Reginald Alan Hudlin is aย writer,ย director, andย executiveย who has worked inย music,ย film, television, and comics. Over the course of his career he has written and directed films such asย House Party (1990), had a long stint writing Marvelโsย Black Pantherย comic, was the first President of Entertainment forย Black Entertainment Television (BET), and produced the Quentin Tarantino-directed Django Unchainedย (2012).
Hudlin was born on December 15, 1961 in Centerville,ย Illinoisย to Warringotn W. Hudlin, who ran his own insurance agency, and Hellen Hudlin, who worked in special education. There he grew up with his brothers Warrington and Christopher. Hudlin attended Harvard University, where for his senior thesis project he directed and wrote a 20-minute short film titledย House Party. He graduated in 1983ย magna cum laudeย inย Visualย and Environmental Studies.
After graduation Hudlin was approached by New Line Cinemas to direct and write a feature-length version of House Party. The film, which appeared in 1990, starred the rap duo Kid โn PlayโChristopher Reid and Christopher Martin, respectivelyโas high schoolers Christopher and Peter who throw a party at Peterโs house while his parents are out of town. The film won the Filmmakerโs Trophy and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival. The success of House Partyย launched a franchise that went on to include three sequels, an animated television show, and a comic series.
Hudlinโs career took off after this point and he worked on numerous projects. Some of the more notable included directing Boomerangย (1992), writingย Bebeโs Kidsย (1992), directing a segment ofย Cosmic Slopย (1994), producing seven episodes ofย The Bernie Mac Show, producing the animated showย The Boondocks, and writing Marvelโsย Black Pantherย comic series. It was during this time, in 2002, that he married Chrisette Suter.
In 2005 Hudlin was named the President of Entertainment for BET. During his three years in the position Hudlin had a hand in the creation of some of the networks highest-rated shows, includingย American Gangsterย andย Sunday Best. He created the networkโs Home Entertainment Division, and led a restructuring of the news division which went on to win 13 awards over 2 years. He also oversaw the networkโs first telethon in support of the victims ofย Hurricane Katrina.
After leaving BET Hudlin continued to direct and produce for film and television. This included producingย Django Unchained (2012), a role that netted him an Oscar Nomination for Best Motion Picture at the 2013 Oscars. His most recent project was directing and producingย Marshallย (2017), aย Thurgood Marshallย biopic starring Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson. Hudlin is currently attached to direct the film adaptation of Valiant Comicsโ Shadowman property. In addition to this he is also a partner in Milestone Media, a comic book company that develops properties for various forms of media. He lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife Chrisette and their two children.
