Meet Dahéli Hall

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dahéli Hall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dahéli, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I’ve always had one dream: to write, perform, and produce my own work. That dream took me to NYU Tisch to study theater and later to USC, where I got an MFA in Film & Television…two of the most intense entertainment cities—New York and L.A.—with no guarantees.

Risk, for me, is the cost of doing something original. Every meaningful pivot in my career came from leaping before the net appeared— Like turning my fertility journey into a solo comedy show, SPADURA, and touring it before I had funding, turning it into a docu-comedy film while still living it. There’s no roadmap, especially as a Black woman telling stories that don’t fit the industry’s template.

The biggest risk? Letting people see the real stuff—grief, fertility struggles, aging, self-worth. That level of vulnerability is terrifying… and necessary. Because when you speak from the gut, people don’t just applaud—they relate.

Fear’s always in the car. I just don’t let it touch the GPS.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Let’s just say my career hasn’t followed a straight line—it’s been more of a bold, zig-zagging squiggle with a strong sense of direction. I’ve worked in TV, film, and even video games. I got my dream job on MADtv early on and thought, “This is it!” And then—boom—one season, and it was a wrap. It took a while to recover from that heartbreak and find my footing again.

Eventually, I started building a steady career—not just performing, but writing, pitching, and even selling a TV show. And just as momentum picked up, the pandemic hit… followed by industry strikes. It felt like the world hit pause right as I was pressing play.

Add to that being a woman in Hollywood who’s no longer 25, and yeah—there were moments I thought maybe my window had closed. My Buddhist practice helps me reconnect to compassion, tap into my limitless potential, and reminds me that setbacks can become fuel for my mission. SPADURA is a perfect example of that. I took one of the hardest chapters of my life—navigating infertility—and turned it into a comedy show and film that’s now resonating with people across the country.

What sets my work apart? It’s bold, funny, deeply personal, and never afraid to poke at the socio-political elephant in the room. My goal is to make people laugh and think—and maybe even feel less alone.

I’ve learned that success isn’t just about your credits—it’s about your contribution. And my contribution is honest storytelling with humor, heart, and a bit of righteous advocacy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a best friend were visiting, I’d give them a taste of LA that reflects the richness of my roots. We’d start with a stroll through my old USC campus, where I studied producing and dreamed up a lot of what I’m doing now. Grab food at places like My 2 Cents (where I had a Denzel sighting) or get coffee at the husband-and-wife-run Obet & Del’s, or for a delicious Filipino twist, head to Spoon & Pork (my husband’s favorite). We’d stroll through Los Feliz, my walkable, charming, eclectic neighborhood beneath Griffith Park (ooh, maybe get in a hike!).

For the best in vintage clothes and original afrocentric styles, I’d take them to Runway Boutique, headed by fashionista sis, Fatima. From there, I’d show them the cultural gems: Leimert Park for the drums, books, and Black artistry, and the California African American Museum. I love spaces that center women, Black stories, and underrepresented voices—places like The Underground Museum (here’s to when it reopens), East West Players, and have some laughs at The Groundlings watching The Black Version, an improvised show of all Black comedy actors.

And finally, hit the coast and the ocean. I recommend Venice Beach. It was a historic hub for LA’s Black community—one of the few areas where Black families could own property during segregation and a center for cultural creativity, from music to skateboarding. Today, it stands as both a symbol of Black cultural legacy and a reminder of the displacement caused by gentrification. On that note, the Black-owned Bruce’s Beach, after nearly a century of activism for its unjust seizure, was returned to the Bruce family in 2022, marking a historic moment in the fight for racial justice and reparations. Yay!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many people have helped shape my journey—I’ve been lucky to build a community of brilliant, generous friends in Hollywood who show up with real support, not just industry talk.

With SPADURA, I have to start with my husband, Rameel. This project tells our love story and our IVF saga—the hormones, the needles, the rollercoaster journey—and it takes a rare kind of partner to live that, then let it be staged and filmed for the world. He said yes to the mess and the mission. He’s also my poster designer, my roadie, and my emotional support crew.

My parents have been quietly holding it down behind the scenes, emotionally and financially—because let’s be real, IVF and indie filmmaking are expensive dreams.

And then there’s Elizabeth Yng-Wong, the producing force behind SPADURA. We met at USC, and she’s been with me every step of this marathon—producing, planning, problem-solving, belief-holding. Her loyalty and hustle have carried this project farther than I could alone. Grateful the all the incredible members of our team who have helped us as well…it truly takes a village! Together, I couldn’t be more proud of what we made.

Website: https://www.dahelihall.com

Instagram: @daheli.hall @spadura_show

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dah%C3%A9li-hall-11835b2/

Twitter: @daheli

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564477903343

Image Credits
Bernard Badion