“She’s so seamless”: the actor Regina Hall called a “genius”
From her breakout role in Scary Movie to appearances in more conventional comedies like Think Like a Man and Vacation to her recent turn in Paul Thomas Anderson’s insanely acclaimed One Battle After Another, Regina Hall has seen and done it all in the movie business.
She’s done incredible things for Black women on film, in both comedic and dramatic roles. She’s also going to be in a ‘SpongeBob’ movie next year, which will surely be the highlight of her career and life.
She might not be front and centre in the tabloids, but Hall’s stuck around in Hollywood longer than most, which is no small thing. That sort of staying power gives her a proper sense of what makes a film tick. She’s worked alongside A-listers like Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L Jackson, and teamed up with a fair few sharp directors, writers, and producers. She’s been part of – or right on the edge of – some of the best films going.
In a chat with The Academy, Hall rattled off a few of her personal favourites, and it’s fair to say she’s got a pretty wide-ranging taste. She name-checked His Girl Friday, Goodfellas, and Boogie Nights – quite the mix. Another pick was the all-time great romcom When Harry Met Sally, which gave her the perfect excuse to have a bit of a gush about one of its stars.
“I don’t think people realise the genius of Meg Ryan,” she opined. “When you watch her in When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle, she’s so seamless. There’s one scene that I love so much. When she’s found out that her ex-boyfriend’s getting married. It’s so profound. Harry’s like, ‘Do you want him?’ And Sally’s like, ‘No!’ But it was the fact that it wasn’t her. And she says, ‘And I’m going to be 40!’ And she says, ‘…one day.’ It wasn’t even logical, but it was emotional and so real.”
When one thinks of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, one’s mind immediately wanders to that scene. You know the one I mean, don’t pretend. But there’s way more to her performance as Sally than just that moment in Katz’s Delicatessen. Her chemistry with Billy Crystal over the two characters’ protracted courtship is the reason why so many people describe the movie as the best romcom ever. They wouldn’t do that if all it contributed was one admittedly very funny joke.
The scene that Hall is referring to is pivotal to Rob Reiner’s storied tale of male and female ‘friendship’. Sally tearfully laments that her ex-boyfriend Joe, who claimed he “never wanted to get married”, is engaged to another woman. The moment is mainly played for laughs, especially Sally’s admission that she’ll be 40 “someday”, but it’s underpinned by genuine emotion. Ryan’s hysterical weeping is perfectly in line with the response a real person would have to an irrational heartbreak. This is also the precursor to Harry and Sally having sex for the first time, which is a pretty big deal.
Ryan’s performance as Sally had a profound effect on many viewers, Hall included. Expect to see Brenda Meeks pretending to have an orgasm when ‘Scary Movie’ makes its comeback in 2026.
