# Keith Robinson (actor)
**Keith D. Robinson** (born 1976) is an American actor and R&B singer-songwriter best known for playing C.C. White in the Academy Award-winning film *Dreamgirls* (2006) and, since 2025, Dr. Ted Richardson on the CBS daytime soap opera *Beyond the Gates*.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) He has worked steadily in television and film since the late 1990s while maintaining a parallel music career, often placing his own songs in the projects he appears in.[2](https://keithsings.com/biography/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, Louisville, Kentucky; grew up in Greenville, South Carolina[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/) • [4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/) |
| Breakout role | Joel Rawlings, the Green Ranger, in *Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue* (2000)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/) |
| Best-known film role | C.C. White in *Dreamgirls* (2006); his voice is heard on six songs from the soundtrack[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) |
| Oscar connection | Performed "Patience" with Anika Noni Rose and Eddie Murphy; the song was nominated for an Academy Award[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507) |
| Television leads | All six seasons of *Saints & Sinners*; Dr. Ted Richardson on *Beyond the Gates* from May 2025[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) • [6](https://urbanhollywood411.com/keith-d-robinson-debuts-beyond-the-gates/) |
| Output | More than 70 television and film projects[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) |
| Albums | *Love Episodic* (his first album) and the announced *Love Episodic 2*[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507) • [1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) |
## Early life and music beginnings
Robinson was born in Kentucky and grew up in [Greenville, South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/greenville-south-carolina), later moving to [Augusta, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/augusta-georgia), where he graduated from Lakeside High School.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/) He attended the [University of Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-georgia) with music as his goal, and while still a student he signed a recording contract with Motown Records, though the label never issued any of his material.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/)
Acting began almost by accident. After moving to Los Angeles, a chance meeting with a talent manager started his screen career, and an audition for *Power Rangers* followed.[2](https://keithsings.com/biography/) In a 2014 interview he said he never made a deliberate "move" from music to acting; acting came second once he reached Hollywood, and he had pursued both ever since.[7](https://aalbc.com/interview/Keith-Robinson-The-Get-on-Up-Interview-July-2014)
## Television career
Robinson's first starring role was Joel Rawlings, the Green Ranger, in *Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue* (2000); he has said he had no martial arts background and was simply "a good athlete."[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/) • [7](https://aalbc.com/interview/Keith-Robinson-The-Get-on-Up-Interview-July-2014) Guest and supporting parts followed through the 2000s on series including *ER*, *NYPD Blue*, *American Dreams*, *[Monk](https://www.edgepedia.org/monk-tv-series)*, *Half & Half*, *[NCIS](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncis-tv-series)*, and the FX war drama *Over There*, where he played Pvt. Avery "Angel" King.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/) He also played Joshua Deets in the miniseries *Comanche Moon* (2008), a character his *Dreamgirls* castmate [Danny Glover](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-glover) had played previously.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/) • [8](https://www.metacritic.com/person/keith-d-robinson/)
Later television work includes guest roles on *[White Collar](https://www.edgepedia.org/white-collar-tv-series)*, *Castle*, *Lie to Me*, *Major Crimes*, *The Glades*, and *A Million Little Things*, and a starring role as Miles Calloway in *Saints & Sinners*, the [Bounce TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/bounce-tv) drama, appearing in all six seasons.[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/) • [8](https://www.metacritic.com/person/keith-d-robinson/) • [1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson)
**Beyond the Gates.** In March 2025 it was announced that Robinson would join the CBS daytime soap *Beyond the Gates* as a series regular, recast in the role of plastic surgeon Dr. Ted Richardson, previously played by Maurice Johnson.[9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/beyond-gates-adds-keith-d-231159596.html) He made his first appearance in Episode 53, which aired on May 15, 2025.[6](https://urbanhollywood411.com/keith-d-robinson-debuts-beyond-the-gates/) The series, produced by the [CBS Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/cbs-studios)/NAACP Venture, premiered on February 24, 2025, and is the first daytime drama to premiere since *Passions* in 1999.[10](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/beyond-the-gates/about/) • [9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/beyond-gates-adds-keith-d-231159596.html) Robinson said he was "extremely blessed and honored" to join what he called a historical show.[6](https://urbanhollywood411.com/keith-d-robinson-debuts-beyond-the-gates/) In September 2025 his single "Forever Bae," inspired by the Ted and Nicole relationship, was featured in Episode 130, with Daphnee Duplaix appearing in the music video.[11](https://michaelfairmantv.com/beyond-the-gates-daphnee-duplaix-keith-d-robinson-interview/2025/09/27/)
## Film work and Dreamgirls
Robinson played Bill in *Fat Albert* (2004) and, under the alias Black Keith, placed his song "I'm in Love" on the film's soundtrack, an early example of the pattern of pairing his acting roles with his own music.[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507)
His profile rose sharply with *Dreamgirls* (2006), the film adaptation of the Broadway musical loosely based on the story of the Supremes, in which he played songwriter C.C. White, a character modeled after [Smokey Robinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/smokey-robinson).[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507) • [12](https://www.blackfilm.com/20061208/features/keithrobinson.shtml) His voice appears on six songs from the film's soundtrack, including a Robinson-led version of "Family," and "Patience," which he performed with [Anika Noni Rose](https://www.edgepedia.org/anika-noni-rose) and [Eddie Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-murphy), received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song; he also performed it live at the Academy Awards ceremony.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson) • [5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507) • [7](https://aalbc.com/interview/Keith-Robinson-The-Get-on-Up-Interview-July-2014)
Subsequent film roles include Devean in *This Christmas* (2007), Captain Stone in *Dear John* (2010) opposite [Channing Tatum](https://www.edgepedia.org/channing-tatum), and Baby Roy in the [James Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-brown) biopic *Get On Up* (2014), opposite [Chadwick Boseman](https://www.edgepedia.org/chadwick-boseman).[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/) • [7](https://aalbc.com/interview/Keith-Robinson-The-Get-on-Up-Interview-July-2014) He also appeared as Atron in the Tupac Shakur biopic *All Eyez on Me* (2017).[4](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/)
## Music career
Robinson has released independent singles including "The One," "Red Eye," and "Same Rules," and issued his first album, *Love Episodic*, in the mid-2010s; AllMusic dates it to early 2016, while Apple Music lists it as 2017.[5](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507) • [13](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621228561) A follow-up, *Love Episodic 2*, was announced for release in the summer of 2025.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson)
Beyond recording, he has worked behind the camera: he directed, wrote, and starred in the short film *The Greener Grass Experiment* under his Scenes and Songs Production imprint, winning an award at the Essence Film Festival, and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for the scripted podcast *Crimson Hearts*.[1](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson)
## Notes on namesakes
Several other entertainers share the name Keith Robinson, including a New York-based stage actor with credits in *The Great Gatsby: An American Musical* and *Sunday in the Park with George*, and a stand-up comedian whose Netflix special *Keith Robinson: Different Strokes* streamed in 2024; they are distinct people.[14](https://keithrobinsonactor.com/about) • [15](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/keith_robinson_different_strokes)
## References
1. [Keith D. Robinson bio, Paramount Press Express, CBS Entertainment](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/talent/?view=keith-d-robinson)
2. [Biography, KeithRobinsonSings.com (official site)](https://keithsings.com/biography/)
3. [Keith D. Robinson Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0732803/bio/)
4. [Keith Robinson, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/keith-robinson/)
5. [Keith Robinson Biography, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/keith-robinson-mn0003477507)
6. [Keith D. Robinson 'Honored' to Officially Join 'Beyond the Gates', Urban Hollywood 411](https://urbanhollywood411.com/keith-d-robinson-debuts-beyond-the-gates/)
7. [Keith Robinson: The "Get on Up" Interview (July 2014), AALBC](https://aalbc.com/interview/Keith-Robinson-The-Get-on-Up-Interview-July-2014)
8. [Keith D. Robinson, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/keith-d-robinson/)
9. ['Beyond The Gates' Adds Keith D. Robinson As Series Regular In Recasting, Deadline via Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/beyond-gates-adds-keith-d-231159596.html)
10. [Beyond the Gates | About, Paramount Press Express](https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/beyond-the-gates/about/)
11. [Exclusive: 'Beyond the Gates' Stars Daphnee Duplaix and Keith D. Robinson Talk Hope for a Ted/Nicole Reconciliation, Michael Fairman TV](https://michaelfairmantv.com/beyond-the-gates-daphnee-duplaix-keith-d-robinson-interview/2025/09/27/)
12. [Dreamgirls: An Interview with Keith Robinson, Blackfilm.com](https://www.blackfilm.com/20061208/features/keithrobinson.shtml)
13. [Keith D. Robinson, Apple Snapshot](https://snapshot.apple.com/us/person/6621228561)
14. [Bio, Keith Robinson (stage actor), keithrobinsonactor.com](https://keithrobinsonactor.com/about)
15. [Keith Robinson: Different Strokes, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/keith_robinson_different_strokes)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actors and actresses by country or nationality › American actors and actresses › Surnames P to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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