Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as
Brenda Meeks
''Scary Movie'' is an American horror comedy film series that comprises five parody films mainly focusing on spoofing horror films. The films have collectively grossed almost $900 million worldwide at the box office. The two recurring actresses a ...
in the comedy horror
''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). She has since appeared in the television series ''
Ally McBeal'' (2001–2002), ''
Law & Order: LA'' (2010–2011),
''Grandfathered'' (2016), and
''Black Monday'' (2019–2021), and in the films ''
The Best Man'' (1999), its 2013 sequel ''
The Best Man Holiday
''The Best Man Holiday'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. A sequel to Lee's '' The Best Man'' (1999), it stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia ...
'', ''
About Last Night'' (2014), ''
Vacation
A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for specific festi ...
'' (2015), ''
Girls Trip'' (2017), ''
The Hate U Give
''The Hate U Give'' is a 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It is Thomas's debut novel, expanded from a short story she wrote in college in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-ye ...
'' (2018), and
''Little'' (2019). For the comedy film ''
Support the Girls
''Support the Girls'' is a 2018 American comedy film written and directed by Andrew Bujalski. It stars Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James LeGros, Shayna McHayle, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer, John Elvis, Lea DeLaria, ...
'' (2018), Hall received critical acclaim, and became the first
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
to win the
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in film-making.
Winners
* † = Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress
* ‡ = Nomina ...
.
Early life
Hall was born the daughter of a contractor and
electrician
An electrician is a tradesperson specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, transmission lines, stationary machines, and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance ...
father, Odie Hall, and a teacher mother, Ruby. After graduating from
Immaculata College High School, Hall enrolled at
Fordham University
Fordham University () is a Private university, private Jesuit universities, Jesuit research university in New York City. Established in 1841 and named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the The Bronx, Bronx in which its origina ...
in
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in English in 1992.
She later enrolled at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, the ...
, where she earned a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. in
journalism
Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
in 1997. Reflecting on college, Hall said: "I loved being a student. I could've gone to school until I was 75 years old as long as somebody would've paid my rent. I would've been a professional student."
[
She wanted a career with impact and envisioned a career in writing or journalism, but Hall's first semester of graduate school changed drastically when her father died of a ]stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
. "It was sudden. And I think when sudden events that are painful happen in your life, you know, they redirect your course," Hall reflected. "When you’re young, you don’t grasp the gravity of life. But when you lose someone that you spend most of your life with, and you’re young, you do. And so I think that started me thinking about what I really wanted to do in life. And I know my father would have wanted me to finish school. So I did that." She began a career in the entertainment industry, starting off with a guest appearance on Sadat X
Derek Murphy (born December 29, 1968), better known as Sadat X, is an American rapping, rapper, best known as a member of alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president ...
's 1996 album ''Wild Cowboys
''Wild Cowboys'' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Sadat X of Brand Nubian. It was released on July 15, 1996 via Loud Records. Recording sessions took place at Chung King Studios, at D&D Studios, at Platinum Island Studios and at ...
'' on the track, "The Interview".
Career
In 1997, Hall appeared in her first television commercial
A television advertisement (also called a television commercial, TV commercial, commercial, spot, television spot, TV spot, advert, television advert, TV advert, television ad, TV ad or simply an ad) is a span of television programming produce ...
at the age of 26. Her television career began with a role on the soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
'' Loving'', and guest appearances on the Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
police drama ''New York Undercover
''New York Undercover'' is an American Police procedural, police drama that aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television network from September 8, 1994, to February 11, 1999. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and ...
''. She played Candy in the 1999 film '' The Best Man''. She left a lasting impression on viewers with her portrayal of the character Candace "Candy" Sparks. Hall reflected: "It was my very first movie. I met Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is an American actress. She is the daughter of actress Eleanor McCoy and film director Stan Lathan. Her career began after she appeared in the shows ''In the House'', '' Family Matters'', ''NYPD Blue ...
on it, and we did '' Love and Basketball'' together, which was my second film. And then, at that point, I was visiting L.A. to stay and it led to a third film and a fourth film. And it was really a big deal because I'd never been on a set before." It signaled a pivotal point for Hall's career. As a key member of the all-star cast, she welcomed rising-star status in "black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
-Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
".
Hall gained more recognition with her role in the comedy-horror-spoof ''Scary Movie
''Scary Movie'' is a 2000 American slasher parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans (who both also star), alongside Buddy Johnson, Phil Beauman, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Starring Anna Far ...
'' (and the sequels ''Scary Movie 2
''Scary Movie 2'' is a 2001 American supernatural parody film directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans. It is the sequel to ''Scary Movie'' and the second film in the ''Scary Movie'' film series. The film stars Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans and M ...
'', ''Scary Movie 3
''Scary Movie 3'' is a 2003 American parody film which parodies the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres. It is the sequel to ''Scary Movie 2'' and is the third film in the ''Scary Movie'' film series, and the first to be directed by David Zucker ...
'', and ''Scary Movie 4
''Scary Movie 4'' is a 2006 American science fiction parody film. It is the sequel to ''Scary Movie 3'' and the fourth installment in the ''Scary Movie'' film series, as well as the first film in the franchise to be released under The Weinstein ...
'') portraying the sex-crazed Brenda Meeks, and the TV movie ''Disappearing Acts
''Disappearing Acts'' is a 2000 American made-for-television romantic drama film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and stars Sanaa Lathan and Wesley Snipes. The film is an adaptation of the ''New York Times'' best-selling 1989 novel ''Disappear ...
''. The ''Scary Movie'' films would become some of her best known roles. In 2001, Hall landed the role of Coretta Lipp on the prime-time drama '' Ally McBeal'', which was originally a recurring role over several episodes but was made a main character in the 5th season of the show. A year later, she starred in the action-drama '' Paid in Full'', a film directed by Charles Stone III
Charles Stone III (born 1966) is an American film director. He is best known for ''Drumline (film), Drumline'' starring Nick Cannon, ''Mr. 3000'' starring Bernie Mac, and ''Paid in Full (2002 film), Paid in Full''.
Stone directed the video to " ...
. Since then, she has appeared in leading roles in films such as ''Malibu's Most Wanted
''Malibu's Most Wanted'' is a 2003 American comedy film written by and starring Jamie Kennedy and co-starring Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson, Blair Underwood, Regina Hall, Damien Dante Wayans, Ryan O'Neal, and Snoop Dogg. The film is written by t ...
'', '' King's Ransom'' and ''The Honeymooners
''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fol ...
''.
She appeared in the film ''Law Abiding Citizen
''Law Abiding Citizen'' is a 2009 American vigilante action thriller film directed by F. Gary Gray, written by Kurt Wimmer, and starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler (who also co-produced). The film takes place in Philadelphia, telling the stor ...
'' in 2009.
She had a role in the 2010 Danneel Harris and Arielle Kebbel
Arielle Caroline Kebbel (born February 19, 1985) is an American actress and model. She has appeared in various television series, including ''Gilmore Girls'' (2003–2004), ''The Vampire Diaries'' (2009–2017), ''Life Unexpected'' (2010), ''90 ...
film ''Mardi Gras''. From its fall 2010 debut until a series overhaul in January 2011, Regina Hall portrayed Deputy District Attorney Evelyn Price on '' Law & Order: LA''.
In 2012, she portrayed Candace Hall in Steve Harvey's movie ''Think Like a Man
''Think Like a Man'' is a 2012 American romantic comedy film directed by Tim Story, written by Keith Merryman and David A. Newman, and produced by Will Packer. It was based on Steve Harvey's 2009 book ''Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man''. The fil ...
'', a romantic comedy based on his book ''Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man
''Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment'' is a 2009 self help book by Steve Harvey which describes for women Harvey's concept of how men really think of love, relationships, ...
''. Hall reprised her role as Candace Sparks in ''The Best Man Holiday
''The Best Man Holiday'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. A sequel to Lee's '' The Best Man'' (1999), it stars Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia ...
'' in 2013. She believed the characters had evolved from the first film. Hall felt ''The Best Man Holiday'' was different from any sequel she had ever done before since it was not "immediate" and it had been fourteen years since the release of the original. Hall felt the first film had "the joy of the wedding" and in the sequel "they come together for the holidays, but it's deeper than that. This one's definitely different, but we still laughed. There was so much laughter behind the scenes." Hall joked about how all of the male members of the cast were married while all of the women were not, stating that Morris Chestnut
Morris Lamont Chestnut (born January 1, 1969) is an American actor. He first came to prominence for his role as Ricky in the 1991 film ''Boyz n the Hood''. He has appeared in feature films and on television series, including the starring role of ...
was happily married while walking around "with his shirt off!"
Hall appeared in the 2014 film '' About Last Night'', costarring Kevin Hart
Kevin Darnell Hart (born July 6, 1979) is an American comedian and actor. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, he has since starred in Hollywood films and on TV. He has also released several well-received comedy albums.
After winning se ...
.
She and Hart were seen as the film's highlight as they had a "great dynamic together" and the two were credited with having the funniest lines in the film. All of the cast was seen as having a "perfect mix of charisma and likability". Jessica Herndon of the ''Associated Press'' stated "Hart and Hall are the best part of this film. They play the couple you know all too well: fiery, able to press one another's buttons and always caught in the makeup to breakup game." Negative reviews of the film also praised the pairing of Hall with Kevin Hart. Mick LaSalle of ''The San Francisco Chronicle'' expressed that Hart was "well paired for Hall, who matches him for comedy." At the time of the film's release, both Hall and Hart expressed interest in working on other projects together. ''About Last Night'' was her third ensemble film and Hall reflected that she learned from actors she worked with in ensembles.
Hall reprised her role as Candace Hall in ''Think Like a Man Too
''Think Like a Man Too'' is a 2014 American romantic comedy film directed by Tim Story. It is the sequel to the 2012 film ''Think Like a Man'', based on Steve Harvey's book ''Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man''. The script was written by David A. ...
''. She revealed what members of the cast partied the most in the film shortly before the movie's release. "Everyone kind of had their fun, I'm not gonna lie. We went out, we gambled. Kevin art
Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas.
There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...
parties. There were parties, and we all went. It was good fun". In July 2014, it was announced Hall would star in a Lifetime film, entitled ''With This Ring'', with Eve
Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
and Jill Scott.
In the 2015 film '' People Place Things'', Hall had a major role as the love interest of a newly divorced man. In 2016, Hall was in '' Barbershop: The Next Cut''. She played the role of Angie, one of the hair stylists, alongside Ice Cube
An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...
, Common
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
, and Eve
Eve (; ; ar, حَوَّاء, Ḥawwāʾ; el, Εὕα, Heúa; la, Eva, Heva; Syriac: romanized: ) is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the ...
''.'' In 2017, Hall co-starred in the comedy film '' Girls Trip'', which became a critical and commercial success. In 2018, Hall was part of the ensemble cast of the drama film ''The Hate U Give
''The Hate U Give'' is a 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It is Thomas's debut novel, expanded from a short story she wrote in college in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-ye ...
'', based on the 2017 novel.
Hall had the lead in ''Support the Girls
''Support the Girls'' is a 2018 American comedy film written and directed by Andrew Bujalski. It stars Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, James LeGros, Shayna McHayle, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer, John Elvis, Lea DeLaria, ...
'', a film directed by Andrew Bujalski
Andrew Bujalski (born April 29, 1977) is an American film director, screenwriter and actor, who has been called the "godfather of mumblecore."
Life and career
Bujalski, born in Boston in 1977, is the son of artist-turned-businesswoman Sheila ...
. For the latter, she received critical praise, and was nominated for several awards, winning the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in film-making.
Winners
* † = Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress
* ‡ = Nomina ...
. She is the first African-American to win the award. That same year she was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In 2019, Hall hosted the 2019 BET Awards. She signed a deal with Showtime to do a comedy special through the company RH Negative. A mere months later, her company signed a deal with ViacomCBS.
She cohosted the 94th Academy Awards
The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Los Angeles. The awards were scheduled after its u ...
with Amy Schumer
Amy Beth Schumer (born June 1, 1981) is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She ventured into comedy in the early 2000s before appearing as a contestant on the fifth season of the NBC reality competition series ''Last Comic Standing'' i ...
and Wanda Sykes
Wanda Yvette Sykes (born March 7, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She was first recognized for her work as a writer on ''The Chris Rock Show'', for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1999. In 2004, ''Entertainm ...
on March 27, 2022.
Personal life
Around 2004, Hall's mother was diagnosed with scleroderma
Scleroderma is a group of autoimmune diseases that may result in changes to the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and internal organs. The disease can be either localized to the skin or involve other organs, as well. Symptoms may include areas of ...
, a rare autoimmune disease
An autoimmune disease is a condition arising from an abnormal immune response to a functioning body part. At least 80 types of autoimmune diseases have been identified, with some evidence suggesting that there may be more than 100 types. Nearly a ...
. When not working in Hollywood, Hall can be found volunteering for the care of senior citizens at a Sherman Oaks, California
Sherman Oaks is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California located in the San Fernando Valley, founded in 1927. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density than ...
, convalescent home twice a week as well as raising public awareness for the disease. "When my mom was diagnosed, I didn’t know much about the condition. But Dana Delany
Dana Welles Delany (born March 13, 1956) is an American actress. After appearing in small roles early in her career, Delany received her breakthrough role as Colleen McMurphy on the ABC television drama ''China Beach'' (1988–1991), for which s ...
, who is an actress and now a friend of mine, put me in touch with Bob Saget
Robert Lane Saget (May 17, 1956 – January 9, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and television host. Saget played Danny Tanner on the ABC sitcom ''Full House'' (1987-1995), and reprised the role for its Netflix sequel '' Fuller ...
. Bob had made a television movie about scleroderma years ago because his sister had died from it. That was back when they didn’t even know what it was. Anyway, Bob had a group called the Scleroderma Research Foundation, so I donated to that and my mother even went to the doctor Bob had suggested, who happened to be over at Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 – December 24, 1873) was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist. Born on a plantation, he left his home to start a career at the age of 17, and settled in Baltimore, Maryland where he remained for most ...
." Regina Hall announced in November 2010 that she would be writing for ABILITY Magazine.
In 2010, when she was 40, Hall unsuccessfully tried to become a Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
nun
A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...
after a bad break-up, having previously wanted to become one at the age of 14. In the latter case, she was refused for being too old, as the cut-off age is 39.
In 2014, she signed as an ambassador for Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
's White Diamonds
White Diamonds is a perfume created in 1991 by actress Elizabeth Taylor. The perfume, advertised with a cinematic TV commercial starring Taylor, was an enormous and enduring commercial success, with total sales of $1.5 billion as of 2018. Though ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
"Regina Hall—Interview"
Regina Hall Issue, ''ABILITY Magazine'', April/May 2010
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Regina
1970 births
Living people
Actresses from Washington, D.C.
African-American actresses
African-American female comedians
21st-century American comedians
American soap opera actresses
American women comedians
Fordham University alumni
New York University alumni
21st-century African-American women
21st-century African-American people
20th-century African-American people
20th-century African-American women