Irma P. Hall, ‘Soul Food’ actress, reportedly dies at 91

Irma P. Hall, best known for playing Big Mama in "Soul Food," has reportedly died at 91.

A cause of death was not given. She passed away on November 10. 

The backstory:

According to the History Markers, born Irma Dolores Player on June 3, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Hall moved with her family to Chicago’s South Side in 1942. Her father, a jazz musician, introduced her to the entertainment world by bringing her along to performances at clubs and community events.

Hall attended Briar Cliff College in Sioux City, Iowa, where she landed a role in a production of "Amahl and the Night Visitors." She later transferred to Texas College in Tyler, studying foreign language education with a focus on French and Spanish.

While teaching in Dallas, Hall caught the attention of actor and director Raymond St. Jacques during a poetry reading. He cast her in the 1973 film "Book of Numbers," launching her screen career.

Hall also helped establish the Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre in 1972, performing in its productions and writing "Gentle Fire," a play based on her poetry. She retired from teaching in 1984 to pursue acting.

She later returned to Chicago to care for her ailing mother. Following her mother’s death in 1987, Hall resumed acting, appearing in stage productions including "Member of the Wedding," "Black Girl" and "Steppin’ Out."

Her performance alongside Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones in the 1996 film "A Family Thing" earned supporting actress honors from the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Kansas City Film Critics Circle.

Hall reached a wider audience as family matriarch Big Mama in the 1997 film "Soul Food," a role that earned her an NAACP Image Award. Her other film credits included "Nothing to Lose," "Beloved," "Collateral" and Tyler Perry’s "Meet the Browns."

She continued working onstage, appearing in a 2000 revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun."

In 2004, Hall received a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in "The Ladykillers" while recovering from a serious car accident.

Her contributions to the arts also included helping establish the African American Repertory Theatre in DeSoto, Texas, where she shared her experience with a new generation of Black actors. She was also inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame.

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