‘One Battle After Another’ Trio Aren’t Afraid to ‘Shake the Table’: Inside the Chemistry of PTA’s Latest Epic

When Teyana Taylor, Regina Hall, and Chase Infiniti gather around a table, the energy is palpable. It isn’t just the relaxed banter of co-stars sharing a meal—debating who stole whose French fries or the necessity of ordering a second round of chicken wings—it is the unspoken, steely bond of three women who have just survived a war. In Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest cinematic odyssey, One Battle After Another, these three actresses form the emotional spine of a story that is as chaotic as it is revolutionary.

The film, which has been dominating awards season conversations since its release, is a genre-defying epic. It blends high-octane heist elements with a searing family drama, all set against a backdrop of political upheaval. But beyond the explosions and the needle drops, the film is generating intense discourse for its refusal to play it safe. Specifically, the leading women are embracing the film’s core ethos: it is time to disrupt the status quo.

“Shake the table. Shake the f— table,” Taylor says, perfectly summarizing the attitude required to inhabit her character, Perfidia Beverly Hills. It is a sentiment shared by her co-stars, who view the film not just as entertainment, but as a vehicle for uncomfortable, necessary dialogue about race, motherhood, and survival.

The French 75: Revolutionaries in Designer Wear

At the center of Anderson’s narrative is the “French 75,” a revolutionary collective that dominates the film’s breathless first act. The group is on an “incredible tear,” freeing migrants from detention centers and robbing banks to fund their ideology of “Free Borders,” as reported by FandomWire. While the ensemble includes heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio (playing Bob Ferguson) and Sean Penn (as the antagonist Steve Lockjaw), the soul of the French 75 resides in its women.

The dynamic between the three actresses is a study in contrasts that bleed from the screen into reality:

• Teyana Taylor as Perfidia Beverly Hills: The firestarter. Perfidia is bold, contradictory, and deeply flawed. She is the catalyst for the group’s highest highs and their eventual dissolution.
• Regina Hall as Deandra (Lady Champagne): The anchor. Where Perfidia is the storm, Deandra is the shelter—steadfast, watchful, and reacting to the chaos with a calculated precision.
• Chase Infiniti as Willa: The legacy. Appearing in the film’s second half, which jumps forward 16 years, Willa represents the fallout of the revolution, a daughter left to piece together the history of a mother she barely knows.

The camaraderie displayed during their recent press rounds—joking about stolen fries and sharing effortless laughs—belies the heavy emotional lifting required for the film. For Taylor and Hall, portraying members of the French 75 meant building a history of shared ideology and shared trauma that feels lived-in from the very first frame.

Perfidia Beverly Hills: Cooking Up Controversy

No character in the 2025 film landscape has sparked more heated debate than Perfidia Beverly Hills. Teyana Taylor’s performance has been hailed as “sublime” and “magnetic,” with critics noting that she commands the screen with a confidence rarely seen. As noted by AwardsWatch, Perfidia is a character whose presence lingers electrically over the film even long after she has disappeared from the screen.

However, the character is not designed to be universally liked. Perfidia makes choices that alienate traditional audiences: she turns informant on her own group to escape prison time and, in a harrowing depiction of postpartum depression, leaves her daughter behind. Taylor, however, defends these complexities fiercely. She points out that female characters are rarely allowed to be selfish or focused on self-preservation without being villainized.

The “Unapologetic” Female Gaze

One of the film’s most enduring images—and a defining shot for the director—features a heavily pregnant Perfidia pressing the butt of an assault rifle against her swollen belly. It is an image of protection and danger that encapsulates the film’s jarring tone. According to Taylor, playing Perfidia required her to tap into the reality that many women feel: the urge to stop “shrinking” themselves for the comfort of others.

This refusal to shrink extends to the film’s depiction of sexuality. Some critics have argued that Perfidia is objectified by the male leads, DiCaprio and Penn. Taylor has rejected this framing, arguing that the film reflects a harsh reality. “Is that not what Black women go through?” she asked in a recent interview, highlighting that the fetishization shown on screen is a mirror to the lack of protection Black women face in real life, a sentiment echoed in coverage by Yahoo News.

“We’re all mirrors,” Taylor explains. The audience sees themselves reflected in the flaws of these women—whether it’s Deandra’s stoicism or Perfidia’s desperate need to be herself, unapologetically.

Regina Hall: From Comedy Icon to Revolutionary Protector

For Regina Hall, One Battle After Another represents a significant departure from the comedic roles that made her a household name. As Deandra, also known as “Lady Champagne,” Hall delivers a performance marked by stillness and internal gravity. Although her screen time is concentrated—clocking in at just over eight minutes—her impact is massive, providing the emotional bridge between the glory days of the French 75 and the bleak future Willa inhabits.

Hall’s approach to the character was deeply cerebral. In conversations with AwardsWatch, she described Deandra as a “watchful, reactive protector.” She is the one who sees the cracks in the foundation before the house falls down.

During the film’s press tour, Hall’s sharp wit has remained intact, often serving as a counter-balance to the film’s heavy themes. Discussing Anderson’s filmography, Hall jokingly referenced Phantom Thread—a film about a toxic relationship involving poisonous mushrooms—noting that she told the director he was “on to something” regarding poisoning ex-boyfriends. It is this blend of humor and darkness that allowed Hall to humanize Deandra, a woman who has lost everything but refuses to break.

The Physics of Filmmaking: ‘Tomasina Cruise’ and the Girl Dad Director

The production of One Battle After Another was physically demanding, requiring the cast to partake in extensive action sequences that underscore the “battle” in the title. The opening 40 minutes, which detail the exploits of the French 75, involved grueling physical stunts.

Taylor and Hall have joked about the toll this took on their bodies. Taylor recounts sprinting across fields carrying heavy weaponry, convinced she looked like an action hero, dubbing herself “Tommyana,” while Hall affectionately referred to her as “Tomasina Cruise.” This physicality was essential to grounding the film’s lofty political ideas in sweat and exhaustion.

The PTA Factor

Guiding this chaos is Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA), a director known for his complex portrayals of American eccentrics. However, the cast emphasizes a different side of the auteur: the “Girl Dad.”

With a long-term partner in Maya Rudolph and four children (including three daughters), Anderson brought a unique sensitivity to the mother-daughter dynamics in the film. The actresses note that despite the film’s masculine aggression—embodied by Sean Penn’s military obsession—the emotional core is undeniably feminine. Anderson’s willingness to let the actresses shape their characters was pivotal.

“He stands 10 toes down on who he is,” Taylor says of Anderson, using a phrase the cast has adopted to mean unwavering authenticity. This environment allowed Chase Infiniti, the relative newcomer of the trio, to bring her own ideas to the character of Willa, distinguishing her interpretation of the “abandoned daughter” trope from the clichés often seen in Hollywood.

Awards Season Momentum

As the industry pivots fully into awards season, One Battle After Another is positioned as a juggernaut. The film critics and audiences alike have responded to its audacity. Teyana Taylor is seeing significant buzz for Best Actress nominations, a testament to her ability to stand toe-to-toe with veterans like DiCaprio and Penn. Meanwhile, Regina Hall is being championed for Supporting Actress consideration for her ability to do so much with limited screen time.

The bond between Hall, Taylor, and Infiniti—cemented over shared fries and shared trauma on set—translates into a powerful ensemble performance. They have created a film that demands to be rewatched, dissected, and debated. By refusing to make their characters palatable, they have succeeded in “shaking the table,” forcing audiences to confront the messy, uncomfortable, and beautiful reality of women pushed to the brink.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the plot of ‘One Battle After Another’?

The film follows a revolutionary group known as the “French 75,” led by figures including Perfidia (Teyana Taylor) and Bob (Leonardo DiCaprio), who free migrants and rob banks. The story spans decades, flashing forward 16 years to follow Perfidia’s daughter (Chase Infiniti) as she deals with her mother’s disappearance and is hunted by a military officer (Sean Penn).

Is Teyana Taylor’s character Perfidia a villain?

Perfidia is portrayed as a morally complex anti-hero rather than a traditional villain. While she commits controversial acts—such as informing on her group and abandoning her child due to postpartum depression—the film frames these as desperate survival mechanisms rather than pure malice.

Who are the main stars of the movie?

The ensemble cast features Teyana Taylor, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Regina Hall, and Chase Infiniti. While DiCaprio and Penn provide significant star power, critics have noted that Taylor and Hall drive much of the film’s emotional narrative.

What does “Shake the Table” mean in the context of this film?

The phrase, used frequently by the cast, refers to the act of disrupting the status quo and initiating difficult, necessary conversations. The actresses view the film’s controversial themes—regarding race, gender, and revolution—as a way to force audiences to confront uncomfortable truths.

When was the movie released?

One Battle After Another hit theaters in September 2025 and is currently available via Video on Demand (VOD). It is scheduled for physical media release on DVD/Blu-ray in January 2026.