'Soul Food,' 'Ladykillers' Actress Was 91
The Hollywood Reporter • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Irma P. Hall, the acclaimed actress known for roles in Soul Food and The Ladykillers, has died at age 91, with her family highlighting her impact as an actress, author, poet, educator, and public speaker.
- A former schoolteacher from Texas and Chicago, Hall gained national recognition late in her career, notably for playing Aunt T. in A Family Thing (1996) and Mama Joe in Soul Food (1997) and its TV adaptation.
- Hall’s diverse film roles included appearances in Backdraft, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Collateral, and the Sundance series Hap and Leonard, earning her an NAACP Image Award and a special jury award at Cannes.
- Before acting full-time, Hall co-founded The Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre and worked as a teacher and reporter; she transitioned fully into acting in the late 1970s and continued to work in film and television for over two decades.
- Her legacy is honored through the Irma P. Hall Black Theatre Awards in Dallas-Fort Worth, celebrating artistic excellence, and she is survived by her daughter, Irma Hall Crayton.
