Actress Regina Hall talks serving Black Girl Magic on the set of ‘Little’

Actress Regina Hall sat down with theGrio to share how the filmmakers of Little seized the opportunity to hire as many Black women as possible.

Fahnia Thomas

Apr 10, 2019

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Little is coming through drippin’ with Black Girl Magic!

The concept is not just metaphorical, but literally expands into every area of the movie’s production beginning with its amazing stars Marasi Martin, Regina Hall and Issa Rae.

Actress Regina Hall sat down with theGrio to share how filmmakers seized the opportunity to hire as many Black women as they could, celebrating their talents, brilliance and creativity.

“We had Tina (Gordon) directing, our wardrobe and our script supervisor [were all African American ladies],” gushed Hall. “A lot of women came in and added value to the film. That’s kind of insight you can’t get exclusively from a male point of view.”

The D.C native, who has worked with Will Packer Production twice before, further explains why its vital to have Black designers, hair and makeup artists in the room.

“That kind of female perspective is important,” said Hall. “The value we add is incredible…it broadens…you can have the same conversation but when you add the perspective of a woman it expands what’s already there. The idea of creativity is to broaden what we have and be more inclusive. People forget but long ago there were matriarchal societies that ran incredibly well. I think now we’re getting into a place of balance.”

Pint Sized Power

At just 14-year-old, actress and executive producer Marsai Martin has made headlines for becoming the youngest person in Hollywood to ever produce a motion picture.

“She had a lot of input about the look of her character and what she wanted her character to say,” explained Hall. “She’s a wonderful, tremendous young girl. She’s thinking about how she can retire by 30.”

SNEAK PEEK: Issa Rae, Regina Hall, and Marsai Martin star in hilarious trailer for ‘Little’

Hall, a New York Film Critics Circle Award winner, also became a first time executive producer on Little.

“I thought it was great for young girls and women to see a story that was magical and had a beautiful arc about friendship, trust, vulnerability and what it means to be kind,” said Hall. “Instead of just having the credit of executive producer, I was actually able to participate.”

Screenwriter and director, Gordon loved having Hall on set to lend support. “Her comedic instincts are selfless, sharp and quick,” she said. “She’s a smart woman and collaborating with her definitely elevated the movie.”

The filmmakers of Little also felt there weren’t a lot of aspirational motion pictures where Afro-American females could identify with the protagonist. In fact, Hall’s character (Jordan Sanders) is the first time in cinema a tech CEO is portray as a Black female.

“Jordan is unapologetically rotten but you still love her,” continued the entertainer. “At least I do. She has a lot of fruit to show for her hard work, ethics and perfectionism. She pretends to have a high sense of self, but I think Jordan is actually really insecure.”

The New York University graduate admitted to having fun playing the role and joked how much she enjoyed yelling at everyone. “It shouldn’t be fun, but it is,” she joked. “I don’t think I’ve ever played someone this horrible.”

Rae, who co-stars in the film, confessed that a lot of the improvised jokes came from Hall herself and that she was a little “too good” at being mean.

“…It makes you ask yourself, ‘what kind of person is able to tap into being mean so easily?’ I’ll let you come to that conclusion yourself,” cracked the Oakland native.

Unwind with Universal Pictures’ Little on April 12th.