Irma P. Hall

Irma Dolores Player Hall (born June 3, 1935) is an American actress known for her roles in films and television shows since the early 1970s. She is often cast as matriarchal figures in movies such as A Family Thing, The Ladykillers, and Soul Food, where she portrayed Josephine 'Big Mama Joe' Joseph. Hall's portrayal of 'Big Mama Joe' earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination. She has also appeared in Collateral and two films directed by Werner Herzog. Hall won the Jury Prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for her performance in The Ladykillers. Born in Beaumont, Texas, Hall moved to Chicago's South Side in 1942 to pursue better education opportunities.