Well, now that Cedric “Jackie” Robinson and Lovita Jenkins are officially man and wife, maybe it’s time for Principal, Regina Grier, and Steve Hightower to tie the knot.  If these names don’t sound familiar, check out an episode of The Steve Harvey Show on the WB.  The on-screen love-hate relationship between actors Wendy Raquel Robinson (right) and Steve Harvey is beyond classic; it’s downright contagious.  Millions watch the show on a weekly basis to see what will happen between Steve and Regina.

Wendy Raquel Robinson plays Principal Regina Grier on the show and girlfriend has it going on and it shows.  Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, California,  Wendy is the youngest of three girls.  Her two older sisters are her biggest fans.  And, more than likely, they were in the audience when their talented baby sister demonstrated her stage talent in the fourth grade in a school play.  Wendy has no idea that her performance would be so prophetic. Today, as an actress, choreographer, dancer, singer and writer, she keeps her accomplishments in perspective.

Throughout the rest of her pre-Hollywood career, she continued to perform in local productions, but her moment of truth came when she went off to college.  When she arrived at Howard University in Washington, D.C., she experienced quite a culture shock. “There were so many beautiful and talented actors, performers, and entertainers of color.  It was a reality check,” she said.   Competition was a part of the culture, but it wasn’t about destroying each other.  The focus was on building each person up so that he/she could compete.  For Wendy Raquel Robinson, college was all about confidence.  And, I imagine she felt pretty good on graduation day when she was awarded cum laude honors.

You may be wondering, how did Wendy Raquel Robinson get where she is today?  The most important and inescapable fact is that Miss Robinson knew exactly what she wanted to do.  She was literally “driven on a dream.”  Her strongest advice when it comes to selecting a career is to “hold on to your passion.”  Her parents were not connected in the entertainment industry but they continue to support her every endeavor.  Since Wendy did not have a “hook-up,” she had to work very hard.   During her toughest times, she sold tickets at box offices and took a job telemarketing just to work in a field closely related to the industry of her dreams.   “Not acting was the lowest point.  I was thinking, I’m good, right?  This is a very humbling industry,” she remarked.

With a degree in hand and a clear goal in mind, Wendy says she became an expert in her field.  Not only did she study dramatic arts but she also focused on costumes, make-up, choreography and the entertainment industry.  She frequently conducted research on artists whom she admired like her mentor, Debbie Allen (another Howard alumna), Phylicia Rashad, Roberta Flack, and Lynn Whitfield.  She was starving for knowledge about her passion and she acted on her heart’s desire.  The word “acted” is the action word in this equation.

She broke into television on The New WKRP in Cincinnati show.  Her first scene was with Michael T. Williamson-Bubba from the movie, Forest Gump.  It was Williamson who encouraged her.   It was a critical vote of confidence, a vote that strengthened her each time she had to start over in another role.  She worked with Steve Harvey, the star of The Steve Harvey Show, on an ABC sitcom pilot episode of Me and the Boys.  Harvey remembered her work when they were casting the role of the principal on The Steve Harvey Show.  Wendy says originally they had planned to cast the principal as a white male, but the network wanted a love interest for Steve.  So in Wendy’s words, “When you get an opportunity, you work it. The business is so small, you’ve got to be great.”

In addition to her leading role on the show, Wendy had a recurring role on the television show “Minor Adjustments.”   She is also the spokesperson for the new MBC Network, a channel committed to family and morality.  Other movie/television appearances include: N.Y.P.D. Blue; Thea; Sisters; Martin; Sinbad; M.A.N.T.I.S; The Walking Dead; and A Thin Line Between Love & Hate. And, she still nurtures her theatrical roots as well.  On stage, she has performed in a number of noteworthy productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Agnes of God, The Colored Museum and Vanities, for which she received an NAACP Award for Best Choreographer and a nomination for Best Actress. This exceptional actress is doing her best not to keep her talent to herself.

To aspiring actors, Wendy says, “competition is fierce.”  Her training has been a powerful stepping-stone.  She really stresses becoming an expert in your field, advising  “learn about lighting, set design, producing and about everything that you possibly can.”  She is an advocate of the value of education citing, “it will set you apart from the others.”

Of course, I had to ask her if her character, Principal Grier, would marry her Vice Principal, Steve Hightower.  Without hesitation she said, “ I have absolutely no idea.”  She quickly added,  “After this season, we’re going to have to do something.”  But, believe it or not, “that something” is totally out of Robinson’s hands.  As is the case with most television and film productions, the show producers wield all of the decision making power.  Therefore, whatever the producers' write, the actors will perform.  You may be shocked to learn that there is no ad-libbing on The Steve Harvey Show.  Wendy says that the show is highly structured.  And, since the show is massively successfully, there is no reason to change the formula.  What’s next for the “Principal” of Booker T. Washington High?  You can enjoy her performance in the movie, Ms. Congeniality.

It is quite obvious that a great deal of Wendy’s success can be attributed to her ability to make sound decisions.  To express her creative freedom, she founded a performing arts institute in Los Angeles called the Amazing Grace Conservatory.  It is a very respected training facility for youth actors and performers concentrating on self-esteem through self-expression.  Wendy firmly believes that everyone should  “develop a lot of things independent of {show} business, whatever that business may be."  Managing the conservatory gives Wendy a chance to add additional skills to her professional resume, while also affording her the opportunity to give back to her community.

Wendy is also very resourceful in other ways.  For example, instead of running out and buying a new car when she secured her current television role, she drove her 1988 Celica until 1998.  Of course, her friends talked about her and cracked many jokes, but I wonder how much money they have in their savings accounts?  For Wendy, the money itself doesn’t matter.  The “Principal” is more interested in the principle of the situation.  “Money is not my {sole} motivation. Invest your money.  The younger you are, the more you can get on your return. Buy property.  Do not have an ATM card for your savings account. That account should not be easily accessible.”  She adds, “It hurts my heart when celebrities go bankrupt.  In my case, God knew what he was doing whenever I had low points in my life {to test my strength}.”  The “low points” helped her to be better prepared for opportunities when they became available. Her advice to young people, especially, is to become financially resourceful by saving and investing funds as much as possible. She also urges people "on the way up the ladder of success" to try and keep their original circle of friends in their lives as they attain more success.

 Dr. Sybril Bennett is the CEO of Bennett Communications and a contributing writer.