Craig Robinson (actor)

Craig Phillip Robinson (born October 25, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He is best known for his role as Darryl Philbin on The Office (2005–2013) and has appeared in numerous other television shows and films including Pineapple Express (2008), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–), This Is the End (2013), and Sausage Party (2016).

Early life
Robinson was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a music teacher mother and an attorney father. He was raised on the South Side of Chicago, and was brought up Methodist. He attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Illinois State University in 1994, and his masters of education from Saint Xavier University. He was a music teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School in Chicago.

Acting and comedy
Robinson began doing stand-up and taking classes in improv and acting at The Second City in Chicago. Beginning in 2005, he portrayed Darryl Philbin on the American version of The Office, and was promoted to a starring role in the fourth season. He has appeared on other television shows, including  Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Arrested Development, Lucky, Friends, Halfway Home, and Reno 911!. He appeared in the music video for the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Hump de Bump". He also hosted the seventh season of Last Comic Standing. He voiced Cookie in Shrek Forever After (2010) and played Reg Mackworthy on the HBO hit series Eastbound & Down (2009–2012).

Robinson is a frequent collaborator with Seth Rogen, starring alongside Rogen in the films Knocked Up (2007), Pineapple Express (2008), Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), This Is the End (2013) and Sausage Party (2016).

He also appeared in what was then the highest grossing Korean film, "D-War" (Korean: 디워, released in North America as Dragon Wars: D-War.)

Making a departure from his comedy background, Robinson portrayed saxophonist Maceo Parker in the James Brown biopic Get On Up (2014). In December 2015, he appeared in several Wal-Mart commercials promoting their credit card while singing and playing the piano at the store. He received rave reviews for the A24 drama Morris from America (2016), earning a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.

Music
For a number of years, Robinson and comedian Jerry Minor had a comedy act where they performed as musical duo L. Witherspoon & Chucky, with Minor as smooth singing L. Witherspoon and Robinson as Chucky, the keyboard player and back-up singer. They performed the act on HBO's Sketch Pad, several stand-up shows on Comedy Central, Real Time with Bill Maher, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! He occasionally performs with his band, The Nasty Delicious, alongside his brother Chris Rob. They were featured as his band in an episode of The Office, and on the season finale of the seventh season of Last Comic Standing. He has also performed in character in multiple episodes of The Office, and was featured on the Hot Tub Time Machine soundtrack, singing "Jessie's Girl" and "Let's Get It Started." He was also in the film Miss March, playing the role of the hit rapper Phil, also known as Horsedick.MPEG. Robinson produced two songs from that same film.

Personal life
In June 2008, Robinson was arrested in Culver City, California for possession of MDMA and methamphetamine. He was charged with two felonies but the charges were dismissed after he completed a diversion program. In October 2013, Robinson was arrested by the Royal Bahamas Police Force and fined $1,000 by a Bahamas court for possession of a half gram of marijuana and 18 MDMA pills.