Actress Irma P. Hall poses for a portrait during the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival held at the Sutton Place Hotel on September 7, 2008 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)
Irma P. Hall, best known for playing Big Mama in "Soul Food," died Nov. 10 at 91, her family confirmed in a statement.
A cause of death was not disclosed.
What they're saying:
The family remembered Hall as a beloved actress, author, poet, educator and public speaker whose work touched countless lives.
"Her legacy of talent, dedication, and compassion will continue to inspire generations to come," the statement said.
Her family requested privacy as they grieve and thanked fans, friends and colleagues for their love, support and condolences. Details about memorial services, including the date, time and location, will be announced in a subsequent statement.
The backstory:
According to The HistoryMakers, Hall was born Irma Dolores Player on June 3, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, and 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.
The Source: Information about Irma P. Hall’s reported death came from various reports. Background on her early life, teaching career, acting roles and awards came from The HistoryMakers. This story was reported from Los Angeles.