Just two months after gracing the big screen as tech mogul Jordan in the comedy “Little,” Regina Hall is again returning to show off her unique comedic chops in the latest film in the Shaft film franchise.
In the new film, Hall plays Maya, mother of JJ (Jessie T Usher), and ex wife to John Shaft II (Samuel L. Jackson). The busy actress who will also be hosting this year’s BET Awards later this month chatted with The Knockturnal at New York City’s Red Rooster to discuss on screen motherhood and more.
The Knockturnal: Can you describe your character Maya, and why do you feel Maya complements Shaft so well.
Regina Hall: I think they’re both strong, sometimes the things that complement you are also the things that bring you together. But I think they’re both strong they’re both really love each other. I think she’s not intimidated or impressed like most of the ladies Shaft has and I think she demands the best out of him and they both love their son.
The Knockturnal: You’ve played mothers in the past, where your children were adolescents, whereas in Shaft, JJ is grow up. Can you describe that experience in portraying a mother of an adult compared to playing the mother of an adolescent on-screen?
Regina Hall: I don’t think it makes a difference. I think when you have kids they’re always your baby. I don’t think you ever look at them as twenty something years old. I mean I’m grown and my mom still calls me and is like ‘call me when you get home.’ I think love is love for a child and that the moment you become a mother that love doesn’t change and you don’t become less protective just because they move away from home.
The Knockturnal: In the film when we’re dealing with the separation between Shaft and JJ, it can be seen as Maya playing a part in that separation. Can you speak about the role Maya played in that separation. What was your opinion on that?
Regina Hall: Well I never thought that she separated them. I thought that she realized that his lifestyle was gonna put their child’s life in jeopardy and I think with how the movie opens he sees that too. They were in Harlem when that happened and I think it was about them reaching a new plateau and prioritizing what was best for JJ and I think reluctantly even he knew that. If anyone knew that he did have a son or about a son, he wouldn’t have been safe. I think it wasn’t about trying to take a child from a man, I think it was about protecting a child’s life and well being.
The Knockturnal: What was your experience like working with Tim Story and his direction and what you took away from working with him?
Regina Hall: I love Tim. Tim and I worked together on Think Like a Man one and two and Tim is smart and knows what he wants and he’s clear. He allows you to discover things on your own but he also knows what he wants, and he’s great in knowing how to talk to actors to get what he needs and so it’s great I love Tim. I’m a Tim Story fan.
The Knockturnal: In the movie there’s a scene where you’re character is on date where a shootout breaks out and your date starts creaming. Can you describe that scene and how it speaks to what is considered manly or masculine, can you talk to what you consider masculine or manly?
Regina Hall: I didn’t necessarily think of it as masculine or unmasculine , I thought of it as unlike Shaft. It’s like there’s the man I dated and then my new date, and then having him scream when that was doing nothing was just not conducive to the situation and I think Maya although he’s meeting her and she’s a refined version of herself that’s not an environment that she is completely ignorant of like she knows that. I don’t even think he knew he was screaming like that. I think that’s what made the scene funny that there are ideas that we have and the idea that a woman would scream and a man wouldn’t and to flip it so that he was the one screaming and she was like even though she was scared she was like stop now. I love that idea.
The Knockturnal: Would you or have you ever dated a man like Shaft?
Regina Hall: I mean there is no man like Shaft to date. Like I don’t know a vigilante, I’ve never dated a vigilante. But I love the character of Shaft and I love what he represents and I love how he’s on maybe the wrong side of the law but the right side of justice.
The Knockturnal: What do you think of Jessie T. Usher’s embodiment of Shaft?
Regina Hall: I think it’s great. I think he different embodies the current generation of Shaft, a bit more evolved a bit more aware. I love that this next Shaft is not an exact replica of his dad. I love that he embodies a different point of view and I think that’s what’s special about it.
The Knockturnal: In this film you work with Alexandra Shipp, and you two are strong black women in Hollywood. Speak about that.
Regina Hall: I mean I work with black women all the time it was no different. It’s great to work with any woman but you know having that sisterhood on set is great. But I mean I’ve done that so many times. I have friends who are actors, friends that I have become friends with on set. That experience wasn’t new but again as always was incredibly wonderful and pleasant.
The Knockturnal: What kinds of roles would you like to play in the future?
Regina Hall: I don’t know, people ask me that, I don’t know I’ve never planned a role. Like you get a script and you resonate with it and you enjoy it and sometimes it’s not what you would have even thought of. Sometimes it’s something you wouldn’t have thought that you would want to play. So I don’t know but I’m always incredibly shocked and thrilled when I see something that gets me excited and I don’t know what that’s gonna be next. I really don’t.
The film hits theaters this Friday.
