Robin Givens gained prominence in the mid-1980s as the lead of a well-loved teen sitcom. However, her reputation took a sharp turn in the late ’80s due to her tumultuous marriage with the troubled heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson, leading to her becoming infamous.
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Robin Givens Profile Summary
| Name | Robin Givens |
| Date of Birth | 27th November 1964 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 59 years old |
| Place of Birth | New York City |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Ruth Newby |
| Father | Reuben Givens |
| Spouse(s) | Mike Tyson (Feb. 1988 – Feb. 1989);<br/> Svetozar Marinkovic (Aug. 1997 – Sep. 1998) |
| Children | Sons: Michael and William |
| Graduate | American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Sarah Lawrence College |
| Profession | Actress and Model |
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Robin Givens Height And Weight
The actress and model possesses a slender physique, standing at 5 feet 5 inches (165 centimeters/1.65 meters) in height. Her weight is approximately 53 kilograms (117 pounds).
Robin Givens Early Life
Robin Givens was raised in Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, New York, by her mother, Ruth Newby, along with her sister Stephanie, in a Catholic household. During her teenage years, Givens explored opportunities in modeling and acting, appearing in well-known magazines like Seventeen and Mademoiselle.
Her film career began at the age of 14 with a role in “The Wiz” (1978), where she portrayed a guest at Aunt Emma’s Party. She completed her high school education at New Rochelle Academy, a private school that closed in June 1987.
Remarkably, at just 15 years old, she enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College as a pre-medical major, making her one of the youngest students to attend the prestigious institution. While pursuing her studies, she actively engaged in daytime dramas. Givens graduated from Sarah Lawrence College at the age of 19 in 1984.
Despite rumors suggesting she dropped out of Harvard Medical School to focus on acting, the registrar’s office clarified that she never applied, debunking the claim.
Robin Givens Career
1980s–1990s:
During the 1980s, Robin Givens’ career gained momentum. In 1985, she auditioned for and won a guest spot on The Cosby Show, a role that became her entry into the industry. Bill Cosby, the show’s star, became her mentor and encouraged her to leave school with the promise that if her acting career didn’t take off within two years, he would facilitate her return to medical school.
Shortly after, she appeared in shows like Diff’rent Strokes and the TV film Beverly Hills Madam (1986) alongside Faye Dunaway. Her breakthrough came in 1986 when she landed the role of Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom Head of the Class, which ran for five seasons until 1991.
In 1989, while still on Head of the Class, she appeared in The Women of Brewster Place alongside Oprah Winfrey. She also ventured into movies with A Rage in Harlem (1991) and Boomerang (1992).
In 1994, Givens posed nude for Playboy magazine, a move she made to regain her voice. Despite this, her career continued to thrive. She was ranked 88th on Empire magazine’s list of “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History” in May 1995. She continued her television presence with roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the TV movie The Face (1996).
2000s–2010s:
In the early 2000s, Givens made a cameo in Toni Braxton’s music video “He Wasn’t Man Enough” (2000). Later that year, she became the host of the talk show Forgive or Forget, replacing Mother Love. She made a return to feature films in Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys (2008) and had recurring roles in shows like The Game and Tyler Perry’s House of Payne. In 2001, she appeared in the off-Broadway production of The Vagina Monologues. From February to April 2006, she played the role of Roxie Hart in the Broadway play Chicago.
Givens also became an author, releasing her memoir Grace Will Lead Me Home in 2007. In 2011, she guest-starred in episodes of NBC’s Chuck and performed in the play Blues for An Alabama Sky. In 2015, she starred in TV One’s anthology romance horror film Fear Files.
Outside of her acting career, Givens served as the spokesperson for the National Domestic Violence Hotline for several years. She continued her presence in the entertainment industry, hosting events like the San Diego Black Film Festival and taking on roles like Jada Jet in Batwoman (2021) and Cher Heinemann in the Lifetime film He’s Not Worth Dying For (2022), inspired by real-life events.
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Robin Givens Movies And Television Shows
Robin Givens made her debut in Hollywood on The Cosby Show in 1984 and has since built a notable career in both movies and television shows. Here are some of her prominent works:
Movies:
- Beverly Hills Madam (1986): She portrayed April Baxter.
- A Rage in Harlem (1991): Her role was Imabelle.
- On Angel’s Wings (2014): She played Amber.
- God’s Not Dead 2 (2016): She portrayed Principal Kinney.
- The Perfect Match (2016): Her character was Geneva.
- Dreams I Never Had (2017): She appeared as Prosecuting Attorney Hernandez.
- Never Heard (2018): She played Shala Davis.
- God Bless the Broken Road (2018): Her character was Karena.
- Gully (2019): She portrayed Irma.
Television Shows:
- Head of the Class (1986-1991): She was Darlene Merriman.
- Angel Street (1992): She portrayed Detective Anita King in eight episodes.
- Courthouse (1995): Her role was Suzanne Graham in 11 episodes.
- Moesha (1997): She played Ladonna.
- Cosby (1999): She portrayed Ms. Malone.
- Riverdale (2017-2019): She appeared as Sierra McCoy in 28 episodes.
- Ambitions (2019): Her character was Stephanie Carlisle Lancaster in 18 episodes.
- The Fix (2019): She portrayed Julianne Johnson in seven episodes.
- Katy Keene (2020): She appeared as Sierra McCoy in Chapter Six: Mama Said.
Personal Life And Family
In March 1986, Robin Givens met Mike Tyson, marrying him on February 7, 1988. Their union faced turmoil after a miscarriage in May 1988, leading to divorce proceedings in October of the same year. Givens cited spousal abuse, while Tyson claimed she was after his wealth. Tyson’s 1989 biography revealed incidents of physical violence.
Their divorce was finalized on Valentine’s Day 1989, amid rumors of a substantial settlement, although Givens denied receiving any such amount, rumored to be over $10 million. The split garnered intense negative publicity, particularly within the African-American community, where Givens was labeled as America’s most hated woman in some media outlets.
Givens’ second marriage, to tennis instructor Svetozar Marinković, lasted from 1997 to 1998. During this time, she adopted a son, Michael, in 1993, and later welcomed her second son, William, in 1999, with her ex-boyfriend, Murphy Jensen.
However, Givens faced legal challenges. In January 2004, she was ticketed for a car accident involving an 89-year-old pedestrian, Maria Antonia Alcover, leading to a civil lawsuit against Givens and her sister. Additionally, in a May 2009 Forbes article, it was reported that the Internal Revenue Service was suing Givens for unpaid federal income taxes totaling $292,000, inclusive of penalties and interests.
