Joy Keys chats with Actress Irma P. Hall

Actress Irma P. Hall:

• Taught foreign languages and English for 27 years in Dallas, Texas, USA public schools.
 

• Became an actress rather late in life and completely by surprise. A teacher of languages for almost three decades in Dallas, she was seen reading poetry by actor/director Raymond St. Jacques, who was in town shooting a movie, and he offered her a role in his film on the spot.
 

• Co-founded a minor repertory theater in Dallas during her teaching years.
 

 • Hit 'over-night' film stardom at age 36 in Book of Numbers (1973), starring Raymond St. Jacques.

She played Mama Jo on Soul Food tv show. Irma was also in several episodes of Diary of a Single Mom, and Bernie Mac tv shows, just to name a few.

Irma won Jury Prize in the Cannes Film Festival for her role in the film Ladykillers

Recently, starred in the film Hiding In Plain Sight directed by M. Legend Brown.