Millions of people around the world have seen the work of Reginald Hudlin. Yet, few know his true sense of style outside his inner circle of family. I must say, Reginald is truly a fun man to chat with about his sense of style as it relates to his personal life and to the business of film and television.
Reginald Hudlin is unique in the entertainment business because of his success as a writer, producer, director and executive. As a trailblazer in the modern black film movement, he has created movies such as “House 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 “Black Panther” animated series and 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.”
Hudlin produced Quentin Tarantino’s latest film “Django Unchained,” starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Don Johnson. The film has won numerous awards – including two Golden Globe Awards and two Oscars – and is on track to become the top-grossing Western of all time. With all the above just stated, I am among the many who respect the simple fact that he has made history by demonstrating determination despite the high’s and lows in the film business.
As for style, he truly keeps his dress code simple and occasionally adds a flash of color with creative details tied into the shirts he wears. His favorite fashion designers of suits are Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, Brooks Bothers and Ermenegildo Zegna for Men. Lets just say Hudlin keeps his dress classical in business settings and at special events such as award shows.
However, when it comes to the casual, Hudlin is more into Nike, Adidas, Jack Purcell Converse, Puma and custom Nike tennis shoe brands. He said that his favorite store of choice for unique shoes is a wonderful store called Undefeated, located at 112.5 S La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. I suppose if women love to buy tons of designer-brand high heels, it’s all good to know that a man has a distinctive tastes for designer-brand athletic shoes.
Women know that many men are big fans of designer watches. His favorites are Rolex and Movado. He shares that his wife is pretty good about selecting the best-styled watch that transitions from day to evening. When asked about his grooming essentials, he prefers the Clarins for Men and Bliss skin care lines. I shared with him that it’s good to know men have preferences when it comes to what they put on their face and body. He states that he likes the two brands because they work “for what I need daily.” Hudlin is not big on adding tons of fragrances. He says it’s not a necessity. He prefers to keep his grooming regime simple from day to day.
This philosophy suits a man who has been so busy. In addition to all of his achievements as a a writer, producer and director, he also has experience as an executive. As the first president of entertainment at Black Entertainment Television (BET), Hudlin created 17 of the top 20 rated shows in the history of the network, including the award-winning “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is,” “American Gangster” and “Sunday Best.” Under Hudlin’s stewardship, BET had its first telethon, which supported Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He also created the “BET Hip Hop Awards” and “BET Honors,” two successful network franchises. In addition, he launched a profitable home entertainment division for the network and completely rebuilt the news division, which went on to win 13 awards in two years.
With so many achievements, it’s not surprising that Hudlin is highly valued as a speaker. He has delivered addresses at a wide range of venues – 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 and the San Diego Comic Con among them.
Hudlin sits on the board of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and is a member of the Motion Picture Academy, the Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Chrisette, daughter Helena and son Alexander. If you would like to learn more about Reginald Hudlin, link into his world at http://www.hudlinentertainment.com
Report By Lela Christine