Irma P. Hall, beloved ‘Soul Food’ actress who played Big Mama, dies at 91

The award-winning actress, known for portraying the family matriarch in the 1997 Black cinema classic, leaves behind a legacy spanning film, theater and education.

Irma P. Hall, the actress who played Josephine “Big Mama” Joseph in the 1997 movie “Soul Food,” has reportedly died at 91. Her portrayal of the Sunday-dinner matriarch helped make the film a favorite in Black cinema. Former co-star Brandon Hammond, who played her grandson Ahmad, also recalled a reunion with Hall years after they worked together.

Dallas’ WFAA covered Hall’s reported death, citing a family statement saying she died Tuesday, Nov. 10. No cause of death was disclosed. The statement remembered her work as an actress, author, poet and educator.

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Born Irma Dolores Player on June 3, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Hall spent part of her childhood on Chicago’s South Side before becoming a teacher in Dallas. Her acting career began when actor and director Raymond St. Jacques saw her read poetry and cast her in his 1973 film “Book of Numbers.” She continued teaching until 1984.

In “Soul Food,” Big Mama’s Sunday dinners brought three generations of a Chicago family together. The movie also starred Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long and Hammond. Hall won the 1998 NAACP Image Award for outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture for the role.

Her credits included “A Family Thing,” “Beloved,” “Collateral” and “Meet the Browns.” In 2004, she earned a jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival for playing Marva Munson in the Coen brothers’ comedy “The Ladykillers.”

Irma P. Hall also helped establish the Dallas Minority Repertory Theatre and spent years supporting Black performers in North Texas.

For her 90th birthday in June 2025, Hammond shared photographs from a reunion that had taken place several years earlier. He recalled their hugs, conversations and the dinner they shared. Hammond has been working on a “Soul Food” reunion documentary intended to mark the film’s 30th anniversary in 2027.