Early life

Hall was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of a contractor and a teacher. She graduated from New York University in 1997 with a Master's degree in Journalism,and shortly thereafter began a career in the entertainment industry.

Career

In 1997, Hall appeared in her first television commercial at the age of 26. Her television career initially began with a recurring role on the soap opera Loving, and guest appearances on the FOX's police drama New York Undercover. Her first film role came in 1999 with a small part in the film The Best Man. She left a lasting impression on viewers with her portrayal of the character Candy. It signalled a pivotal point for Hall’s career. As a key member of the all-star cast, she welcomed rising-star status in "black-Hollywood".

Hall gained more recognition with her role in the comedy-horror-spoof Scary Movie (and the sequels Scary Movie 2, Scary Movie 3, and Scary Movie 4) portraying the high school-aged Brenda Meeks. She also played supporting parts in two films by Gina Prince-Bythewood: the drama Love & Basketball, and the TV movie Disappearing Acts. In 2001, Hall landed the role of Coretta Lipp on the prime-time drama Ally McBeal, which was a recurring role over several episodes. A year later, she starred in the action-drama Paid in Full, a film directed by Charles Stone III. Since then, she has appeared in leading roles in films such as Malibu's Most Wanted, King's Ransom and The Honeymooners.