Octavia Spencer
Acting
Octavia Lenora Spencer (born May 25, 1970) is an American actress. She has received 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 America 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 (2013–2015), and starred in the Fox drama series Red Band Society (2014–2015). Spencer's roles as other black women in 1960s America, 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 feat, as well as the first, and to date only, to be nominated twice after winning. She has since starred in The Divergent Series (2015–16), 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). She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for portraying 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: The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit (2013) and The Sweetest Heist in History (2015). Description above from the Wikipedia article Octavia Spencer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Acting163
tvRide or Die
2026
Debbie Claybourne
movieTow
2026
Barbara
movieSmurfs
2025
Asmodius (voice)
tvHollywood Black
2024
Self (archive footage)
tvThe Santa Stories
2023
Detective Grinchauser
movieSpirited
2022
Kimberly
tvThe Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Self - Guest
movieThe Quest for Sleep
2022
Narrator
movieEncounter
2021
Hattie Hayes
movieThunder Force
2021
Emily Stanton
movieSuperintelligence
2020
Octavia Spencer (voice)
tvSelf Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
2020
Madam C. J. Walker
movieOnward
2020
The Manticore (voice)
movieDolittle
2020
Dab-Dab (voice)
tvTruth Be Told
2019
Poppy Scoville
movieLuce
2019
Harriet Wilson
movieMa
2019
Sue Ann
movieSmall Town Crime
2018
Kelly Banks
movieThe Shape of Water
2017
Zelda Fuller
tvYoung Sheldon
2017
Officer Rhonda Tomasson
movieGifted
2017
Roberta Taylor
movieThe Shack
2017
Papa / Elouisa
movieHidden Figures
2016
Dorothy Vaughan
tvMartha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
2016
Team Martha
movieThe Free World
2016
Linda Workman
tvTo Tell the Truth
2016
Self - Panelist
movieCar Dogs
2016
Mrs. Barrett
movieAllegiant
2016
Johanna Reyes
movieZootopia
2016
Mrs. Otterton (voice)
movieThe Great Gilly Hopkins
2015
Miss Harris
movieFathers and Daughters
2015
Dr. Corman
tvThe Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
Self - Guest
movieInsurgent
2015
Johanna Reyes
movieBlack or White
2015
Rowena Jeffers
tvblack-ish
2014
Octavia Spencer
tvRed Band Society
2014
Nurse Jackson
movieGet On Up
2014
Aunt Honey
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
Self / Self - Guest
movieJesus People
2013
Angel Angelique
movieParadise
2013
Loray
movieLost on Purpose
2013
Nurse Keller
tvMom
2013
Regina Tompkins
moviePercy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
2013
Martha (voice)
movieSnowpiercer
2013
Tanya
tvDrunk History
2013
Harriet Tubman
movieLetters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
2013
Self - Narrator (voice)
movieCall Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
Dr. Nance
movieBlues for Willadean
2012
LeSonia Robinson
movieSmashed
2012
Jenny
movieFlypaper
2011
Madge Wiggins
movieThe Help
2011
Minny Jackson
movieJust Peck
2011
Detention Teacher
moviePeep World
2010
Alison
movieLove and Distrust
2010
Rhonda (segment "Auto Motives")
movieDinner for Schmucks
2010
Madame Nora
movieSmall Town Saturday Night
2010
Rhonda Dooley
movieHerpes Boy
2009
Rochelle
movieHalloween II
2009
Nurse Daniels
tvWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Self - Guest
movieDrag Me to Hell
2009
Bank Co-Worker
movieThe Soloist
2009
Troubled Woman
tvDollhouse
2009
Professor Janack
movieLove at First Hiccup
2009
Mrs. Hambrick
movieSeven Pounds
2008
Kate the Home Health Care Nurse
tvRaising the Bar
2008
Arvina Watkins
tvWizards of Waverly Place
2007
Dr. Evilini
tvThe Big Bang Theory
2007
Octavia
movieThe Nines
2007
Streetwalker
tv30 Rock
2006
Octavia Spencer
tvUgly Betty
2006
Constance Grady
tvStandoff
2006
Rapid Air Clerk
moviePulse
2006
Landlady
movieBeauty Shop
2005
Big Customer
movieMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
2005
Middle-Aged Woman
tvAmerican Dad!
2005
Shonteeva (voice)
movieCoach Carter
2005
Mrs. Battle
tvMedium
2005
Jurist
tvCSI: NY
2004
Child Welfare Rep
tvLAX
2004
Flight Attendant
movieChicken Party
2003
Laqueta Mills
movieS.W.A.T.
2003
Neighbor in Alley
movieLegally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
2003
Security Guard
movieSol Goode
2003
Unemployment Clerk
tvJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Self / Self - Guest
tvPresidio Med
2002
Sheryl Washington
movieLittle John
2002
Waitress
movieSpider-Man
2002
Check-In Girl
tvThe Chronicle
2001
Ruby Rydell
movieThe Sky is Falling
2001
Nurse #2
movieThe Journeyman
2001
Black Belly
tvGrounded for Life
2001
Admitting Nurse
movieMissing Pieces
2001
Elegant Guest (as Octavia L. Spencer)
movieFour Dogs Playing Poker
2000
Waitress
movieAmerican Virgin
2000
Agnes Large
tvTitus
2000
Ms. Alice Hays
movieWhat Planet Are You From?
2000
Baby Nurse
tvMalcolm in the Middle
2000
Cashier
movieBeing John Malkovich
1999
Woman in Elevator
tvRoswell
1999
Nurse
movieBlue Streak
1999
Shawna
movieNever Been Kissed
1999
Cynthia
movieLansky
1999
Evelyn
tvBecker
1998
Ticket Woman
tvBrimstone
1998
Duty Nurse
tvL.A. Doctors
1998
Bus Driver
movieSparkler
1997
Wanda
tvDharma & Greg
1997
Gloria
tvThe View
1997
Self
movieThe 6th Man
1997
Nativity Watson
tvJust Shoot Me!
1997
Nurse
movieValley Girls
1996
Cheerleader
movieA Time to Kill
1996
Roark's Nurse
tvMoesha
1996
Gloria
tvER
1994
Maria Jones
tvChicago Hope
1994
Nurse Jane
tvThe X-Files
1993
Nurse
tvSaturday Night Live
1975
Self - Host
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self - Presenter
tvHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Elegant guest / Hildy / Waitress
movieMa 2
Sue Ann
Death of a Salesman
Linda Loman
Deck the Y'alls
Gladys Gibbes
Production13
tvRide or Die
2026
Executive Producer
movieTow
2026
Executive Producer
tvLost Women of Highway 20
2023
Executive Producer
tvSelf Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
2020
Executive Producer
tvTruth Be Told
2019
Executive Producer
movieMa
2019
Executive Producer
movieGreen Book
2018
Executive Producer
movieSmall Town Crime
2018
Executive Producer
movieCandid
2017
Executive Producer
movieFruitvale Station
2013
Co-Executive Producer
movieThe Grass Harp
1996
Extras Casting