Octavia Spencer

Octavia Lenora Spencer (born May 25, 1970) is an American actress and author. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Spencer made her film debut in the 1996 drama A Time to Kill. Following a decade of brief roles in film and television, her breakthrough came in 2011 when she played a maid in 1960s Mississippi in the drama film The Help, which won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In ensuing years, she won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ryan Coogler's biopic Fruitvale Station (2013), had a recurring role in the CBS sitcom Mom (20132015), and starred in the Fox drama series Red Band Society (20142015).

Spencer's roles in 1960s period films—as Dorothy Vaughan in the biopic Hidden Figures (2016) and a cleaning woman in the fantasy The Shape of Water (2017)—earned her two consecutive nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first black actress to achieve such a feat. She has since starred in The Divergent Series (201516), The Shack (2017), Gifted (2017), Instant Family (2018), Luce (2019), Ma (2019), Onward (2020), and Spirited (2022). She led the Apple TV+ drama series Truth Be Told (2019–2023) and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of Madam C. J. Walker in the Netflix miniseries Self Made (2020).

As an author, Spencer created the children's book series Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective. She has published two books in the series, titled The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit (2013) and The Sweetest Heist in History (2015).

Early life and education Octavia Lenora Spencer was born on May 25, 1970, in Montgomery, Alabama, and has six siblings, including sisters Rosa and Areka Spencer. Her mother, Dellsena Spencer (1945–1988), worked as a maid. Her father died when she was thirteen. Spencer graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in 1988. She studied at Auburn University at Montgomery, and graduated from Auburn University, where she majored in English with a double minor in journalism and theater. Spencer has dyslexia. Spencer worked as an intern on the set of The Long Walk Home, a film starring Whoopi Goldberg.

Since December 2021, Spencer has bought food for Auburn students during finals week.

Career Early roles In 1996, Spencer made her film debut as a nurse in Joel Schumacher's A Time to Kill, based on the book by John Grisham. She was originally hired to work on casting, but asked Schumacher if she could audition for a part. In 1997, she moved to Los Angeles on the advice of her friend Tate Taylor, the future director of The Help, in which Spencer would later star.

2000s Other film credits include: Never Been Kissed (1999), Big Momma's House (2000), Spider-Man (2002), S.W.A.T. (2003), Bad Santa (2003), Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004), Coach Carter (2005), Miss Congeniality 2 (2005) and Pretty Ugly People (2008). She has made a number of guest appearances on television series, including Raising the Bar, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Big Bang Theory, Wizards of Waverly Place, Grounded for Life, ER, Titus, Becker, 30 Rock and Dharma & Greg, plus a recurring role on the sitcom Mom. She is also known for her starring roles as Serenity Johnson on Comedy Central's Halfway Home, and Constance Grady, the amorous INS caseworker on Ugly Betty.

In 2003, Spencer made her stage debut in Los Angeles, in Del Shores' play, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife, starring opposite veteran actress Beth Grant. It was her first and only play, as, she once explained, she suffers from what she called "intense stage fright". Later that year, she starred opposite Allison Janney in Tate Taylor's short feature Chicken Party.

In 2008, Spencer's brief appearance in Seven Pounds as Kate, Rosario Dawson's home care nurse, garnered her high praise and media attention. In April 2009, Entertainment Weekly listed Spencer as among its "25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood".

In May 2009, Spencer had a role in Sam Raimi's horror film Drag Me to Hell, and in August 2009, she appeared in Rob Zombie's Halloween II. She also had a role in the American remake of the Danish classic Love at First Hiccup, opposite Scout Taylor-Compton. Spencer starred in the feature film Herpes Boy, alongside Beth Grant, Ahna O'Reilly and Byron Lane. She played the voice of "Minny" on the audio version of novel The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. Later that year, Spencer's short film The Captain was honored by the CICFF as a finalist for the REEL Poetry Award. 2010s Spencer (middle) and The Help cast at the 18th Screen Actors Guild AwardsIn July 2010, Spencer appeared with Steve Carell, and Paul Rudd in the comedy Dinner for Schmucks. In August 2011, she joined Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard in the period drama film The Help, an adaptation of the novel of the same name. She played the feisty and unflappable maid Minny Jackson. The film was written, produced and directed by Tate Taylor, and produced by Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe. She won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her work in The Help. On February 12, 2012, Spencer won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her Performance in The Help, and on February 26 she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same performance; it was her first Oscar nomination and first win. Spencer was given a standing ovation at the ceremony, and was moved to tears during her acceptance speech. In June 2012, Spencer was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 2013, she appeared alongside Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station, a film chronicling the last day of Oscar Grant, who was killed at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station in 2009. In September 2013, it was announced that she would reunite with The Help director Taylor in the biopic on singer James Brown Get On Up, opposite her The Help co-star Viola Davis. The film was released in 2014. From September 2014 until February 2015, she starred in Steven Spielberg's Fox drama television series Red Band Society.

Spencer co-starred alongside Kevin Costner in the drama film Black or White (2014) and co-starred as Johanna Reyes in the second installment of the Divergent series, The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015). She reprised the role in The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016). She voiced Mrs. Otterton in Disney's Zootopia (2016), which marked her animated film debut.

In 2016, she starred alongside Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monáe in Hidden Figures, a film about African-American mathematicians at NASA who were critical to its success in the 1960s in the Space Race, and who each had careers there. She played mathematician and human computer Dorothy Vaughan. The role garnered her a Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance and earned Spencer a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first black actress to follow up an Oscar victory with another nomination, having previously won for The Help. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Spencer bought out a Los Angeles screening of Hidden Figures to treat low-income families that would have been unable to afford to see the film otherwise.

In 2017, Spencer starred in the Christian drama film The Shack and the family drama film Gifted. She co-starred with Sally Hawkins in Guillermo del Toro's dark fantasy drama film The Shape of Water, which follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who befriends a captured humanoid-amphibian creature. The film was screened in the main competition section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival, where it premiered to positive reviews on August 31, 2017, and was awarded the Golden Lion for best film in the competition. It also screened at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Spencer earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for her portrayal, while receiving her third Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category, making her the first black actress to receive two consecutive Oscar nods in back-to-back years. She then received praise for her starring role as Sue Ann "Ma" Ellington in the psychological horror film Ma, which was directed by frequent collaborator Tate Taylor. For the latter, she received a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Actress. Also in 2019, Spencer returned to television by executive producing and starring in the Apple TV+ drama series Truth Be Told.

2020s In January 2020, Spencer had a voice role as Dab-Dab, an enthusiastic duck with a metal leg, in the fantasy comedy film Dolittle, starring Robert Downey Jr. as the titular character. She also voiced a manticore restaurant owner in the Pixar animated fantasy film Onward, which was released in March 2020 to positive reviews.

Spencer executive produced and starred as Madam C. J. Walker in the Netflix biographical limited series Self Made, which was released on March 20, 2020. For her performance in the series, Spencer received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. Spencer starred alongside Anne Hathaway in Robert Zemeckis's horror comedy The Witches, which released on October 22, 2020.

In 2021, Spencer co-starred with Melissa McCarthy as women who suddenly develop superpowers in the superhero comedy film Thunder Force. In 2022, she starred in the Apple TV+ musical comedy film Spirited with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. She will reunite with her The Help co-star Jessica Chastain for a holiday comedy film.

Personal life In 2017, Spencer described herself as Southern Baptist.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1996 A Time to Kill Nurse Annette Valley Girls Cheerleader Short 1997 The 6th Man Nativity Watson Sparkler Wanda 1998 Making Sandwiches – Short 1999 Never Been Kissed Cynthia Being John Malkovich Woman in Elevator Blue Streak Shawna 2000 The Sky Is Falling Nurse #2 Everything Put Together Nurse B American Virgin Agnes Large What Planet Are You From? Nurse Damiana Auto Motives Rhonda Short Big Momma's House Twila Four Dogs Playing Poker Lorraine 2001 Sol Goode Unemployment Clerk The Journeyman Black Belly 2002 Spider-Man Check-In Girl 2003 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Security Guard S.W.A.T. Neighbor in Alley Chicken Party Laqueta Mills Short Bad Santa Opal 2004 Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Janine Breakin' All the Rules Stylist 2005 Coach Carter Mrs. Battle Pretty Persuasion Woman Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School Ayisha Lebaron Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Octavia – Bookstore Beauty Shop Sassy Customer Wannabe Lady Chanet Janney Jones 2006 Pulse Landlady 2007 The Nines Pedestrian 2008 Pretty Ugly People Mary The Spleenectomy Nurse Short Seven Pounds Home Health Care Nurse Kate Next of Kin Grace 2009 Drag Me to Hell Bank Co-Worker No. 1 The Soloist Troubled Woman Jesus People: The Movie Angel Angelique Just Peck Detention Room Teacher Halloween II Nurse Daniels Love at First Hiccup Mrs. Hambrick Herpes Boy Rochelle 2010 Small Town Saturday Night Rhonda Dooley Dinner for Schmucks Madame Nora Love & Distrust Rhonda Video Peep World Allison 2011 Flypaper Madge Wiggins The Help Minny Jackson Girls! Girls! Girls! – 2012 Smashed Jenny The Perfect Fit Shy Girl Short Blues for Willadean LaSonia Robinson 2013 Fruitvale Station Wanda Lost on Purpose Nurse Keller Snowpiercer Tanya Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Martha Voice Paradise Loray 2014 Get On Up Aunt Honey Washington Black or White Rowena Jeffers 2015 The Divergent Series: Insurgent Johanna Reyes Fathers and Daughters Dr. Korman The Great Gilly Hopkins Miss Harris 2016 The Free World Linda Workman Zootopia Mrs. Otterton Voice The Divergent Series: Allegiant Johanna Reyes Car Dogs Mrs. Barrett Bad Santa 2 Opal Hidden Figures Dorothy Vaughan 2017 The Shack Papa Small Town Crime Kelly Banks Gifted Roberta Taylor The Shape of Water Zelda Fuller 2018 A Kid Like Jake Judith "Judy" Lawson Instant Family Karen 2019 Luce Harriet Wilson Ma Sue Ann "Ma" Ellington 2020 Dolittle Dab-Dab Voice Onward "Corey" The Manticore Voice The Witches Grandma Agatha Hansen Superintelligence Herself Voice 2021 Thunder Force Emily Stanton / Bingo Encounter Hattie 2022 Spirited Kimberly 2025 Captain America: Brave New World Special thanks Tow Barb Also executive producer Smurfs Asmodius Voice

Television Year Title Role Notes 1997 413 Hope St. Job Counselor #1 Episode: "Pilot" 1998 Moesha Gloria Episode: "Teacher" To Have & to Hold Clerk Episode: "Right My Fire" ER Maria Jones Episode: "Hazed and Confused" 1999 Brimstone Duty Nurse Episode: "Faces" L.A. Doctors Bus Driver Episode: "Forty-Eight Minutes" Chicago Hope Nurse Jane Episode: "Oh What a Piece of Work Is Man" Roswell Nurse Episode: "Leaving Normal" The X-Files Nurse Octavia Episode: "Millennium" Lansky Evelyn the Maid Television film 2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul Hannah Episode: "Thinking of You/Mama's Soup Pot/The Letter" Just Shoot Me! Nurse Episode: "Finch on Ice" Becker Ticket Woman Episode: "One Wong Move" Malcolm in the Middle Cashier Episode: "High School Play" City of Angels Nurse Bernice Recurring cast Missing Pieces Elegant Guest Television film 2001 Grounded for Life Admitting Nurse Episode: "Jimmy's Got a Gun" Dharma & Greg Gloria Episode: "Wish We Weren't Here" Follow the Stars Home Hildy Television film 2001–02 The Chronicle Ruby Rydell Recurring cast Titus Ms. Alice Hays Episode: "Amy's Birthday" & "The Visit" 2002 Presidio Med Sheryl Washington Episode: "Do No Harm" NYPD Blue Dawna Cahill Episode: "Gypsy Woe's Me" Little John Waitress Television film 2004–05 LAX Flight Attendant Recurring cast 2005 NYPD Blue Eleanor Jackson Episode: "Old Man Quiver" CSI: NY Child Welfare Rep Episode: "On the Job" Medium Jurist Episode: "Judge, Jury and Executioner" 2006 Huff Demetria Episode: "Red Meat" Standoff Rapid Air Clerk Episode: "Pilot" 2006–07 The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman Female Security Guard Cheryl Recurring cast 2007 Ugly Betty Constance Grady Recurring cast (season 1) Halfway Home Serenity Johnson Main cast 2008 Wizards of Waverly Place Dr. Evilini Episode: "Wizard School: Part 1 & 2" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sherry Episode: "Drops' Out" The Big Bang Theory Octavia (DMV Employee) Episode: "The Euclid Alternative" Faux Baby Robyn Episode: "Valley of the Fauxs" 2009 Worst Week Nurse Episode: "The Epidural" Dollhouse Professor Janack Episode: "Echoes" Raising the Bar Arvina Watkins Recurring cast (season 2) 2010 Hawthorne Emily Thomkins Episode: "Afterglow" 2011 Family Practice Helen Overby Television film 2013 30 Rock Herself Episode: "Game Over" American Dad! Shonteeva Voice; episode: "For Black Eyes Only" Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Dr. Nance Television film 2013–15 Mom Regina Tompkins Recurring cast; seasons 1–3 2014–15 Red Band Society Nurse Dena Jackson Main cast 2015 Break a Hip Dr. Trekman Episode: "The Doctor" Drunk History Harriet Tubman Episode: "Spies" 2017 Saturday Night Live Herself (host) Episode: "Octavia Spencer/Father John Misty" 2018 The Goldbergs: 1990-Something Narrator Television film 2019 Black-ish Herself Episode: "Black History Month" 2019–23 Truth Be Told Poppy Parnell Main cast 2024 Young Sheldon Officer Rhonda Thompson Episode: "Community Service and the Key to a Happy Marriage"2026Lost Women of AlaskaSelf (Narrator)Series Narrator Running PointDiane RobicheauxEpisode: The Strike Ride or Die Debbie Main cast

Awards and nominations

Spencer has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, including one win. She is the first African-American actress to receive Academy Award nominations in back-to-back years, the first African-American actress to receive two Academy Award nominations after a win, and the second-most nominated African-American actress to date.

She has also won three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three National Board of Review Awards, two Satellite Awards, two Critics' Choice Movie Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a WSFA Award.