Monique Robbins

Monique was born in Columbus, Indiana and moved to Hollywood, California at the age of 2 with her brother, Andy Martin (1961-1999). Monique, with her brother, left their father to join their mother (Lois "Lisa" Holmes) and Step Father (Henry "Tracy" Holmes). Show business was not new to Lisa and Tracy. Tracy had been managing Lisa both in the US and abroad. It was only natural that he would be the one to groom Monique and Andy.

Monique took dancing lessons with top teachers such as Al Gilbert and Ted Howard. Monique and Andy became a tap dancing duo. Monique will admit that her brother always seemed a little bit lighter on his feet in this area than she did. But nevertheless, they made a great team and she loved to dance. As she developed, her favorite form of dance was jazz, modern and hip-hop. But tap will always remain close to her heart and she will forever own a pair of tap shoes.

Monique loved to read even from an early age. She took in the world around her as if it was a playground. And that was how she would get lost in the books she would read. She would develop the characters and act them out. She had a natural ear for accents and still does to this day.

By the time Monique was 8, Tracy was her manager and her signed with an LA agent. She was being sent on auditions and was fearless. She recalls her most vivid audition was "Freaky Friday." Since "Freaky Friday" was based on a book written by Mary Rodgers, Monique read the book until the pages were frayed. She was in love with the concept and character. Again, fearless in the audition, word from her agent was that they loved her. But the amazing Jodie Foster got the roll. They wanted her for the supporting best friend but said that they were afraid I might overshadow Jodie Foster. To this day, Monique doesn't understand how she could ever "overshadow" someone so talented, beautiful, and brilliant. She thinks either her agent or her Step-dad were just softening the blow. But in a business full of "no's", that is a really kind thing to do.

Monique continued to audition but life at home was becoming strained as her mom was not well and couldn't care for Monique anymore. Monique was 12 ½ at the time. She had to hang up her dancing shoes and put acting aside for a while. Little did Monique know that "A While", would be 36 years.

Monique did find another passion in graphic arts when she was 16 and working full time at Hollywood Title Services (non-union company sourced out from union companies), that created Main Credits and End Credits for Motion Pictures and Television. All before the age of computers.

It was during this time, she met her husband (Scott Robbins). He is a musician and just happened to be in LA going to school. The stars aligned you might say because he came all the way from Connecticut. When he graduated, he had an opportunity to go to Dallas to be in a band and left.

The distance proved to be too much for both of them so they met each other at Christmas time in Connecticut. By the next Christmas, they were married. They had 3 children in Connecticut and when their youngest was 5, they decided to move to Texas.

As Monique's children all left the nest and started lives and families of their own, was faced with what to do next. Acting had never left her but she just thought she was too old and too late. So she went to photography school. As much as she loved photography, it wasn't her passion. She loves painting, crafting, making jewelry, baking, making chocolate, graphic arts, being behind the scenes on set, but it is not her passion. Her passion is acting. Acting and dancing is what lights her up inside and gets her moving. She enrolled in one class in Dallas. And then got on a waiting list for another class in Dallas. Within a year, she was in two acting classes in Dallas. Nancy Chartier and Michelle Sherrill. If there were any casting classes that came to town, she took them. Monique said that she has probable taken Del Shores Master Class and Scene Study Classes more than any other casting class because he came to Dallas regularly. And he was a safe place for any growing actor. She has taken two years of improvisation at "4 Day Weekend" Long Form and Short.

"Improv is probably one of my favorite things to do because you don't know what is going to happen. And there is also the thrill of being on stage. When I was in Jr. High, there was nothing I loved more than theatre because I got such a high when I was on that stage with all of my friends."

Over the years of going to class, Monique has been in a few student films, as well as been an extra on "bigger movie productions," to just get back in the game. She then was a lead in Christian Short that won best film in the Christian Film Festival. She has worked actors in the community making shorts and features by producing, casting, assistant directing, script supervisor, graphic artist, photographer, craft services, and makeup. Monique said, "Basically when you get involved in the community, and you are motivated and talented, you end up doing every job at one time or another. I never did lights, editing or sound though. It was a great experience for me and I highly recommend it. But between that, classes, work and family it really gave me no time to work on the business of auditioning. So I took a step back to take inventory and reprioritize my goals."

Monique is enjoying her ongoing acting classes with Nancy Chartier and with Del Shores. Even through the Pandemic, she has stayed on Zoom with her classes and has learned new and inventive ways to play. Monique said, "Zoom is only as limited as we make it. Maybe this is an actor's chance to 'Crack through the Glass Ceiling.' 'Think outside the proverbial box.' Just play like children and have fun." Nancy and Del make the classes so fun and enjoyable. It's hard work. You have to put in the time to be completely memorized for scene. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. But we have great class members to work with as well.