Brian Robbins (born Brian Levine, November 22, 1963) is an American businessman, producer, director, actor, and the current co-CEO of Paramount Global. He has been the president of Nickelodeon and president and CEO of Paramount Pictures since 2018 and 2021, respectively. He was named the co-CEO of Paramount Global in April 2024.

Early life

Robbins was born on November 22, 1963 in New York City and raised in the Marine Park, Brooklyn neighborhood. His father is the actor Floyd Levine. When he was 16, he moved with his family to Los Angeles. He graduated from Grant High School in 1982. Following his father into acting, Robbins made his television debut on an episode of Trapper John, M.D. He guest starred on a number of television series and had a recurring role on General Hospital. As an actor, he is perhaps best known for his role as Eric Mardian on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class. He also hosted the children's version of the TV game show Pictionary in 1989. In the 1990s, Robbins started producing the show All That and its spin-offs on Nickelodeon. He has produced several sports films including Coach Carter and Hardball (2001). He produced Smallville and also One Tree Hill. He has often collaborated with producer Michael Tollin.

Career

Robbins is the founder of AwesomenessTV, a YouTube channel aimed at teenagers. The channel spun off into a TV series, on which Robbins served as executive producer. DreamWorks Animation acquired the company in 2013. On February 22, 2017, following NBCUniversal/Comcast's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Robbins stepped down as AwesomenessTV's CEO, ending his five-year run with the company. Robbins first joined Paramount in 2017 as the first president of Paramount Players, after which he became president of Nickelodeon in 2018, and then president of Kids & Family Entertainment, for ViacomCBS (now Paramount). On October 1, 2018, he left his position as the president of Paramount Players after Viacom chose him to be the president of Nickelodeon, ending his 16-month run at the studio. Despite leaving the studio, he remained involved with Paramount Players division Nickelodeon Movies. Robbins became head of Paramount Pictures in September 2021. During his tenure, Robbins has overseen releases that have garnered more than $5 billion in global box office. As President and CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins has focused on securing production deals with prominent filmmakers and revitalizing franchises such as Transformers, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mission: Impossible, A Quiet Place, Scream, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PAW Patrol. These partnerships have contributed to Paramount Pictures' $5 billion-plus global box office revenue, with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol alone generating $2.5 billion in consumer products revenue in 2023. Robbins has been recognized for his strategic approach to theatrical release windows relative to streaming. He shifted the release strategy of Smile and Mean Girls from streaming to theatrical, with Smile becoming the top-grossing original horror film of 2022, earning $217 million worldwide and becoming the studio's third most profitable film in a decade. Mean Girls grossed $107 million globally and led the domestic box office for three consecutive weeks. Robbins has also strengthened Paramount Animation and Paramount's consumer products division through the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol. Robbins has emphasized allowing intellectual property-driven properties to drive other lines of business, particularly consumer products. On April 29, 2024, Robbins, along with George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy, became co-CEOs after Bob Bakish stepped down from his role. Robbins is a board member of the Motion Picture Association; a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; sits on the board of trustees for the AFI and is the recipient of a Directors Guild Award, a Peabody Award, and the Pioneer Prize from the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Personal life

He married publicist Laura Cathcart and they had two sons together before divorcing in 2013. He married stylist Tracy James in 2014. They have a daughter, and live with his sons in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

Producer only

Television

Executive producer only

Special thanks

Acting credits

Awards and nominations