Irma P. Hall, teacher who became 'Soul Food,' 'Ladykillers' scene-stealer, dies at 91

LOS ANGELES — Actor Irma P. Hall, the former educator who pivoted to acting in her late 30s to star in films including "Soul Food," "The Ladykillers" and "Meet the Browns," has died. She was 91. Hall died Tuesday in Dallas surrounded by her loved ones, her family announced Wednesday in a statement. Her family said the actor leaves behind a "remarkable legacy" that spans from her memorable characters onscreen, her time as a teacher early in life and her role as a church leader in Dallas in her final years. A cause of death was not revealed. kAmQ$96 DE2CE65 2D 2 E62496C :? E96 4=2DDC@@> 3FE 6?565 FA 36:?8 2 E62496C E@ E96 H@C=5[Q w2==VD 52F89E6C xC>2 w2== rC2JE@? D2:5 :? E96 DE2E6>6?E] Q|J >@> FD65 E@ 2=H2JD D2J[ V%@ E96 H@C=5 J@F >2J 36 @?6 A6CD@?[ 3FE E@ @?6 A6CD@? J@F >2J 36 E96 H@C=5]V p?5 D96 H2D ;FDE E92E E@ >2?J A6@A=6]Qk^Am kAmw2==[ H9@ H2D 3@C? :? %6I2D 2?5 C2:D65 :? r9:428@[ :D 36DE 72?D 7@C A@CEC2J:?8 D46?6\DE62=:?8[ 6=56C=J EJA6D] $96 H2D q:8 |2>2[ E96 >2EC:2C49 @7 E96 46?EC2= y@D6A9 72>:=J[ :? v6@C86 %:==>2? yC]VD `hhf Q$@F= u@@5[Q DE2CC:?8 '2?6DD2 (:==:2>D[ ':G:42 p] u@I 2?5 }:2 {@?8 2D 96C E9C66 52F89E6CD] %92E D2>6 J62C D96 D92C65 E96 D4C66? H:E9 z6G:? $A246J 2?5 y@9? rFD24< 2D H:E49J 962=6C |:?6CG2 :? r=:?E t2DEH@@5VD $2G2??29\D6E Q|:5?:89E :? E96 v2C56? @7 v@@5 2?5 tG:=]Q x? E96 r@6? 3C@E96CDV Q%96 {25J<:==6CD[Q w2== H2D E96 C6=:8:@FD 2?5 28:?8 H:5@H H9@ C6?ED 2 DA2C6 C@@> E@ 2 5646:G:?8 QAC@76DD@CQ W%@> w2?:?2=D A@D:?8 2D >FD:4:2?D W|2C=@? (2J2?D[ y]z] $:>>@?D[ %K: |2 2?5 #J2? wFCDEX]k^Am kAm$96 62C?65 ?F>6C@FD 244@=256D 7@C 96C H@C<[ :?4=F5:?8 2? }ppr! x>286 pH2C5 7@C 96C H@C< :? Q$@F= u@@5Q 2?5 2 ;FCJ AC:K6 2E E96 a__c r2??6D u:=> u6DE:G2= 7@C Q%96 {25J<:==6CD]Qk^Am kAmQxVG6 2=H2JD 7@F?5 @=56C H@>6? 6IEC6>6=J :?E6C6DE:?8] x? 724E[ 2D 2 49:=5 xV5 36 A=2J:?8 @FED:56 2?5 H96? E96J 4@F=5?VE 7:?5 >6[ E96JV5 ;FDE DE2CE 6D]4@>^2C49:G6D^=2\IA>\`hhe\_c\_a\42\dbfbe\DE@CJ]9E>=QmC642==65 E@ %96 %:>6D :? `hhe]k^2m Q|J >@E96C FD65 E@ D2J x H2D AC@323=J E96 @?=J 49:=5 E92E H2D 3@C? H2?E:?8 E@ 36 @=5]Qk^Am kAmw2==VD 24E:?8 42C66C DA2??65 7C@> E96 >:5 `hf_D E@ E96 a_`_D 2?5 2=D@ :?4=F565 C@=6D :? E96 `hhg 7:=> 252AE2E:@? @7 %@?: |@CC:D@?VD Qq6=@G65Q DE2CC:?8 ~AC29 (:?7C6J[ `hheVD Qp u2>:=J %9:?8Q H:E9 y2>6D t2C= y@?6D 2?5 #@36CE sFG2==[ E96 %' D6C:6D Qw2A 2?5 {6@?2C5Q 2=@?8D:56 Q%96 (:C6Q DE2C |:4926= z] (:==:2>D 2?5 %J=6C !6CCJVD Q|66E E96 qC@H?D]Qk^Am kAm$96 D92CA6?65 96C 23:=:EJ E@ A=2J @=56C :? %'[ 7:=> 2?5 E962E6C 3J 492??6=:?8 E96 H@>6? :? 96C =:76 2?5 DEF5J:?8 6=56CDV 3692G:@C[ D96 E@=5 %96 %:>6D :? `hhe] $96 >256 :E 2 923:E E@ G:D:E ?FCD:?8 9@>6D[ DA62< H:E9 E96:C C6D:56?ED 2?5 DEF5J E96:C A9JD:42=:EJ 7C@> E96:C 86DEFC6D E@ E96:C 82:ED]k^Am kAmQx AC24E:46 =:EE=6 E9:?8D =:<6 E92E 2== E96 E:>6 3642FD6 x =@G6 E@ A=2J @=5 A6@A=6 2?5 x 5@?VE 6G6C H2?E E96> E@ 36 6>32CC2DD65 @C C:5:4F=65 3J >J A6C7@C>2?46[Q D96 C642==65 2E E96 E:>6]k^Am kAmxC>2 s@=@C6D !=2J6C H2D 3@C? yF?6 b[ `hbd[ :? q62F>@?E[ %6I2D] w6C 72E96C H2D 2 D2I@A9@?:DE 5FC:?8 E96 3:8\32?5 6C2 2?5 96C >@E96C H2D 2 9@FD6<66A6C] $96 C6EFC?65 E@ %6I2D 7@C 4@==686[ 8C25F2E:?8 7C@> %6I2D r@==686 :? %J=6C] $96 C6>2:?65 :? 96C 3:CE9 DE2E6 E@ H@C< 2D 2 E62496C :? A@@C[ D68C682E65 D49@@=D 367@C6 96C F?6IA64E65 A:G@E E@ 24E:?8 :? 96C =2E6 b_D] $96 E2F89E 7@C6:8? =2?8F286D 2?5 F=E:>2E6=J E2F89E E962E6C]k^Am kAmp4E@C\5:C64E@C #2J>@?5 $E] y24BF6D 5:D4@G6C65 w2== 27E6C 962C:?8 96C C625 A@6ECJ 2?5 42DE 96C :? 9:D `hfb 7:=> Qq@@< @7 }F>36CD[Q A2G:?8 E96 H2J 7@C 2 564256D\=@?8 42C66C E92E H@F=5 6?562C 96C E@ 86?6C2E:@?D @7 %' 2?5 7:=> 2F5:6?46D]k^Am kAmQx H2?E E@ E6== E96:C DE@C:6D D@ AC@7@F?5=J E92E ?@ @?6 H:== 6G6C 7@C86E E96D6 492C24E6CD[Q D96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]52==2D?6HD]4@>^2CED\6?E6CE2:?>6?E^EG^a_`f^_b^`c^52==2D\D4C66?\BF66?\:C>2\A\92==\E2<6D\72>:=:2C\C@=6\2D\D62D@?\a\@7\92A\2?5\=6@?2C5\AC6>:6C6D^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?2 !] w2== :D]Qk^Am kAmw2== =2E6C =:G65 :? r9:428@[ H96C6 D96 42C65 7@C 96C A2C6?ED 2?5 AFCDF65 2? 2H2C5\H:??:?8 E962E6C 42C66C] $96 2=D@ 565:42E65 96C 677@CED E@H2C5 ?FCEFC:?8 FA4@>:?8 E2=6?E :? 96C 9@>6 DE2E6[ 4@\7@F?5:?8 E96 s2==2D |:?@C:EJ #6A6CE@CJ %962EC6[ 2?5 D6CG65 2D 2 =@?8E:>6 >6>36C @7 2?5 49FC49 >@E96C 2E x?DA:C:?8 q@5J @7 r9C:DE r9FC49 :? s2==2D]k^Am kAmw2==VD DFCG:G@CD :?4=F56 96C 52F89E6C] p 46=63C2E:@? @7 =:76 H:== 36 2??@F?465 2E 2 =2E6C 52E6]k^Am