nancy Hudlin, who were part of the Underground Railroad. Their great uncle was an influential tennis instructor named Richard A. Hudlin, who mentored Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson.

The Hudlins attended Katherine Dunham's Center for the Performing Arts, an experimental school, Warrington for high school and Reginald for after school martial arts classes. Hudlin has said that the experience was formative, and let to his older brother attending Yale University, and his attending Harvard University. In 1979, Hudlin graduated from Assumption High School in East St. Louis.

While an undergraduate at Harvard University, Hudlin directed his thesis project, a short film called House Party, which went on to receive numerous awards including first place at the Black American Cinema Society Awards. The film was inspired by his experience growing up in East St. Louis. In 1983, Hudlin graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies. His short film thesis was the basis for his first feature film, House Party.

Career

After college, Hudlin and his brother formed a production company and made music videos for artists like Heavy D, Jamaica Boys, and others. They were responsible for making the classic "Hey Love" 1980s-era TV commercial that played regularly on late night TV.

Hudlin directed, with older brother Warrington producing, his first feature-length film, 1990's low budget teen hip hop comedy House Party, which starred Kid 'n Play. One of the messages of the film was its promotion of safe sex. The film, which was made with New Line Cinema, according to Variety was one of the most profitable films of the decade. New Line wanted to make sequels, but the Hudlins did not feel the compensation or deals were adequate.

Hudlin went on to direct the 1992 film, Boomerang, again with older brother Warrington producing. The film was a big budget romantic comedy that starred Eddie Murphy, who had a term deal at Paramount Pictures and hired the Hudlin Brothers because he liked House Party. The film was notable for its soundtrack and starred an all-Black cast that included Robin Givens, Halle Berry, Martin Lawrence, David Alan Grier, and Chris Rock. Boomerang was based on an original idea by Murphy and was written by Saturday Night Live writers Barry W. Blaustein and David Sheffield.

A celebration of the 25th anniversary of Boomerang's release was held on July 1, 2017, at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. with a conversation between Hudlin and producer George Alexander.

In 1992, while making Boomerang, Hudlin directed the first Black animated film, Bébé's Kids, which was championed by Paramount's Brandon Tartikoff and was made in memory of comedian Robin Harris, who had died in 1990.

In 1994, the Hudlin Brothers produced the HBO anthology multi-ethnic horror series, Cosmic Slop, of which Hudlin directed the episode "Space Traders." "The Space Traders" was an adaptation of a Derrick Bell short story found in his book, Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism.

He went on to direct The Great White Hype, The Ladies Man, Serving Sara (2002), two episodes of the TV series Modern Family, an episode of The Office, an episode of The Middle and several episodes of Outsourced.

He was a reoccurring producer and director of the Bernie Mac Show for three years.

From 2005 to 2008, Hudlin was the President of Entertainment for BET. Notable shows shepherded by Hudlin at that time included the documentary series American Gangster and Sunday Best, a gospel music singing competition show. Hudlin created The BET Honors and the BET Hip Hop Awards.

During the time that he was President of BET, Hudlin wrote many of the Marvel Comics series Black Panther from 2005 to 2008, most notable for the 2006 storyline "Bride of the Panther," which saw the characters Storm and the Black Panther wed.

He was one of the producers of Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson. On January 10, 2013, Hudlin received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture for the film.

From 2013, Hudlin has executive produced the NAACP Image Awards. The show got its highest rating on NBC in 2013, then became the highest rated show in the history of TV One in 2014. Hudlin produced a number of TV specials, including the 88th Academy Awards, hosted by Chris Rock.

In 2015, it was announced that Hudlin and artists Denys Cowan and Derek Dingle would be part of the relaunch of comic book company founded by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and Derek Dingle, Milestone Media.

In 2014, Hudlin produced the Black Movie Soundtrack celebration of Black music in movies, held at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl, and hosted by Craig Robinson. Black Movie Soundtrack II, also hosted by Robinson, was held in 2016.

In June 2017, it was announced that Hudlin would be directing an upcoming movie based on the comic, Shadowman.

In October 2017, Hudlin's film, Marshall, about Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice, starring Chadwick Boseman, will be released. The screenplay is by Michael Koskoff and Jacob Koskoff and co-stars Josh Gad. The film was made in Buffalo, New York.

Personal life

In 2002, Hudlin married Chrisette Hudlin (née Suter), a public relations consultant, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They have two children.

Hudlin is an honorary member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

Filmography

Awards

Leadership and Membership

Works and publications