‘Scary Movie’ Star Regina Hall Heaps Praise on “Really Funny” Sequel Script

Next year will see the release of the anticipated return of one of the most iconic comedy horror franchises of all time. Scary Movie 6 lands in theaters on June 12, giving modern audiences a taste of the spoof comedy universe that made such an impact in the early 2000s. Many of the original cast are set to reprise their characters, including Regina Hall, who will once again play Brenda Meeks, Cindy’s best friend throughout the series. Although today she sits among industry greats like Leonardo DiCaprio, returning in Scary Movie 6 was a no-brainer for Hall, who reveals exactly why she decided to play Brenda again after all these years.

Hall appeared on Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast to talk about her latest film One Battle After Another. The film’s already getting Oscar buzz, but Hall is also focusing on Scary Movie 6, of which she says, “We’re still shooting — I’m going back to work tomorrow. We started on October 1.” The actor also shared what ultimately made her decide to come back to the horror spoof series:

“I read the script — and it was really funny. I knew what they were intending to do. I always think a work of art is in flux until it’s done and in someone’s hands — you just never know. But the original cast coming back was exciting. Having the Wayans involved again, and Anna Faris too — Brenda can’t live without Cindy. And she’s no better a friend to Cindy this time than she was before, even though they’re still best friends.

I think the nostalgia and timing just made it feel right. It was a good time to do something so broad and fun. I read the script and thought, ‘This is funny.’ And I think something is refreshing about doing something a little bit irreverent right now.”

From Comic Relief in ‘Scary Movie’ to Being Part of One of 2025’s Best Action Thrillers

regina hall in one battle after another

Warner Bros. Pictures

Regina Hall began her career as the quirky sidekick in Scary Movie, and was quickly typecast as a comedy actor. Her comedic grace kept her busy, but the actor eventually realized she wanted to do more than just comedies: “Definitely, after Scary Movie, people saw me as someone who only does broad comedy. But then, when I didn’t do broad comedy for a while, I remember people asking my agents, ‘Well, does she even do comedy?'”

“But I didn’t want to be known just as a comedian. I wasn’t a comedian at all—I’d never studied comedy or done stand-up. Many people thought I had. After Scary Movie, I returned to auditioning for the types of roles I typically pursued. You’re still auditioning, still trying to work. But I made a conscious decision. I thought, ‘I want to be able to do something else.'”

In Girls Trip, she didn’t drift away from the genre’s tropes. Nevertheless, the role in the 2017 blockbuster comedy was essential in proving she could be a great actor with the right script. 2018 saw her in Support the Girls, her most celebrated performance until this year, when she landed a role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Hall’s performance in the 2025 action thriller is being hailed as one of the best in the movie that sees her co-starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn.