Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Octavia Spencer

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000413
Octavia Spencer
Take a closer look at the various roles Octavia Spencer has played throughout her acting career.
Play clip1:26
Octavia Spencer: Movie & TV Moments
99+ Videos
99+ Photos
Spencer is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, which she claims is the proverbial buckle of the Bible belt. She's the sixth of seven siblings and holds a BS in Liberal Arts from Auburn University. A "closet" lover of acting, this practical Alabamian knew that she'd someday work in the film industry, but never dreamed it would be in front of the camera. In 1995, acclaimed director Joel Schumacher changed all that by giving her a small part opposite Sandra Bullock in the hit film A Time to Kill, and Spencer was on her way. In 1996, she teamed up with Bullock again in Bullock's directorial debut of Making Sandwiches, a short film that premiered at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.

Spencer made her stage debut in Los Angeles and originated the role of "LaSonia" (pronounced lasagna) in famed writer/director Del Shore's, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife, starring opposite veteran actors Beth Grant, Dale Dickey and David Steen (2003). The play garnered Spencer and her fellow cast mates critical acclaim and a bevy of awards. Since then, Spencer has continued to see success as an actor in both film and television, working alongside Hollywood's elite. In February 2009, she was lauded by Los Angeles Times publication: The Envelope, for her brief but memorable performance in the Will Smith drama Seven Pounds.
BornMay 25, 1970
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 25, 1970
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000413
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 42 wins & 100 nominations total

    Photos525

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 519
    View Poster

    Known for

    Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Mahershala Ali, Glen Powell, Jim Parsons, and Janelle Monáe in Hidden Figures (2016)
    Hidden Figures
    7.8
    • Dorothy Vaughan
    • 2016
    Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone in The Help (2011)
    The Help
    8.1
    • Minny Jackson
    • 2011
    Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station (2013)
    Fruitvale Station
    7.5
    • Wanda
    • 2013
    Octavia Spencer and Sam Worthington in The Shack (2017)
    The Shack
    6.3
    • Papa
    • 2017

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actress



    • Tow
      • Completed
      • 2025
    • Smurfs
      • Pre-production
      • 2025
    • Ride or Die
      • Debbie
      • Pre-production
      • TV Mini Series
    • The Heart
      • Lucy
      • Pre-production
    • The Bobby Love Story
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series



    • Annie Potts, Lance Barber, Zoe Perry, Raegan Revord, Montana Jordan, and Iain Armitage in Young Sheldon (2017)
      Young Sheldon
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Rhonda Thomason
      • 2024
    • The Santa Stories (2023)
      The Santa Stories
      7.4
      TV Mini Series
      • Detective Grinchauser
      • 2023
    • Gabrielle Union and Octavia Spencer in Truth Be Told (2019)
      Truth Be Told
      7.1
      TV Series
      • Poppy Parnell
      • Poppy Scoville-Parnell
      • 2019–2023
    • Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in Spirited (2022)
      Spirited
      6.6
      • Kimberly
      • 2022
    • Octavia Spencer and Riz Ahmed in Encounter (2021)
      Encounter
      5.9
      • Hattie Hayes
      • 2021
    • Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer in Thunder Force (2021)
      Thunder Force
      4.6
      • Emily Stanton
      • 2021
    • Bobby Cannavale and Melissa McCarthy in Superintelligence (2020)
      Superintelligence
      5.5
      • Octavia Spencer (voice)
      • 2020
    • Stanley Tucci, Anne Hathaway, Kristin Chenoweth, Josette Simon, Octavia Spencer, Orla O'Rourke, and Jahzir Bruno in The Witches (2020)
      The Witches
      5.4
      • Grandma
      • 2020
    • Octavia Spencer in Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (2020)
      Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
      7.3
      TV Mini Series
      • Madam C.J. Walker
      • Sarah Breedlove
      • 2020
    • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Ratzenberger, Tracey Ullman, Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna, Wilmer Valderrama, Catherine Apple, Sharon Calahan, Grey DeLisle, Chris Pratt, Kori Rae, Mel Rodriguez, Dan Scanlon, Octavia Spencer, Keith Bunin, Kyle Bornheimer, Noah Klocek, Lena Waithe, Adam Habib, Jason Headley, Tom Holland, Ali Wong, and George Psarras in Onward (2020)
      Onward
      7.4
      • The Manticore (voice)
      • 2020
    • Robert Downey Jr., Emma Thompson, Marion Cotillard, Octavia Spencer, John Cena, Selena Gomez, Rami Malek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Tom Holland in Dolittle (2020)
      Dolittle
      5.6
      • Dab-Dab (voice)
      • 2020
    • Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race (2019)
      Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race
      8.0
      Video
      • Narrator (voice)
      • 2019
    • Ma: Alternate Ending (2019)
      Ma: Alternate Ending
      Video
      • Sue Ann
      • 2019
    • Ma: Deleted Scenes (2019)
      Ma: Deleted Scenes
      Video
      • Sue Ann
      • 2019
    • Octavia Spencer in Ma (2019)
      Ma
      5.6
      • Sue Ann
      • 2019

    Producer



    • Ride or Die
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Mini Series
    • The Bobby Love Story
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series



    • Feds (2023)
      Feds
      7.1
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Octavia Spencer in Lost Women of Highway 20 (2023)
      Lost Women of Highway 20
      6.7
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Gabrielle Union and Octavia Spencer in Truth Be Told (2019)
      Truth Be Told
      7.1
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2019–2023
    • Jeffrey Drew in Right to Try (2021)
      Right to Try
      7.4
      Short
      • producer
      • 2021
    • Octavia Spencer in Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (2020)
      Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
      7.3
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer
      • 2020
    • Octavia Spencer in Ma (2019)
      Ma
      5.6
      • executive producer
      • 2019
    • Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali in Green Book (2018)
      Green Book
      8.2
      • executive producer
      • 2018
    • Candid (2017)
      Candid
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2017
    • Small Town Crime (2017)
      Small Town Crime
      6.6
      • executive producer
      • 2017
    • Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station (2013)
      Fruitvale Station
      7.5
      • co-executive producer
      • 2013
    • The Unforgiving Minute (2010)
      The Unforgiving Minute
      6.1
      Short
      • producer
      • 2010
    • The Captain (2008)
      The Captain
      7.7
      Short
      • producer
      • 2008

    Director



    • The Unforgiving Minute (2010)
      The Unforgiving Minute
      6.1
      Short
      • Director
      • 2010
    • The Captain (2008)
      The Captain
      7.7
      Short
      • Director
      • 2008

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos126

    Octavia Spencer: Movie & TV Moments
    Clip 1:26
    Octavia Spencer: Movie & TV Moments
    'The Free World': Clip 5
    Clip 1:36
    'The Free World': Clip 5
    'The Free World': Clip 5
    Clip 1:36
    'The Free World': Clip 5
    Exclusive Clip
    Clip 1:11
    Exclusive Clip
    Paradise
    Clip 1:12
    Paradise
    Paradise
    Clip 0:47
    Paradise
    How Octavia Spencer's Murder Show Obsession Inspired 'Ma'
    Interview 2:48
    How Octavia Spencer's Murder Show Obsession Inspired 'Ma'

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Instagram
      • X
    • Alternative names
      • Octavia J. Spencer
    • Height
      • 5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
    • Born
      • May 25, 1970
      • Montgomery, Alabama, USA
    • Parents
      • Dellsena Spencer
    • Other works
      TV commercial for the "Sensa" weight-loss system.
    • Publicity listings
      • 7 Interviews
      • 6 Articles
      • 12 Magazine Cover Photos

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Is one of 8 African-American actresses to win the Oscar in a competitive category. The others in chronological order are Hattie McDaniel for Gone with the Wind (1939), Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost (1990), Halle Berry for Monster's Ball (2001), Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006), Mo'Nique for Precious (2009), Viola Davis for Fences (2016), and Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).
    • Quotes
      I was not a Girl Scout, but I try to be very prepared. I triple-Spanx!
    • Trademark
        Her gap-toothed smile

    FAQ9

    Powered by Alexa
    • How old is Octavia Spencer?
    • When was Octavia Spencer born?
    • Where was Octavia Spencer born?

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.