If there are two Reginas you need to know in Hollywood, these are them: Regina King and Regina Hall. Both of them are the same age, had a steady rise in the entertainment world, created careers out of modest means, and have fathers that were electricians. Regina Hall was born in Washington D.C. and originally sought out a career in writing and literature. She received her undergraduate degree in English and then studied journalism at NYU’s graduate school. Hall may have loved to write, but with the premature death of her father, she discovered she needed to follow her passion and dove into the world of acting.
Hall would make her first appearance on Fox’s police drama New York Undercover in 1997, but would not find her niche until cast in the slasher parody Scary Movie. Scary Movie turned into a series with multiple movies. Since then, she has shown her acting chops by taking on a mix of dramatic and comedic roles, demonstrating her flexibility as an actor and a willingness to break outside the confined roles of a singular type of character. Most recently, Hall was named one of the three hosts for this year's Oscars ceremony (alongside fellow comedians Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer). Until then, these are Regina Hall’s best performances, ranked.
8 Think Like a Man
Released in 2012, Think Like a Man follows the stories of four different couples and their relationships. The cast features the likes of Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Regina Hall, and many more, making it a movie full of familiar faces for audiences. In each of the four stories, the women have been reading a self-help book by Steve Harvey to deduce what they think men want from them. This might seem like a strange product placement, but it leads into solid romantic comedy territory for the film. Hall portrays a character named Candace Hall in the movie, and she is one of the women involved in the main storyline.
7 About Last Night
Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, and Michael Ealy reunited in 2014 for the romantic comedy About Last Night. Denny and Bernie (Ealy and Hart, respectively) are two best friends. Both work as salesmen, but one day, Bernie invites Denny along for a double date with his fling (Hall) and her friend (Joy Bryant). As they all get to know each other, sparks fly, and the classic formulaic approaches to romantic comedy movies ensue. About Last Night is a conventional romantic comedy, and it does not stray too far from its roots in the genre, but it still offers an entertaining date night choice.
6 Support the Girls
Support the Girls has Regina Hall staring as Lisa, the manager of a restaurant eerily similar to Hooter’s, except this one is called Double Whammies. Lisa is one of the most dedicated employees at the restaurant and protects the other women from predatory men and uncomfortable situations, although her boss consistently keeps threatening to fire her because of it. When they arrange a car wash, much to her boss’ chagrin, this unleashes an entirely new set of problems. Comedic, full of wit, and well-acted, Support the Girls landed Hall the New York Critics Circle Award for Best Actress for her role as Lisa. She was the first Black actor to take home the award.
5 People Places Things
People Places Things debuted at Sundance to positive reviews from critics. It tells the story of Will Henry (Jeanine Clement), the father of twin girls and a man whose wife has cheated on him and ended their relationship. When one of his students asks him to go to dinner with her mother (Regina Hall), a casual relationship blooms among these two single parents. Hall and Clement are the glue holding this movie together, providing performances navigating familiar and heartwarming territory for many viewers.
4 The Hate U Give
Released in 2018, The Hate U Give is a snapshot of the times that many Black Americans live within. A 16-year-old girl (The Hunger Game’s Amandla Stenberg), Starr Carter, has witnessed her friend shot by a white cop right in front of her, and the circumstances of his death torment her to the point where she decides she needs to take action. As the life she lives at home and the problems of the neighborhood come to the forefront of her mind, Starr must choose to stop living in-between worlds or be complicit. Hall stars as the matriarch of the family who wants to give her children a better life.
3 Scary Movie
The original Scary Movie is a blast from the past, a relic from the early 2000s, but it gave Regina Hall the platform to continue her acting career. After a group of high schoolers accidentally kill a man while driving and dump his body into a lake, someone dressed as Ghostface appears and begins killing them off one by one. Scary Movie is no stranger to the tropes of the teenage horror genre but does them well, making it satisfying to watch. Hall plays Brenda, who was there when the man was originally killed.
2 Girls Trip
A must-see movie the summer it was released, Girls Trip features the likes of Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Tiffany Haddish. The movie is an ode to female friendship, as a group of women reconnects after a long time apart. They meet in New Orleans to go to the Essence Music Festival, creating an unforgettable experience for them and the audience. The movie was a smash hit, and Girls Trip 2 is in the works.
1 Little
Little is a classic story about when the bullied become the bullies. Jordan Sanders (Regina Hall) is a cruel businesswoman that runs her company with an iron fist, and after angering a child, the kid wishes that Sanders would become a kid again. And that’s exactly what happens the next day. The movie is in the vein of cult teenage films like 17 Again and Freaky Friday, but this body-swap situation is done well because of Regina Hall and Marsai Martin. Viewers have to learn to like Sanders as a character when she has few redeeming qualities at first, making this redemption a feat in itself.