Robin Givens
PMP Network Presents
Robin Givens is an actress known for her role in the television series Head of the Class. She discusses her upbringing in Westchester County, New York, and the changes in television since her early career.
Robin Givens
Actress
About Robin Givens
Robin Givens is an actress and director who gained prominence playing Darlene Merriman on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class from 1986 to 1991. Her film work includes The Women of Brewster Place and Boomerang. She received the ShoWest Award for Female Star of Tomorrow in 1991. In recent years she has expanded into directing, helming multiple films for BET+ and Lifetime, while continuing to act in series including Riverdale, Batwoman, and Elsbeth.
In this interview
- Recalls growing up in Westchester County, New York with her mother and sister
- Discusses how television changed since Head of the Class, noting dating restrictions on the show
- Mentions working with Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show before Head of the Class
- Reflects on her career coming full circle from sweet shows to her talk show
“TV's changed so much. I mean, it really has. We could barely date on the show.”— Robin Givens, in this interview
Since this interview
Following this interview, Givens appeared in the CW series Riverdale and its spin-off Katy Keene, played Jada Jet in Batwoman's third season, and established herself as a director with films including A Murder to Remember, Favorite Son, and The Nana Project. She appeared in four episodes of Elsbeth between 2024 and 2026.
