Regina Hall Talks 'Scary Movie' & Staying Fine At 55 [Exclusive]

The catchphrase “friend in my head” was popularized by media personality Wendy Williams to describe a celebrity you have never met, but feel a strong personal connection to and believe you’d be besties with in an alternate reality. For many of us, that girl is actress Regina Hall!

The world was introduced to the vivacious D.C. native in her first feature film, 1999’s The Best Man, where she played Candace—or “Candy,” if you’re nasty—a complex college student who worked as a stripper to pay her way through school. Similar to the character Hall portrayed in her breakout role, the 55-year-old actress is equal parts beauty, brains, and all things Black girl magic.

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She can crack us up with her effortless humor in films like Scary Movie, the latest installment in the long-running comedy-horror franchise, as Brenda Meeks, who she describes as “an amalgamation of many people who we all know.” The award-winning producer can also deliver dramatic performances, as she does in the upcoming Peacock miniseries, Five Star Weekend, in which she works alongside an all-star female-led ensemble cast, including Jennifer Garner and Gemma Chan.

No matter the role or audience, Hall has the innate ability to relate to viewers from behind the screen and somehow make us all feel seen, making her the perfect fit for the 2026 Hyundai Kona “Look At You Now” campaign. Directed by Dime Davis, who Hall calls “an incredible young Black woman” and featuring Victoria Monét’s hit song, “On My Mama,” the campaign celebrates Black Gen Z drivers entering key life milestones such as new careers and reinforces themes of confidence and self-assurance.

“I do feel like it is important for us to all know that I see you and I celebrate you, and I celebrate your win,” the Girls Trip actress shared during an exclusive interview with MadameNoire. “I think that’s also why representation matters on whatever screen that we’re watching or whatever we’re listening to.”

When it comes to representing the full dynamism of Black womenhood, that’s a badge that Hall wears with honor. For more than 25 years, she’s aced the assignment, showing up for us with class, realness, and humor.

“I am a Black woman, and so I have to be conscious of myself as a Black woman; in turn, I’m conscious of all of us, how we’re seen, and how we’re represented,” shared the One Battle After Another actress.

Keep reading for the full interview, in which the timeless beauty opens up about what she really thinks about the character Brenda, why she will always remain loyal to her Black fan base, her famous friendships, and more. (Seriously, though… Girl, please share the secrets to your anti-aging regimen or at least drop a skincare line!)

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MadameNoire: While preparing for this interview, I discovered that we have a few things in common. We both have degrees in journalism and studied at New York University. You earned a master’s in journalism from NYU. What skills do you feel your background in journalism taught you or helped you hone that benefit you in your career as an actress?  

Regina Hall: Hmmm…I think communication. I mean, at the base of that, all that we do, it’s communication, whether that be to another artist when we’re performing or to the press. I think it also informs just how you think and perceive the world. There’s a lot that goes on in the world, and so there’s some sense of like navigating that in journalism. I think there’s a level of compassion and objectivity that exists because of it.  

I agree. It also taps into critical thinking skills. 

Absolutely. 

You are featured in the 2026 Hyundai Kona “Look At You Now” campaign, which celebrates Black Gen Z drivers entering key life milestones such as new careers, relationships, and independent living. The ad is chock-full of Black girl magic, including an essentially all-Black cast. It also includes Victoria Monet’s song, “On My Mama,” and incorporates authentic Black vernacular. 

What does black female representation in media mean to you, and why is it important for you to show up?

For this particular campaign, the “Look At You Now” visual and partnering with Hyundai Kona, it was important because it was a way to say, “I see you.” You know what I mean? I think with this campaign, celebrating things that we do, celebrating one another, celebrating up-and-coming generations, showing who we are in terms of having those milestone moments in life, perseverance, and celebrating growth. Also, the pride that we all have, the humor that we share. That kind of humanity and honesty—that’s important wherever we are. 

We had Dime [Davis], our director, who’s an incredible young Black woman, and so I think being connected to the sincerity of that and the honesty of that feeling is really important. And I do feel like it is important for us to all know that I see you and I celebrate you, and I celebrate your win. I want to take a moment to just let you know that. I think that’s why the campaign resonated with me, but I think that’s also why representation matters on whatever screen that we’re watching or whatever we’re listening to.

That’s actually a great segue into my next question. You were quoted as saying, “Black audiences are what I’ve considered my base, and I will always make movies for that base.” 

Do you still feel this way? If yes, as a Black woman, why is it important for you to remain loyal to those day-one fans? And do you feel that that allegiance has hindered your career in any way?

I feel very blessed to have the Black female audience. I mean, I feel blessed to be one [laughs]. Let me just be clear. There’s a loyalty, there’s an honesty there. And of course, I can’t not be what my base is. I am that, right? I am a Black woman, and so I have to be conscious of myself as a Black woman; in turn, I’m conscious of all of us, how we’re seen, and how we’re represented.

Not just in a good way. In all of it. In a human way. It may not be us. It could be an aunt. It’s to be seen in the fully human way that everyone else is seen. Of course, I will always do that, and I can’t say it’s out of loyalty. It’s just because, innately, I am that.

I also feel like I have an incredible audience. It’s not even like I’m catering to them. I mean, I would be catering to me, to who I am, to who my mother is, my grandmother, my aunt. It’s not an effortful thing. It is just my very being. 

And no, I don’t feel like it has hurt me at all. I think when people work with me, they know that it is who I am. I hope that. I think they hire me, or I work with people and they’re like, “Yes, we see you as a full human being. And you are a Black woman.” 

You know, it kind of goes hand in hand. So, I walk with that, with an incredible sense of pride and honor. I can’t imagine that that could ever go away because then that would be an antithesis to who I am and who my mom and all the women before me have taught me to be proud of.

Speaking of making movies for Black audiences, for more than 25 years in the Scary Movie franchises, you’ve played Brenda Meeks, who some might argue is an archetype of a “stereotypical ghetto Black woman.” I personally adore your portrayal, and as you just mentioned, I recognize the truth in her character. She does not represent everyone, but these stereotypes come from a kernel of truth most of the time. And I absolutely resonate with Brenda in some ways.

So my question to you is, over the years, how have you managed to keep Brenda’s character dynamic so that she’s more than just a racial trope?

I think also with Brenda, what people also don’t necessarily always consider is that Brenda is part of a parody. So, the idea is that we are parodying the idea of these tropes, which is why Cindy is the absolute dumbest blonde, right? Not because blondes are dumb. But because that is the archetype that we’re making fun of. So you’re taking the dumbest white blonde girl, and you’re taking Brenda, a ghetto Black girl. But you know what? You’re like, “We love them!” You don’t love them because of what they represent. You love them because they make you smile. You laugh at them. 

It’s an amalgamation of many people who we all know. It’s not one person. We all know people who talk loud in the theater, right? But we don’t have to vilify them. We don’t have to be like, “That’s not good. That’s demeaning.” I know people like Brenda, and I love ’em, and so I think with [Scary Movie], we try to be like, Well, we’re in this broad world. We’re in a heightened reality of a parody. But how do we make them likable? How do we make them resonate with an audience? And what do we like about them? I always focus on what do I like about a character? What’s the humanity that I find in a character? 

I like Brenda! I like that she’s unapologetically crazy and selfish [laughs], and I like the incredible dynamic that she and Cindy have as friends. Would you put them together as friends in a normal world? Maybe not, but I do think you see a genuine affection.

I think every character doesn’t have to just represent a thing, but I do think it’s important to make sure every character has humanity. If I do that, then I feel like everyone matters because it’s not a person’s behavior that matters, it’s a person’s humanity that’s important, that we have to see and know that person is a human being. They may not be like me, but they’re a human being, and their humanity has to connect with my humanity and with all of our humanity. And I think when we do that, that’s what’s important to me as an artist.

You certainly do that. In your upcoming series, Five Star Weekend, you work with a racially diverse, female-led ensemble cast who each represent a friend from a different phase of life for one character.

You’re known for some of your longstanding friendships with other celebs like Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, and, as you just touched on, Anna Faris, who, yes, I love you guys’ chemistry.

How do you feel that having friends from different walks of life, be it race or different life stages, adds value to your life?

Wow, I’m really blessed to have incredible friends who I learn from. You know, they teach me. And so they help me through every stage of life. They uplift or support or remind or make me laugh or make me forget, whatever it is. I just think, in general, female friendships are some of the most important relationships that we’re blessed to be able to form. That kind of vulnerability and honesty and safety. And so, I always feel super blessed when I meet women, whether we stay in touch forever or whether it’s during the duration of a project, because there’s always something that I learn from them. And that makes me want to be a better person in the world.

Incredible. Thank you so much, Regina. All the best on your upcoming projects, and continue to represent Black women in the amazing way that you do. 

Oh, thank you so much.

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