Octavia Spencer

Born:May 25, 1970

Place of Birth:Montgomery, Alabama, USA

Known For:Acting

Biography

Octavia Lenora Spencer, born on May 25, 1970, is a remarkable American actress whose talent has garnered her numerous prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. With a career spanning over two decades, Spencer has established herself as a versatile and captivating performer in both film and television.

After making her debut in the 1996 drama "A Time to Kill," Spencer steadily worked her way up in the industry, taking on various roles in both film and television. However, it was her breakthrough performance in the 2011 drama "The Help" that truly catapulted her to stardom, earning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and solidifying her as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.

Throughout her career, Spencer has portrayed a diverse range of characters, often shining in roles that showcase the strength and resilience of black women. Her portrayals of historical figures such as Dorothy Vaughan in "Hidden Figures" and compelling characters in films like "The Shape of Water" have not only captivated audiences but also earned her critical acclaim and multiple award nominations.

In addition to her impressive filmography, Spencer has also ventured into television, with notable roles in series like "Mom," "Red Band Society," and the Apple TV+ drama "Truth Be Told." Her ability to bring depth and authenticity to each character she portrays has made her a sought-after talent in the industry.

Beyond her acting prowess, Octavia Spencer is also a talented author, having created the children's book series "Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective." Through her writing, she continues to inspire and entertain young readers with engaging stories that spark imagination and creativity.

With her undeniable talent, dedication to her craft, and unwavering commitment to telling meaningful stories, Octavia Spencer has solidified her place as one of the most respected and admired actresses in Hollywood. Her continued success and impact on the industry serve as a testament to her exceptional talent and unwavering passion for her art.

Images

Filmography

Acting

Spider-Man

Check-In Girl

2002

After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.

Zootopia

Mrs. Otterton (voice)

2016

Determined to prove herself, Officer Judy Hopps, the first bunny on Zootopia's police force, jumps at the chance to crack her first case - even if it means partnering with scam-artist fox Nick Wilde to solve the mystery.

Snowpiercer

Tanya

2013

In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine.

Hidden Figures

Dorothy Vaughan

2016

The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history – the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

The Help

Minny Jackson

2011

Aibileen Clark is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.

Instant Family

Karen

2018

When Pete and Ellie decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. They hope to take in one small child but when they meet three siblings, including a rebellious 15 year old girl, they find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight.

Insurgent

Johanna Reyes

2015

Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart.

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

Security Guard

2003

Now a rising young lawyer, Elle Woods is about to make partner at her firm, but when she finds out her dog's relatives are being used as cosmetic test subjects, she heads to Washington D.C. to fight for animal rights.

Ma

Sue Ann

2019

Sue Ann is a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.

Gifted

Roberta Taylor

2017

Frank, a single man raising his child prodigy niece Mary, is drawn into a custody battle with his mother.

Coach Carter

Mrs. Battle

2005

Based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines in 1999 for benching his undefeated team due to poor academic results.

The Shack

Papa / Elouisa

2017

A grieving man receives a mysterious, personal invitation to meet with God at a place called 'The Shack'.

Roald Dahl's The Witches

Grandma

2020

In late 1967, a young orphaned boy goes to live with his loving grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks him away to a seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world's Grand High Witch has gathered.

Drag Me to Hell

Bank Co-Worker

2009

After denying a woman the extension she needs to keep her home, loan officer Christine Brown sees her once-promising life take a startling turn for the worse. Christine is convinced she's been cursed by a Gypsy, but her boyfriend is skeptical. Her only hope seems to lie in a psychic who claims he can help her lift the curse and keep her soul from being dragged straight to hell.

S.W.A.T.

Neighbor in Alley

2003

Hondo Harrelson recruits Jim Street to join an elite unit of the Los Angeles Police Department. Together they seek out more members, including tough Deke Kay and single mom Chris Sanchez. The team's first big assignment is to escort crime boss Alex Montel to prison. It seems routine, but when Montel offers a huge reward to anyone who can break him free, criminals of various stripes step up for the prize.

Onward

The Manticore (voice)

2020

In a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.

Allegiant

Johanna Reyes

2016

Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton venture into the world outside of the fence and are taken into protective custody by a mysterious agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.

The Shape of Water

Zelda Fuller

2017

An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962, where a mute janitor working at a lab falls in love with an amphibious man being held captive there and devises a plan to help him escape.

Beauty Shop

Big Customer

2005

Far from Chicago, hairdresser Gina Norris has relocated to Atlanta with her daughter and has quickly established herself as a rare talent in her profession. But after repeatedly butting heads with her shady, over-the-top boss, Jorge, Norris sets out to create her own salon -- even snagging a few of Jorge's employees and clients. Now, Jorge will do anything to shut her down.

A Time to Kill

Roark's Nurse

1996

A young lawyer defends a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his 10-year-old daughter, sparking a rebirth of the KKK.

Dolittle

Dab-Dab (voice)

2020

After losing his wife seven years earlier, the eccentric Dr. John Dolittle, famed doctor and veterinarian of Queen Victoria’s England, hermits himself away behind the high walls of Dolittle Manor with only his menagerie of exotic animals for company. But when the young queen falls gravely ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure, regaining his wit and courage as he crosses old adversaries and discovers wondrous creatures.

Seven Pounds

Kate the Home Health Care Nurse

2008

An IRS agent with a fateful secret embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers.

Being John Malkovich

Woman in Elevator

1999

One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich. The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.

Big Momma's House

Twila

2000

When a street-smart FBI agent is sent to Georgia to protect a beautiful single mother and her son from an escaped convict, he is forced to impersonate a crass Southern granny known as Big Momma in order to remain incognito.

Blue Streak

Shawna

1999

Miles Logan is a jewel thief who just hit the big time by stealing a huge diamond. However, after two years in jail, he comes to find out that he hid the diamond in a police building that was being built at the time of the robbery. In an attempt to regain his diamond, he poses as an LAPD detective.

Spirited

Kimberly

2022

Each Christmas Eve, the Ghost of Christmas Present selects one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But this season, he picked the wrong Scrooge. Clint Briggs turns the tables on his ghostly host until Present finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future.

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Middle-Aged Woman

2005

After her triumph at the Miss United States pageant, FBI agent Gracie Hart becomes an overnight sensation -- and the new "face of the FBI". But it's time to spring into action again when the pageant's winner, Cheryl, and emcee, Stan, are abducted.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Martha (voice)

2013

In their quest to confront the ultimate evil, Percy and his friends battle swarms of mythical creatures to find the mythical Golden Fleece and to stop an ancient evil from rising.

Bad Santa

Opal

2003

You'd better watch out - Santa Claus Willie T. Soke is coming to town and he doesn't care if you've been naughty or nice. Wille's favorite holiday tradition is to fill his sacks with loot lifted from shopping malls across the country. But this year his plot gets derailed by a wisecracking store detective, a sexy bartender, and a kid who's convinced Willie is the real Santa Claus.

Halloween II

Nurse Daniels

2009

Laurie Strode struggles to come to terms with her brother Michael's deadly return to Haddonfield, Illinois. Meanwhile, Michael prepares for another reunion with his sister.

Fruitvale Station

Wanda

2013

Oakland, California. Young Afro-American Oscar Grant crosses paths with family members, friends, enemies and strangers before facing his fate on the platform at Fruitvale Station, in the early morning hours of New Year's Day 2009.

Pulse

Landlady

2006

When the dead discover a means to contact the living through electronic devices, cellphones and computers become open gateways to monstrosities and destruction.

Never Been Kissed

Cynthia

1999

Josie Geller, a baby-faced junior copywriter at the Chicago Sun-Times, must pose as a student at her former high school to research contemporary teenage culture. With the help of her brother, Rob, Josie infiltrates the inner circle of the most popular clique on campus. But she hits a major snag in her investigation -- not to mention her own failed love life -- when she falls for her dreamy English teacher, Sam Coulson.

Dinner for Schmucks

Madame Nora

2010

Rising executive Tim Conrad works for a boss who hosts a monthly dinner in which the guest who brings the biggest buffoon gets a career-boost. Tim plans on not attending until he meets Barry, a man who builds dioramas using stuffed mice. Barry's blundering but good intentions send Tim's life into a downward spiral, threatening a major business deal and possibly scuttling Tim's engagement to his fiancee.

Encounter

Hattie Hayes

2021

A decorated Marine goes on a rescue mission to save his two young sons from an unhuman threat. As their journey takes them in increasingly dangerous directions, the boys will need to leave their childhoods behind.

Bad Santa 2

Opal

2016

Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie Soke teams up with his angry little sidekick, Marcus, to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Along for the ride is chubby and cheery Thurman Merman, a 250-pound ray of sunshine who brings out Willie's sliver of humanity. Issues arise when the pair are joined by Willie's horror story of a mother, who raises the bar for the gang's ambitions, while somehow lowering the standards of criminal behavior.

The Soloist

Troubled Woman

2009

A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

Black or White

Rowena Jeffers

2014

A grieving widower is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter, whom he helped raise her entire life.

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

Janine

2004

A small-town girl wins a date with a Hollywood star through a contest. When the date goes better than expected, a love triangle forms between the girl, the celebrity, and the girl's best friend.

Smashed

Jenny

2012

Kate and Charlie like to have a good time. Their marriage thrives on a shared fondness for music, laughter… and getting smashed. When Kate’s partying spirals into hard-core asocial behavior, compromising her job as an elementary schoolteacher, something’s got to give. But change isn’t exactly a cakewalk. Sobriety means she will have to confront the lies she’s been spinning at work, her troubling relationship with her mother, and the nature of her bond with Charlie.

Production

Green Book

Executive Producer

2018

Tony Lip, a bouncer in 1962, is hired to drive pianist Don Shirley on a tour through the Deep South in the days when African Americans, forced to find alternate accommodations and services due to segregation laws below the Mason-Dixon Line, relied on a guide called The Negro Motorist Green Book.