Entertainment Movies Regina Hall Says 'Feeling Broken' After Father's Death Led Her to Acting: 'It Forces You to Be Open' "It was his passing that really shifted how I looked at life," Regina Hall said of how her father's death in her early 20s pushed her to pursue her dreams of acting By Glenn Garner Glenn Garner Instagram Twitter Glenn Garner is a Writer/Reporter who works heavily with PEOPLE's Movies and TV verticals. Since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a dual major in journalism and photography, he got his professional start at OUT Magazine, The Advocate and Teen Vogue, and he's since consistently kept his finger on the pulse of the LGBTQ community. His first book The Guncle Guide was released in 2020 and was featured on Katie Couric's list of 100 recommended books of the year. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 10, 2021 01:31 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock Regina Hall is discussing how a major loss led her to where she is today. The Nine Perfect Strangers star, 50, recently opened up in her September cover interview for Health about how her father's death when she was in her 20s forced her to rethink her future as a journalist and pursue her dreams of being an actress. "It was his passing that really shifted how I looked at life—I realized how brief it can be and how suddenly it can change," Hall explained. "That's what led me to acting. The thing about feeling broken is that it forces you to be open—you feel like you don't have much, so you don't overthink everything." Nicole Kidman Stars in Eerie Nine Perfect Strangers Teaser Trailer: 'There Is Nothing to Fear' Her father Obie Hall, who was a contractor and electrician, died of a stroke while Regina was working toward her master's degree at New York University. She ultimately finished school in 1997, just as her dad wanted for her, before she transitioned into acting, according to the Los Angeles Times. DEREK BLANKS Regina has since starred in The Best Man, the Scary Movie franchise, Girls Trip and The Hate U Give. Her next role comes alongside Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in the Hulu limited series Nine Perfect Strangers, based on the 2018 book of the same name by Liane Moriarty (the author of Big Little Lies). When asked what drew her to the project, Regina told Health: "So many elements! I am a big fan of Nicole Kidman—I think she's tremendous. And I'm a big fan of Melissa McCarthy. I think she's amazing. Then, of course, I read the script and I realized it was a Liane Moriarty book. I had loved Big Little Lies. Every time I read an episode I was like, 'Wait, I want to know what happens in the next one.' That's always a good sign." She recently signed on to reunite with her costars from the 1999 film The Best Man and the 2013 sequel The Best Man Holiday, for a Peacock limited series continuation, entitled The Best Man: Final Chapters. Regina previously teased the possibility of a sequel to her 2017 comedy Girls Trip, in which she starred with Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish. RELATED VIDEO: Will We Get a 'Girls Trip' Sequel? Regina Hall Says 'The World Could Use a Laugh' "Certainly, the world could use a laugh," Regina said on PEOPLE Now in April 2020. "The girls and I, we talk, all of us talk. I don't think it's for lack of desire, I think it's just us wanting to make sure, if we do a sequel, that it is something that could potentially, at least, strive to live up to the first one. So, I think it's more about making sure it's the right thing than it is about doing it." See Regina Hall in Nine Perfect Strangers, which premieres August 18 on Hulu.