Regina Hall’s natural presence – her captivating blend of grace and personality – isn’t really visible in One Battle After Another. Instead of her typical charm, Hall plays the role with a serious and thoughtful demeanor. As Deandra, a fighter with a revolutionary group called the French 75, she’s fighting against injustice, whether it comes from armed police, immigration detention centers, white supremacists who celebrate Christmas, or broader fascism. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film is definitely a comedy, but Hall mostly appears during its more serious and politically charged moments. Even when the French 75 begins to fall apart, Deandra stays dedicated to their goals, reappearing when needed to guide the teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti) of a somewhat clueless former activist (Leonardo DiCaprio) to what she believes will be safety. Failing this task would feel like a personal defeat.
I’ve been a fan of Regina Hall ever since The Best Man, Scary Movie, and Ally McBeal, so I’m really excited about her new film! It’s always great to see an actor achieve a long-held goal, and I heard she’d dreamed of working with Anderson. Apparently, they’re neighbors and he actually came to *her* with a role! One Battle really shows how versatile she is – she jumps between all sorts of genres and moods, and that’s amazing. Even when she’s playing a strong, take-charge character, like in movies such as About Last Night and Little, she just has this incredible charm and polish. And the best part? She’s coming back to the Scary Movie franchise after so many years! But right now, she’s really enjoying all the buzz around One Battle, and she’s said it’s a really “special” project for her.
Not every movie can be special. What’s different about this one?
As a movie lover, I don’t often get that feeling with just *any* film, but this one just feels…right. The timing feels perfect, almost destined. And while that’s not necessarily the *point* of the movie, it feels incredibly relevant to what’s happening in the world right now. Plus, honestly, we could all use a good laugh, and this story delivers a lot of lightheartedness in how it unfolds.
It’s interesting to note that Paul wrote this movie in 2023 and filmed it at the beginning of 2024, before the current president took office.
In fact, Paul first began developing the idea for this project 20 years ago.
Based on Vineland.
It seems he planned to film it as early as 2017. Now, it’s remarkably-let’s say, almost like he knew the future.
Did you, Paul, and the rest of the cast talk about the real-world political issues while filming the movie?
Actually, we didn’t. Our conversations focused on the world that Paul created and making it feel believable. We really prioritized authenticity. I did some research, reading books about the historical period and the people who lead revolutions, so we kept asking ourselves, What are the true motivations of these characters? What actions do they take, and why? How do they feel about everything? I think it’s important to avoid making judgments, and that applies to the Christmas Adventurers with Tony Goldwyn and everyone involved.
The spiritual element you mentioned, though – since we filmed that, we’ve witnessed federal troops deployed to cities, the establishment of new detention centers for migrants, and an increase in political violence. Was there a point when those working on the movie understood its importance had grown?
From my perspective, I definitely felt that way. I believe it’s impossible to stay informed without recognizing the connections.
What did Paul say about why he considered you for this part?
He didn’t explain his reasoning. He simply said, “I have a role I’d love for you to take on,” and I immediately agreed. Deandra is a character I haven’t portrayed before, but I didn’t question why he thought of me. I plan to ask him about it. He mentioned he’d send me the script when he first told me, but I didn’t receive it for several months. I started to wonder, Oh boy, did he forget? Did he change his mind? It’s really interesting to understand what someone else sees in you.
After experiencing such a diverse career, what’s your sense of how people see you as an actress?
I believe people see me in many different ways. Honestly, I haven’t really given it much thought. I’m not sure! What’s *your* impression of me? It’s an interesting question.
People mostly see you as a funny actress, but I think you’ve shown a lot more range than that. I’ve noticed you often play characters who are driven and successful, and a lot of them have a very glamorous image. This has been true since your role in Ally McBeal, and we see it in films like About Last Night, Little, Black Monday, and Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul-you consistently portray ambitious characters who also really care about how they present themselves. Deandra, in this project, is definitely ambitious, but she doesn’t have that same glamorous side, which is a nice change. You could say the same thing about your character in Master.
Maybe Support the Girls too.
Yes, even though your character, Lisa, in that movie seems very composed and capable despite everything happening in her life.
Yeah, she’s a small-town kind of composed. Even Dawn in Black Monday appeared very put-together, but she was actually struggling internally. Deandra is likely the most reserved character I’ve ever portrayed, especially considering I often play characters who are talkative or expressive, like Brenda in Scary Movie. There was a lot of acting that needed to happen without words, and that was definitely a new challenge. Considering revolutionaries and their actions, anything less would have felt inauthentic.
Do you recall the first time you saw yourself with that stark, makeup-free, all-black aesthetic?
Paul spent a lot of time doing camera tests to decide which cameras to use. I think my first time in costume was also my first test, and it was with Shayna-Junglepussy-and honestly, it felt incredibly vibrant. Deandra loses a lot throughout the story, but she remains resilient. I was just starting to collaborate with PTA, which was a long-held ambition of mine. I was on the verge of achieving a dream. And during the next camera tests, Leo was present. It was a gradual process, and it was a thrilling experience.
You brought up reading about revolutionaries and their methods of activism. How did that influence the character of Deandra?
I spoke with former members of the Black Panthers, but I wasn’t interested in the specifics of their actions. I wanted to understand their feelings and their motivations. Many of them were quite young, at a time when people often feel very hopeful and believe they can make a real difference. They felt like they were on the verge of something new, so I was fascinated by their idealism, especially considering the challenges they faced and who they were fighting for, and how. Deandra continues that fight even years later, and I used that inspiration to build her history. It’s easy when you’re young to believe you’re the first person to experience something.
Did this specific kind of extreme activism give you any significant insights?
It’s remarkable to consider the strength of the human spirit when people are convinced they’re doing the right thing, when they feel they have a valid reason or purpose. What stood out in Paul’s film was how this continues with Willa. Whatever a group believes in tends to persist. I especially appreciated meeting people who fought for what they believed in, seeing them genuinely believe they were working towards a good cause. They had a strong sense of moral correctness. Even with the French 75, we saw intentions of goodness, although things often don’t go as planned. Ultimately, I left with a greater understanding of idealism.
Tell me about your first encounter with Leonardo DiCaprio.
I briefly saw him in person a long time ago, said hello, and that was the extent of it. However, there was a memorable moment when he met Teyana at Diana Ross’s birthday party. Before that, I’d just seen him around. I believe the first time we actually spoke was during a work session where we were auditioning with Chase. After that, he was really funny, a pleasure to work with, and very kind. He was also very approachable and genuine.
Looking at how storytelling has evolved, it seems like there’s been a shift froma quiet cry for helpat the end of Support the Girls to the powerful, direct statement this new film makes. Years later, do you realize the impact that ending had on audiences?
Wow. Support the Girls was a really meaningful film. While researching, I visited many restaurants like those shown in the movie, and I was struck by the strong sense of community-how much the female managers cared for their staff and how dedicated everyone was. The scream represented that release we all crave. After everything they’d been through, it was a moment where they could all be together. I wasn’t sure how it would be received, but I loved that ending when I first read the script. I think we all understood the meaning behind that scream.
What did the page say?
It simply stated, “They let out a scream.” I’m not sure if there was any explanation, but I instinctively understood the meaning. When I first read the script, I wondered, Oh my goodness, what will she do? Something awful? Is she going to rob the money? I was accustomed to that type of storyline. However, it turned out to be about ordinary people, and their scream at the end represented a moment of hardship in life. The film as a whole had a really heartwarming quality. Interestingly, Paul Thomas Anderson actually saw the movie, and I heard he liked it. Junglepussy is also in it!
I was thinking maybe Paul noticed something in Support the Girls that reminded him of Deandra.
That would fit. Lisa in Support the Girls really went above and beyond to help those women, and Deandra is a very caring person who’s capable of great selflessness. We discussed the scene in One Battle After Another near the end when they were caught. She feels like she let someone down – she lost the girl she was supposed to protect, and she sees that as a failure. She didn’t anticipate what was going to happen, and I believe she feels she didn’t succeed in her task.
After “Support the Girls” received so much praise, many awards experts predicted you’d be nominated for an Oscar. Were you let down when that didn’t happen?
Not at all. I honestly never really considered myself a strong contender. I was very pleased with all the positive reviews the film received. An Oscar nomination would have been wonderful, but I wasn’t disappointed it didn’t happen. Given that it was an independent film, I was incredibly happy to receive nominations from the Gotham and Indie Spirit awards. That felt like the highest achievement for me, considering it was an indie project.
What are your thoughts on the positive early buzz surrounding “One Battle After Another” as awards season begins?
The response from both critics and viewers has been fantastic – and that’s exactly what you hope for! I haven’t focused on anything beyond that, but it’s amazing to see so much excitement building around the film right from the beginning.
One of the movies that really kicked off my career, Scary Movie, needed a really over-the-top, broad comedic style that I think is tough for a lot of actors. I’m curious, what was the audition process like for you?
Oh man, I had a lot of auditions – maybe four or five. I hadn’t really done much comedy before; my previous work was mostly dramatic, like in The Best Man. Back then, you didn’t just send in a tape. I had to go in person for initial readings with casting, then do callbacks, and then another round of callbacks specifically for Keenen Wayans. It was actually pretty exciting! I wasn’t the first person they cast, actually. I was originally brought in for the movie-theater scene, playing Marlon’s cousin who was visiting. Brenda was a completely different character at first. A fantastic actress, Tamala Jones, had already been cast as Brenda, but she ended up not being able to do it. They were going to offer the role to someone else, but the studio really liked me and asked if they could combine the roles. It was a long process – it took months!
It seemed like a challenging audition because it’s hard to get a feel for the movie’s overall style until you’re actually filming it.
I definitely remember doing the scene in the movie theater. And the scene where I talk to Cindy at the beginning, saying, “She’s as fake as press-on nails.” Honestly, at that point, I just wanted to make Keenen Ivory Wayans laugh – I was a huge fan of his from In Living Color. I was thrilled at the prospect of getting any role at all. I originally thought I’d only be working for three or four days in the theater, so when I learned it would be throughout the entire film, I was pretty inexperienced. I didn’t really understand what comedy even was at that point, and I had a lot to learn about comedic timing and delivery.
How did your experience with the film series change after Keenen and Marlon departed following the second movie?
That was definitely a difficult time. It’s always uncertain what decisions are being made by those in charge, and it felt unsettling. Anna Faris and I just had to accept it and move forward. David Zucker and Craig Mazin were also fantastic collaborators, but it’s wonderful to reconnect with the original team. It feels like everything has come back around.
The Wayans family hasn’t been involved since Scary Movie 2. Did knowing they were returning influence your decision to make another film?
Hmm. Yes, absolutely. Having the original actors and directors from Scary Movie 1 and 2 was key, as it brought back that familiar, nostalgic feeling.
Since Scary Movie 5 came out, the horror genre has become much more diverse. It seems likely that someone will eventually make a parody of the recent trend of more sophisticated horror films from A24 – it’s an easy target.
However, based on our conversation, I don’t think that’s what’s happening right now. I’ve signed a non-disclosure agreement, and I expect to receive information about it very soon.
So, you haven’t had a chance to read the script yet?
I did see a first draft, but it’s been revised quite a bit since then with new ideas added. It sounds really promising.
Did you really sign an NDA?
Yes, I did.
Does the popularity of this well-known series play a role?
Yes, but the success also relies on the audience being surprised by the humor.
We talked back in 2021 when Nine Perfect Strangers was being released, and you mentioned you were developing an anthology series that Showtime had committed to, with Barry Jenkins producing. Could you update me on the status of that project?
It was a bit complicated. Barry was focused on The Lion King, which was fantastic, and it was originally with Showtime. That’s finished now, and we’re currently pitching it to different networks. We’re hoping to find a home for it soon.
So, when you describe that project as challenging, are you referring to the fact that it took longer to finalize than expected?
Not exactly. We invested a significant amount of effort, but there were numerous shifts happening at Showtime. My primary executive moved on, and then the project was reassigned. I believe the circumstances simply weren’t ideal for us at that time.
You’ve demonstrated incredible versatility throughout your career, and you’ve described working with Paul Thomas Anderson as a dream come true. What kind of projects are you hoping to tackle next?
A year ago, I wouldn’t have predicted I’d be seeking roles in groundbreaking films. Right now, I’m focused on collaborating with talented people and enjoying the process. I’m really excited about Girls Trip 2. I’m also eager to take on challenging and unconventional roles. I see my career as an ongoing adventure, and I’m always thrilled by what it brings, exceeding my expectations. Just think about the feeling of calling your agent to share that you landed a film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson!
Anderson first met with DiCaprio about the role after wrapping Phantom Thread, but he opted to make Licorice Pizza next instead.
As Hall told the Associated Press, “She came from a good home, a loving home, [and] thought she could take that into the world. When she joined the French 75, she had a very strong awakening about the realities of life. Cut to 17 years later, she had seen things that had left a few scars. She had quite a bit of loss, but she still had a hopefulness — and a sadness.”
Teyana Taylor plays Perfidia Beverly Hills, the leader of the French 75 and girlfriend of DiCaprio’s character. “I had on this Diana Ross kind of dress, and I had [a wig on]. I was living when she was performing. I either bumped him or, like, hit him with the hair,” Taylor recently told Jimmy Fallon.
They made Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4.
Hall signed a first-look deal with Showtime in 2020 while Black Monday was airing on the network. She hasn’t wanted to disclose the series’ plot publicly. In 2021, she told Vulture, “It’s kind of based on real things.”
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2025-09-30 22:58