Age | 60 |
Birthday | 27 November, 1964 |
Birthplace | New York City, New York, USA |
Height | 5' 5" (165 cm) |
Eye Color | Brown - Dark |
Hair Color | Black |
Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Actress |
Claim to Fame | her roles as Susanne in the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom Head of the Class, Imabelle in the 1991 comedy film A Rage in Harlem, Jacqueline Broyer in the 1992 romantic-comedy film Boomerang, Wilma Cuthbert in the UPN sitcom Sparks, Tanya in the TBS/BET sitcom Tyler Perry‘s House of Payne, Jane Bentley in the NBC action comedy/spy-drama series Chuck, and Sierra McCoy in the CW supernatural horror crime drama series Riverdale, in addition to her stormy and controversial marriage to former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson |
Robin Givens Actress - Born 27 November 1964 · New York City, New York, USA
Birth name Robin Simone Givens
Height 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
Biography Robin Simone Givens was born on November 27, 1964 in New York City, to Ruth (Newby) and Reuben Givens. Her father left his family when Robin was a young girl, and she seldom saw him after that. Robin's mother raised her and her younger sister in Westchester, Connecticut. Her mother (once linked to Yankee outfielder Dave Winfield) always encouraged her children's creativity and helped them develop an interest in the arts. When she was young, Robin began playing the violin but quickly decided it was not for her. She chose instead to channel her artistic energy through acting and, at the age of ten, she started acting classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1980, at fifteen, Robin enrolled as a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College to study pre-med. By her junior year, however, Robin's excitement about the idea of a career in acting intensified and she began taking her craft more seriously. Robin's first experience in Hollywood was on The Cosby Show (1984), the hottest show on television. As a result of the role, she and comedian Bill Cosby forged a great friendship which would prove instrumental in Robin's career. She also landed a guest appearance on Diff'rent Strokes (1978). Her career was just about to take off. Robin first made it big in Hollywood in 1986. She took a role in a television movie, Beverly Hills Madam (1986), as "April Baxter". But, it was later that year that Robin became a recognizable actress in Hollywood. She was given a role on the television series Head of the Class (1986) as "Darlene Merriman". The series was a comedy about a group of gifted high school students that were placed in an enrichment class. In 1988, Robin married boxing legend Mike Tyson. This union put her into the national spotlight, as Tyson was on the top of his career. He was one of the youngest boxers ever to receive the attention, acclaim and financial success that Tyson garnered. The marriage ended (on Valentine's Day), just a year later. Rumors hinted at abuse and infidelity. Robin gave marriage another chance in 1997, by marrying her tennis instructor Svetozar Marinkovic. The marriage proved a total failure, as the two were separated since the day they married, and Robin filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences". Aside from a successful model and acclaimed actress, Robin is a mother. In October 1999, she gave birth to a baby boy. The baby's father is tennis player Murphy Jensen, but the couple are no longer together. She has another child, and she is raising the two boys today. In 2000, Robin took a controversial career move as she took over for Mother Love on the successful television talk show, Forgive or Forget (1998). Her stint was brief, as just a few months later, the show stopped production. Many point to Mother Love's devoted audience, and the odd dismissal of her from the show she pioneered and created. Robin has tried to forge a friendship with Mother Love, but Love doesn't appear interested. Robin called in during a Howard Stern interview of Mother Love, where she said she was "on her way to work", which although innocent, proved to upset Mother Love.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Catherine Grace
Family Spouses
Svetozar Marinkovic (August 22, 1997 - September 23, 1998) divorced
Mike Tyson (February 7, 1988 - February 14, 1989) divorced
Parents
Trivia
Adopted her 1st child as a single mother, a son Michael Givens (b.1992).
Credits Howard Hesseman as her favorite acting mentor/best friend.
Was separated from her tennis instructor husband, Svetozar Marinkovic, after the day they married. Filed for divorce 19 December 1997 citing irreconcilable differences.
Suffered from depression.
28 January 2004 - Accidentally struck an 89-year old woman with her SUV in Miami. The woman was admitted to the hospital with unknown injuries.
Miscarried her future 1st child with her now ex-1st husband Mike Tyson.
Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 34, a son William Givens Jensen in October 1999. Child's father is her now ex-boyfriend, Murphy Jensen.
Was a classmate of Holly Robinson Peete at Sarah Lawrence College.
Release of her book, "Grace Will Lead Me Home".
Robin's father, Reuben, abandoned her family when she was a young girl and she seldom saw him after that.
Replaced Mother Love as hostess for the series Forgive or Forget (1998) (as of 17 January 2000)
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#88).
Has one sister, Stephine.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 43."
She has hosted the San Diego Black Film Festival several times in the 2010s.
Quotes
I want someone who can handle me. And I'm not the easiest person to handle.
I left my marriage only when I felt like I was going to die physically or die emotionally. It's just amazing what becomes your normal. One day you wake up with a knife at your throat. Another day you find your shoes torn up. But now we're in world where we are far more connected and involved in each other's lives because of social media. Now women who are abused can see they're not alone.
Robin Givens (born November 27, 1964) is an American actress.
Givens played Darlene Merriman in the ABC sitcom Head of the Class in 1986 and remained on the series for its five-year duration. Her troubled marriage to boxer Mike Tyson in 1988 drew considerable media attention, as did their acrimonious divorce. She later went on to become a spokesperson for the National Domestic Violence Hotline for several years.
Givens continued her career with film and television roles such as The Women of Brewster Place (1989) and Boomerang (1992). In 1996, Givens co-starred on the sitcom Sparks, which aired for two seasons on UPN. In January 2000, she took over hosting duties on the syndicated talk show Forgive or Forget. In 2007, Givens released her autobiography, Grace Will Lead Me Home. She has since had recurring roles on The Game, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Chuck, Riverdale and its spin-off Katy Keene, and has been part of the main cast of Batwoman.
Personal life Givens began dating boxer Mike Tyson in 1987. According to Givens, Tyson was physically abusive before they wed on February 7, 1988. Tyson stated that he was "severely traumatized by that relationship." Tyson was then estimated to be worth $50 million; he and Givens did not have a prenuptial agreement. During their marriage, Givens bought a $4.3 million mansion in the affluent suburb of Bernardsville, New Jersey with money withdrawn from Tyson's brokerage account. They appeared in a Diet Pepsi commercial together and on the cover of Life magazine.
After her miscarriage in June 1988, their marriage began to fall apart. Tyson claims Givens' pregnancy and miscarriage were part of a ruse to rush him into marriage, noting that in all the time she was supposedly pregnant, Givens never gained a pound. In a joint interview with Tyson on 20/20 in September 1988, Givens told Barbara Walters that life with him was "torture, pure hell, worse than anything I could possibly imagine," and she went on to describe his volatile temper. In October 1988, Givens filed for divorce, citing spousal abuse and was granted a temporary restraining order. Her attorney Marvin Mitchelson said, "She loves Michael Tyson, but there is continued violence, and she fears for her safety." Tyson sought an annulment, accusing her of stealing millions of dollars and manipulating the public. Givens responded by filing a $125 million libel suit for defamation. Their divorce was finalized on Valentine's Day in 1989.
Givens received negative press following her split from Tyson, particularly within the sports and African American communities. Headlines heralded her as "the Most Hated Woman in America" and she was described as a "gold digger who married Tyson solely for his millions." Givens denied that she received a reported divorce settlement of over $10 million from Tyson, stating that she "didn't receive one dime."
According to the 1989 biography Fire and Fear: The Inside Story of Mike Tyson, Tyson admitted he punched Givens, stating "that was the best punch I've ever thrown in my entire life." Tyson later claimed the book was "filled with inaccuracies." In 2009, Tyson joked about "socking" Givens on Oprah, which caused laughter in the audience. Winfrey later issued an apology to Givens.
In 1993, Givens adopted her first son, Michael "Buddy" Givens. In 1997, she married her tennis instructor, Svetozar Marinković. Givens filed for divorce months later. In 1999, she had a biological son, William "Billy" Jensen, with ex-boyfriend, tennis player Murphy Jensen.
In January 2004, Givens struck a pedestrian while driving an SUV through a Miami, Florida, intersection. Givens was ticketed for failing to use due care with a pedestrian in a crosswalk, but the charges were later dismissed. In June 2004, the injured party filed a civil lawsuit against Givens for an unspecified amount.
A May 7, 2009, article in Forbes magazine reported that the Internal Revenue Service was suing Givens for unpaid federal income taxes totaling $292,000 ($415,000 in present-day USD when adjusted for inflation), an amount which included interest and penalties. The government had asked a federal court in Florida for a judgment against her on 39 assessments covering a span of eight years.