This is the time of the year when many organizations are gathering and compiling their “Best of” list. In the film world, between SAG, Golden Globes and Guild nominations, there are a boatload of film critics awards, starting off with the New York Film Critics Circle, who are the oldest group in the country.
This year proved to be historic as they selected Regina Hall as their Best Actress for her performance in Support The Girls, and Regina King as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk. With Hall’s win, she became the first black woman to be honored in the NYFCC’s 83-year history. The closest any Black actress came to winning in that category (on record) was Cicely Tyson, when was a runner-up in 1972 for her role in Sounder.
Considering Halle Berry (2001’s Monster’s Ball) is the ONLY Black female to be win Best Actress in the Academy Awards’ 91 years, and Whoopi Goldberg (1985 The Color Purple) and Angela Bassett (1993’s What’s Love Got To Do With It) are the only Black women to win Best Actress Drama -Motion Picture and Best Actress- Comedy respectively in the Golden Globes’ 75 years, Hall’s win is really siginificant.
Directed by Andrew Bujalski and starring Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer, James Le Gros, Dylan Gelula, AJ Michalka and Lea DeLaria, Support The Girls was released in theaters this past August by Magnolia Pictures.
Lisa Conroy is the last person you’d expect to find in a highway-side “sports bar with curves,”– but as general manager at Double Whammies, she’s come to love the place and its customers. An incurable den mother, she nurtures and protects her girls fiercely–but over the course of one trying day, her optimism is battered from every direction…Double Whammies sells a big, weird American fantasy, but what happens when reality pokes a bunch of holes in it?
Blackfilm.com caught up with Hall to speak about her win, the film, which is now available on Blu-ray. Regina King’s win, and her upcoming Showtime series with Don Cheadle.
How did you hear about the award?
Regina Hall: I got a text and then call so early, because I’m in LA, and on the East coast everyone knew. I just woke up to a bunch of texts. It was a good morning. I was going to work when I heard about the win. I didn’t hear about the significant of the win until my publicist told me. A black woman has never won before in that category. That news came later.
The only other Black women that came close to the win was Cicely Tyson in 1973 for her role in Sounder, who was a runner-up. Her performance in which she would later get an Oscar nomination.
Regina Hall: That’s really shocking when you think of how many women there have been. I was really surprised but honored, especially for such a small film.
For those who are now becoming aware of the film, what was the attraction to taking on the role?
Regina Hall: I read the script and it was a script that sat with me. One of the things that I talked with Andrew about, because he had wrote it, was that I was surprised that the story came from a man. There was such a compassionate perspective about the strength on what it is to be a woman and the weight of trying to navigate everything. I was surprised that he was going African-American with Lisa. When we talked, I do remember him saying, “Black women for so long had embodied that kind of strength and always trying to hold up and support and nurture and I thought about it and the women in my life.” She certainly wasn’t perfect but there was a goodness to her and to all the girls in the restaurant. There was nothing sinister that happened and nothing gigantic and it just reminded me of real life. You’re making these small strides in keeping it together and so I loved Lisa for that hope that she always tried to maintain.
For most of the projects that you have done, you have been part of an ensemble and this film places you in a leading role, where you are being recognized for it. What more will it take for other leading roles to come your way?
Regina Hall: I don’t know. A lot of people ask me that. I’ve not had the role but the opportunity yes. Whether I’m supporting in a movie or lead in a movie, I just love to read something that I would enjoy a character in. I think the independent world is something I had not done a lot in before except for People, Places, Things and maybe one of two before. This one was special. It’s always weird how people see you because it changes. I’ll do something and someone would say, “Oh, I didn’t know you do comedy.” When I first started, I did so much comedy and then they would say, “Oh, I didn’t know you did drama.” So, it changes on the projects and marketplace as I got older and I got more wisdom and what my life perspective is able to lend to a character. Also, it broadens what I look at and what resonates with me in a way that didn’t happen 15 or 20 years ago when I was younger. It’s wonderful when people are supportive and say, “I want to see you in this. I want to see you in that.” That’s always incredible.
Along with a win from the NYFCC, came a win for Regina King. How cool is that both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress went to Black women?
Regina Hall: I’ve been a big fan of her career and winning with her this year is also exciting. We always see each other when we run into each other. She has people who call her Regina Hall and I have people call me Regina King. We’ve had mixups in newspapers articles and other writeup. They would show a picture of her and say my name and vice-versa, but what I love about that is that I respect her work so much that I’m like, “I don’t mind. If you keep winning, I will start pretending that I’m you and start getting some of your free stuff. You’re bound to some free stuff. I’m going to roll in somewhere and say I’m Regina King.”
For once, the two of you will be able to get a photo together and stop the confusing hopefully once and for all.
Regina Hall: I know. Actually, we had put up a couple of photos on instagram, one or two, and it didn’t work at all. Maybe this time, it will be different.
I know you have Little coming up with Issa Rae and Marsai Martin, but what are we going to get from the Showtime series, Black Monday?
Regina Hall: It’s funny, but there’s such a human aspect to what the characters are going through. It’s different. I don’t know if I know anything like that and how the story unfolds. It’s definitely comedic, but there are dramatic components to it. I’m excited about. I’m such a huge fan of Don Cheadle. I think he’s incredible and Andrew Rannells and the rest of the cast. It’s a special; show.
Besides your great win, what’s a good reason to see Support The Girls?
Regina Hall: It’s a beautiful story about sisterhood. It’s funny and entertaining. It’s a small film and there are a lot of women who work hard every day and maybe in professions that don’t have the glitz and glamour that Hollywood is. But they work hard and create bond and sisterhood and laughter in unlikely places and Andrew shows that.
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