Robinne Lee

Robinne Lee is an American actress and author who first captured attention with her screen debut in the independent film Hav Plenty (1997). Born on July 16, 1974, in Mount Vernon, New York, she pursued an elite education, graduating from Yale University in 1991 and later earning a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, a rare academic foundation for a Hollywood career. After her festival‑circuit start, Lee built a steady portfolio of supporting roles, appearing alongside Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn in National Security (2003) and sharing scenes with LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union in the romantic comedy Deliver Us from Eva the same year. Her versatility shone in the 2005 box‑office hit Hitch, starring Will Smith, and again in 2008’s emotional drama Seven Pounds, where she portrayed the protagonist’s fiancée. Lee also led the comedy‑drama This Is Not a Test (2008) and co‑starred with Don Cheadle in the family‑friendly Hotel for Dogs (2009). Beyond film, Lee established a presence on television, guest‑starring on series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Numbers, holding a recurring role on Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (2007) and later embodying Avery Daniels in BET’s critically acclaimed Being Mary Jane (2013‑2014). She expanded into genre work with the Syfy horror drama Superstition (2017‑2018) and entered the blockbuster arena as Ros Bailey in both Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018). In addition to her acting résumé, Lee debuted as a novelist with The Idea of You (2017), a bestseller that explores a mature woman’s romance with a younger pop star, later adapted for film starring Anne Hathaway. Married to Eric Hayes since 2001, the couple raises two children, and Lee continues to balance her multifaceted career in entertainment and literature.