Regina Hall says her father’s death led her to shift her career from journalism to acting

Regina Hall says she has her father to thank for her career in acting.

In an interview with Health magazine, Hall, who attended NYU grad school for journalism in her 20s, says that while she was always interested in acting, it was her father’s unexpected death that ultimately led her to pursue a career in the arts.

“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,” she said. “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.”

After celebrating her 50th birthday this past December and surviving a pandemic, Hall now says she has a different perspective on life.

“I think it enforced that you can’t take anything for granted,” she says. “You have to have gratitude for every day that you have.”

The September 2021 issue of Health, featuring Regina Hall, is now available on newsstands.