Irma P. Hall, ‘Soul Food’ and ‘The Ladykillers’ actress, dies at 91

“Irma P Hall was a beloved actress, author, poet, educator, and public speaker whose contributions touched countless lives throughout her remarkable career,” her family said in a statement to ABC News. “Her legacy of talent, dedication, and compassion will continue to inspire generations to come.”

Hall’s acting career spanned nearly five decades, with memorable roles in films including A Family Thing, The Ladykillers, Collateral and Patch Adams.

She gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Big Mama Jo in Soul Food, which earned her an NAACP Image Award for outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture in 1998. She later reprised the role in the film’s television adaptation.

Hall also received critical acclaim for her performance as Aunt T in the 1996 film A Family Thing, starring alongside Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones.

In 2004, she starred opposite Tom Hanks in the Coen brothers’ remake of The Ladykillers, earning a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance.

Born Irma Dolores Player on June 3, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Hall grew up in Chicago before returning to Texas to attend Texas College.

Before becoming an actress, she spent more than two decades teaching English and foreign languages in Dallas public schools.

Her acting career began after actor and director Raymond St. Jacques discovered her during a poetry reading in Dallas. She made her film debut in the 1973 movie Book of Numbers.

Hall went on to appear in numerous films and television shows, including Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Beloved, Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, Touched by an Angel and Chicago Fire.

Outside of Hollywood, Hall remained active in the Dallas arts community, helping establish the Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre. Her contributions to the performing arts are also recognized through the Irma P. Hall Black Theatre Awards, established in 2015.

Hall’s daughter, Irma Hall Crayton, remembered her mother’s impact as both an educator and actress.

“She started as a teacher in the classroom but ended up being a teacher to the world,” Crayton said in the family’s statement. “My mom used to always say, ‘To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.’ And she was just that to many people.”

Hall was also a longtime member of Inspiring Body of Christ Church in Dallas, where she served as a church mother and remained involved in educational and theater programs.

Her family has requested privacy as they mourn her death and said details about funeral and memorial services will be announced at a later date.

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