I Finally Watched One Battle After Another, And There’s One Performance That’s Not Getting Enough Praise

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I’m a big Paul Thomas Anderson fan – I even saw There Will Be Blood in theaters five times – so I really shouldn’t have waited so long to watch One Battle After Another. The 2025 film was critically acclaimed, even if it didn’t make a lot of money at the box office, and it completely lived up to the buzz. PTA’s latest thriller is a wildly entertaining, quirky, and impressive movie with well-developed characters – even the flawed ones – brought to life by a fantastic cast.

Everyone’s rightly raving about DiCaprio, Penn, and Del Toro, and it’s great to see them getting Golden Globe nods. But honestly, the performance that’s really stuck with me is Regina Hall as Deandre. She plays this incredibly cool and collected revolutionary in a nearly three-hour film, and it’s just…subtle brilliance. I can’t stop thinking about her work – it’s truly wonderful and deserves way more attention.

Regina Hall’s Co-Stars Give Such Loud And Chaotic Performances, But Hers Is A Force Of Quiet Calm

Regina Hall delivers a quietly powerful performance as Deandre, or “Lady Champagne,” in One Battle After Another. The film features many larger-than-life characters, like Leonardo DiCaprio’s and Sean Penn’s intensely dramatic roles. Hall’s performance stands out because it’s equally compelling, but remarkably grounded – she achieves this power without relying on flashy theatrics, profanity, or a troubled backstory.

I was completely captivated by Deandre – there was just something so calming, reassuring, and magnetic about her whenever she appeared on screen. Honestly, I hadn’t really seen much of Hall’s dramatic acting before, so I was really surprised by how incredibly talented she was.

Regina Hall Is At The Core Of Two Of My Favorite Scenes

Be warned: The following contains major spoilers for important moments in One Battle After Another. If you haven’t seen the show yet, you might want to stop reading now.

Even though her character wasn’t in the exciting car chase at the end of the movie, and it was unclear what happened to her in the final scene, Hall delivered fantastic performances in two of my favorite moments from the film.

One memorable scene takes place in the school dance restroom, where Deandre unexpectedly appears and delivers a line strikingly similar to the famous “Come with me if you want to live” speech from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. However, instead of being a robotic protector, Deandre acts as a calm and comforting guide for Willa, a sixteen-year-old girl who is being pursued by a man who might be her father. Director Hall masterfully handles this scene, creating a powerful and unexpected moment.

Later, a comparable scene unfolds when Lockjaw’s group attacks the Sisters of the Brave Beaver to capture a teenage boy. Right before the raid, Deandre tells Charlene to be silent and slips out into the hall. This moment mirrors an earlier one, though with a less hopeful result.

Starting December 19, 2025, you’ll be able to stream One Battle After Another on HBO Max. While you wait, be sure to check out other 2025 Warner Bros. films like Sinners and Weapons, or explore the studio’s classic movie library. View Deal

Regina Hall is fantastic in One Battle After Another, though I wish her character had more screen time. I’m looking forward to watching it when it’s streaming on HBO Max – it’s definitely an Oscar contender!

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2025-12-19 18:08