Regina Hall, 55, is an actress known for the films “Scary Movie” and four of its sequels, “Support the Girls” and “One Battle After Another.” She co-stars in “The Five Star Weekend” miniseries on Peacock. She spoke with Marc Myers.
Acting was the furthest thing from my mind as a child. Television in the 1970s was inspiring to watch, but being on TV didn’t seem feasible.
My parents divorced when I was 6, but they lived close enough to each other in the Northwest section of Washington, D.C., that I could bike back and forth. They did a tremendous job co-parenting.
We lived in a traditional row house in a working-class neighborhood while my parents were married. After they separated, my three older brothers and I moved with our mother to a house 10 minutes away.
My brothers loved me, but they weren’t tender. They saw me as their kid sister—the pest. To get attention, I’d stand in front of the TV while they watched. They teased me and called me Dogface, a term of endearment.
At some point, I complained to my mom about the teasing. She said, “Well, say something back.” I did and soon learned to riff with them. Eventually, I became one of the boys who was a girl. They were my first audience and my toughest.
When I was 13, I became close to a girl in school named Kate. We spent time at her house. She had been diagnosed with brain cancer and undergone chemotherapy.
One day, her cancer returned and she needed surgery. Right before her operation, she had a sleepover at my house. I said, “Your surgery is on Thursday, so maybe you can sleep over on Friday?”
After her operation, she slipped into a coma and died. My mom told me. I can’t believe this still makes me cry. She was such a beautiful person who loved butterflies.
In high school, I was outgoing but not interested in being popular. I had close friends and was a good student. I felt I was who I was. Being comfortable with myself was easy.
At Fordham University, I majored in communications. One day, director Spike Lee spoke to my filmmaking class. A friend and I were so inspired we decided to write a screenplay for a short, but we soon realized funding was harder than we thought.
After graduation, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. My parents said, “Look, you’re out of school and not working. You either have to get a job, go back to school or move back home.” I chose option No. 2.
I enrolled in NYU’s graduate journalism program. During my first semester, when I was 23, my mom called. She said, “Your dad is in a coma.” He had diabetes, so I assumed he would rebound. When I went home to D.C., Mom told me he’d had a massive stroke. Then he died. I was in shock. I loved him so much.
That same semester, my friend Paula suggested I take acting jobs in TV commercials for extra income. She introduced me to her manager, but I couldn’t make the auditions due to my classwork and graduate thesis.
After NYU, I began calling talent agencies looking for a commercial agent. At J. Michael Bloom & Associates, I found Mickey Shera, who invited me to drop by. When I arrived, he said he thought he’d invited someone else. Fortunately, he liked me enough to represent me.
I was honest. I said, “I don’t really know what I’m doing.” He recommended I take acting classes at the William Esper Studio in Manhattan. I was there for two years, working with Barbara Marchant. She nurtured me and allowed my artistic side to grow. Performing was a great way to be outside myself.
When I completed the program, I landed a part in the 1999 film “The Best Man,” which launched my career. The turning point came a year later, at age 29, when I was cast for “Scary Movie.” Originally, I was given a small role but at the last minute they combined that one with another for a much bigger part—as Brenda Meeks.
Today, I live in a quaint house in Los Angeles, where I moved a year ago. What I loved about the space was the belief that my mom would have liked it here. I originally wanted her to move in with me, but she died in 2021.
My brothers still tease me, but I know they’re proud. Recently, one of them called while completing a business deal. He wanted his “famous sister” to say hi to his disbelieving client. Now I’m their closer.
Regina’s juice
What’s the coolest thing at home? My mom’s chair, which has French words all over it.
What’s your at-home obsession? Making fresh juices. My current favorite combines apples, pears, ginger and cucumbers.
How’s your yard? First, I had raccoons, which we extracted with help from a trapper. Now I’m dealing with gophers and snakes. It’s a jungle out there.