Regina King
An actor and director whose every role carries a grounded, powerful truth, she has steadily ascended to become a defining voice of her generation.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American actress and director·Birthday: January 15·Generation X
Biography
Regina King's career is a masterclass in evolution. She first entered American living rooms as the sharp, beloved Brenda Jenkins on the sitcom '227,' but it was her adult work that revealed her formidable depth. King built a formidable filmography in the 1990s and 2000s, bringing a compelling authenticity to roles in movies like 'Jerry Maguire' and 'Ray.' Her pivot to television drama became a revelation, earning her multiple Emmys for searing performances in 'American Crime' and 'Seven Seconds.' Never content to be just in front of the camera, King directed with a confident eye before helming the film 'One Night in Miami,' a critically hailed directorial debut that announced her as a major cinematic storyteller. Her Oscar win for 'If Beale Street Could Talk' was less a coronation and more a recognition of an artist who has consistently operated at the highest level, using her platform to champion nuanced narratives about Black life.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Regina was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Regina Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Regina's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'If Beale Street Could Talk' (2018).
- Received four Primetime Emmy Awards for performances in 'American Crime' and 'Seven Seconds.'
- Made her feature film directorial debut with 'One Night in Miami' (2020), which earned widespread critical praise.
- Named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2019.
Did You Know?
She provided the voice for both Huey and Riley Freeman on the animated series 'The Boondocks.'
King and her sister, Reina King, are very close and have worked together professionally.
She won her first Emmy in 2015 for her role in the anthology series 'American Crime.'
““I am an example of what is possible when you have a village that believes in you.””
