Robert X. Golphin

Robert X. Golphin (born Robert Bennett Xavier Golphin), is an American actor, writer/director, author, speaker and journalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his role as Dunbar Reed in The Great Debaters.

Education Golphin holds an MFA in screenwriting from the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University, a B.A. in theater and film (magna cum laude) from St. Augustine's University and a diploma in creative writing from the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.

Career

Golphin's film roles include Remember the Daze, "Rounding First", Punch Me, "The Underground Kings" and "Essential". His television and new media credits include the HBO series The Wire, the HBO miniseries John Adams (2008), and "The Counterparts". Among his theatrical credits are "The Storm: An Original Pop-Rock Musical" (2012), "Englewood Boys: A Play on Portraiture"(2015), and "Bessie Smith: Empress of the Blues" (2019).

In 2020, Golphin made his feature length directorial debut with "Freshman Friday", which was released on Amazon Prime Video. He has also written, produced, and/or directed several award-winning short films that have screened at national and international film festivals. During his final semester of undergraduate studies at St. Augustine's University, he directed and produced an authorized stage medley of Spike Lee's School Daze.

Golphin's journalism background includes a four-year stint as an on-air correspondent for Reelblack TV, and published credits in The Philadelphia Inquirer 'First Take' Newspaper, The Philadelphia Sunday Sun, SCOOP USA Newspaper, The Manning Times, The Campbell Times, and Teen People Magazine among others.

He is also the author of the novellas, "Cold Night In A Warm Season" (2021) and "Abandoning Adam: Confessions of an HBCU Scholar" (2006).

Golphin is the Founder/CEO of Robert X. Golphin Entertainment.

Filmography

Acting (Film & TV)

Film/TV (Crew)

Theatre (Crew)

Books

Awards

Acting Year Presented by Award Category Role Result 2008 Downbeach Film Festival Best Actor In A Short "Devaun Cheri" in Beautiful Man in the Buff 2011 Atlantic City CineFest Best Actor In A Short "Son" in Punch Me 2020 Top Indie Film Awards Best Actor In A Short "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2020 Screen Power Film Festival Best Actor In A Short "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2021 Foreman Empire Productions International Film Festival Best Actor "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2022 Foreman Empire Productions TV & Movie Awards Best TV Host Host of "RXG Exclusives" 2022Foreman Empire Productions TV & Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor "Darnell" in "How To Tie A Tie" 2023 East Coast Movie Awards Best Actor In A Drama "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential"

Filmmaking Year Award Category Film Result 1997 AALHOF: African American Legends Hall of Fame Legends of Tomorrow Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 NAACP: National Association for The Advancement of Colored People Act-So Competition, Film, 2nd Place Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 BEBASHI: Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues Ujimaa Award (now the "John Allen Blue Award") Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 Philadelphia Please Touch Museum For Kids Great Friend To Kids Stricken: Teens Face Aids, LIT 2003 ABC Entertainment Television Group New Talent Development Program Finalist ("Recognition of Creative Excellence" Recipient) A screenplay (Finalist) 2007 Irene I. Parisi, Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Best Young Screenwriter A Feature Length Screenplay (2nd Place) 2008 Irene I. Parisi, Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Best Young Screenwriter A Feature Length Screenplay (Finalist)2008 Downbeach Film Festival, New Jersey Best Short Film Beautiful Man in the Buff 2009 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Marketplace Best Short Subject Beautiful Man in the Buff (Honorable Mention)2009 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival Best Narrative Short Inside of Me (Honorable Mention) 2009 Indie Short Film Competition Narrative Short Inside of Me (Finalist)2009 Trail Dance Film Festival Golden Drover Award for Best Short Drama Inside of Me 2010 The Accolade Competition Award of Merit-Short Film Inside of Me 2010 The Accolade Competition Award of Merit-Direction Inside of Me 2010 WorldFest-Houston Remi Bronze Award - Film and Video Productions (Women's Issues) Inside of Me 2010 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Marketplace Best "Short Subject - Honorable Mention Inside of Me 2010 Atlantic City Cinefest (Sponsored by Downbeach Film Festival) Best Local Short Inside of Me 2011 Black Maria Film + Video Festival Jury's Citation - 2nd Prize Punch Me 2011 Love Unlimited Film Festival and Art Exhibition Honorable Mention Punch Me 2011 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Market Silver Award for Best Short Subject Punch Me 2011 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival Best Narrative Short - Honorable Mention Un-Perfect 2011 FilmOut San Diego Best of LGBT Shorts Punch Me (Special Distinction) 2011 QBC: Queer Black Cinema Festival Best Narrative Short - Honorable Mention Punch Me 2011 Atlantic City CineFest Best Drama, Short Punch Me 2012 Los Angeles Movie Awards Honorable Mention, Narrative Short Punch Me 2013 Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Prime Time Award Original Teen Drama Television Pilot (Finalist) 2013 Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Prime Time Award Original Television Crime Drama Pilot (Finalist) 2015 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival "Under the Thumb" Leigh Whipper Gold Award for Best Short Subject 2019 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival "Voice of Majesty" Leigh Whipper Gold Award for Best Short Subject 2020 Top Indie Film Awards "Essential" Best Director 2020 Top Indie Film Awards "Essential" Best Message 2020 Flight Deck Film Festival "Essential" Best Director 2020 Flight Deck Film Festival "Voice of Majesty" Best Filmmaker 2020 Direct Monthly Online Film Festival "Essential" Best Film of the Month 2020 UK Seasonal Short Film Festival "Essential" Best Film of the Month (Honorable Mention) 2020 ShortedFilms.com "Essential" Short of the Day 2025 The People's Film Festival "Chest Candy" Best Short Film (Honorable Mention) 2025 Black Indie Filmmakers Association Houston Film Festival "Chest Candy" Short Film (Honorable Mention) 2025 Newark Independent Film Festival "Chest Candy" Spirit Award 2025 Newark Independent Film Festival "Chest Candy" Committee's Choice Award