In another life, Regina Hall may have been editing this questionnaire instead of answering it. The Bronx native pursued a master’s degree in journalism at N.Y.U. before shifting to acting, making her first appearance in a television commercial at 26, in 1997. Two years later, she became a rom-com staple with her role in The Best Man, followed by Love and Basketball, Think Like a Man, About Last Night, and many others. But it was her performance as Brenda Meeks in the campy horror franchise Scary Movie where her knack for comedy truly stood out (“Damn bitch, please die!”). Now the actress takes on the action-thriller genre in a new film by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro. To mark the release of One Battle After Another, Hall shares her key components to the good life. —Carolina de Armas
Airline: Private. I’d really love my own!
Airport: A private airport that matches my private airline.
Alibi: “I was on location, filming.”
App: One that could teleport me to different places and dimensions.
Bag: A big bag that can carry all my stuff that has small compartments so I can find everything.
Bedtime: It should be 10 P.M.—but it’s really 11 P.M.
Bike: The one Prince had in Purple Rain.
Boyfriend: Independent and emotionally stable.
Breakfast, weekday: A great bowl of cereal.
Breakfast, weekend: Avocado on sourdough-bread toast.
Car: Aston Martin on the weekends. Prius during the week.
Child: Curious and well mannered.
Cocktail: Margarita on the rocks with a splash of O.J.
Couple: Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally.
Date: A fun surprise!
Diet: One where you can eat anything you want and stay healthy and never gain weight .
Dinner, weekday: Anything with potatoes.
Dinner, weekend: Italian.
Disguise: One that works without looking like a disguise.
Dress: A flattering and comfortable one that makes your tummy look flat.
Drive: With greenery and water.
Enemy: A cute one. Attraction and anger together are fun.
Escape: Anyplace that’s warm with a beach.
Excuse: Work.
Family: Is there such a thing as a perfect family?
First Lady: Michelle Obama.
Fit: Sweats.
Flaw: I love a crooked tooth.
Friend: One that stands the test of time.
Good-bye: No such thing.
Hideaway: One of those individual cabins in a Maldives hotel.
Indulgence: Sweatpants.
Insult: Indifference.
Kiss-off: A swift one.
Last Meal: Shrimp and grits. Oxtails with rice and peas. Mac ’n’ cheese.
Lunch, weekday: Salad with lamb chops.
Lunch, weekend: Burger and fries.
Match: I don’t know. Do you all have suggestions?
Movie: How can you answer that? There’s too many great ones!
Name: My mommy’s name.
Neighbor: All of mine!
Nonfiction book: Freedom in Exile, by the Dalai Lama.
Novel: Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden, because it was so picturesque.
Pair of pants: A nice black trouser.
Pair of shoes: Sneaker or a slide.
Pen or Pencil: Pen.
Pet: My dog, Zeus.
Piece of advice: “Time flips all shit.”
President: Starts with “Madam.”
Ride: Roller coasters!
Saying: “Five minutes!”
Second spouse: Prince.
Storm: Me and Joe Black, shipwrecked with no escape.
Television series: I may or may not be able to commit the perfect crime because I’ve seen every episode of Dateline.
Theme song to your life: “Free,” by Prince.
Time of day: Sunset.
Toast: “Love and gratitude.”
Vacation: A solo one.
Victim: A strapping lad.
View: Water.
Wake-up time: 7:30 A.M.
Weekend bag: One that packs and unpacks itself.
Work of art: Women.
Regina’s Essentials
