Robert B. Martin Jr. is an American casting director, director, producer, actor, and entrepreneur.

Early life
Martin was born in Baytown, Texas, to Robert B. Martin Sr., a computer scientist with NASA, and Agnes Martin. Robert trained astronauts for Project Mercury and the Apollo program. Martin began performing as a child in Texas.   While attending Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, he appeared in numerous stage productions. In 1987, the high school presented Voices from the High School, a series of monologues and duet scenes depicting real-life high school problems and accomplishments in situations about friendships, drugs, suicide, music, teachers, drinking, dating, and peer pressure, both at the school for the community and at the Texas State Thespian Festival in Galveston, TX.  Martin starred as Chris, who recently broke up with his girlfriend, and she confronts him to find out why. He also appeared in The Bowling Alley Pickup as part of his Theater Arts class. Over the next several years, Martin appeared in numerous productions in both high school and at the Baytown Little Theater.  He played the husband in Tea and Sympathy, Joe in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Ellard Sims in The Foreigner, and Randle P. McMurphy in One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Career

Acting
Before reaching 18, Martin had appeared in many commercials, including for AT&T. He appeared in national commercials, including for Jiffy Lube, Taco Bell, and ESPN2. In film, Martin played characters in an array of genres, including Laura Prepon's personal gimp in Slackers and a superhero in Mystery Men.

In 2017, Martin ran for SAG-AFTRA president in an acrimonious campaign whereby rival Esai Morales, backed by the union’s membership first faction, denounced the incumbent, Gabrielle Carteris’s defense of the current film and TV contract. Carteris ultimately won by a comfortable margin.

Casting
Martin cast films for Oliver Stone, Steven Spielberg, and Ron Howard. He cast Christopher Guest projects that won over 40 awards, including multiple Best of Show at Cannes Lions, The Grand Prix Clio, and D&AD. After meeting with Steve Jobs in 1997, he cast some of Apple’s global product launches. In 2018, he cast Wil Wheaton to star in Rent-A-Pal.

Directing
Martin's first directorial feature was Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool, co-directed with Aaron Priest, for which he also produced and starred. Based on Martin's prior experience as a casting director with Monkey Brothers Casting and Robert Martin Casting, the film follows  two casting directors and their experiences with commercial testing. The film features over two hundred actors.

In 2001, Martin signed with Slo.Graffiti, a Palomar Pictures division, marking his entry into commercial directing. There, he directed a series of commercials for Maris, West & Baker. The anti-smoking campaign Partnership For A Healthy Mississippi featured three spots: Basket Toss, Car, and VJ.

Producing
In 2002, Martin launched Goose Creek Micro, a first-of-its-kind company that mixed commercial advertising with short films. According to Martin, “It’s not product placement but stories based around characters filmed in a creative manner.” He’d done this with portions of his short film Nice Guys Finish Last that was used for an IKEA commercial.

Entrepreneur
In 2008, Martin patented and launched KickBars and Sneakbars, diamond-encrusted bars that lace through shoelaces. The bars were 24K white gold that came in a pavé or invisible setting with round cut diamonds. The jewelry was touted as an innovative way to express style and individuality and was worn by celebrities such as Joey Fatone and Jennifer Lopez.

References

Living people
People from Baytown, Texas
American casting directors