Octavia Spencer
Known for Acting · 163 credits
- Born
- 1970-05-25 (age 56)
- Place of birth
- Montgomery, Alabama, USA
- Also known as
- Octavia L. Spencer · Octavia Lenora Spencer
Biography
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
TV Shows (65)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
The Daily Show
1996
as Self
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Sherry
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Self / Self - Guest
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
American Dad!
2005
as Shonteeva (voice)
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2005
as Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
The X-Files
1993
as Nurse
Young Sheldon
2017
as Officer Rhonda Tomasson
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
Ride or Die
2026
as Debbie Claybourne
The View
1997
as Self
The Graham Norton Show
2007
as Self
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
as Self - Guest
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self / Self - Guest
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
as Self - Guest
ER
1994
as Maria Jones
The Big Bang Theory
2007
as Octavia
CSI: NY
2004
as Child Welfare Rep
Malcolm in the Middle
2000
as Cashier
Mom
2013
as Regina Tompkins
Medium
2005
as Jurist
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015
as Self
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
Chicago Hope
1994
as Nurse Jane
30 Rock
2006
as Octavia Spencer
black-ish
2014
as Octavia Spencer
To Tell the Truth
2016
as Self - Panelist
Moesha
1996
as Gloria
The Oscars
1953
as Self - Presenter
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014
as Self
Dollhouse
2009
as Professor Janack
Ugly Betty
2006
as Constance Grady
Number One on the Call Sheet
2025
as Self
Off Camera with Sam Jones
2014
as Self
Just Shoot Me!
1997
as Nurse
Roswell
1999
as Nurse
Becker
1998
as Ticket Woman
Wizards of Waverly Place
2007
as Dr. Evilini
Drunk History
2013
as Harriet Tubman
Truth Be Told
2019
as Poppy Scoville
Grounded for Life
2001
as Admitting Nurse
Dharma & Greg
1997
as Gloria
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
2016
as Team Martha
Entertainment Tonight
1981
as Self
Titus
2000
as Ms. Alice Hays
Raising the Bar
2008
as Arvina Watkins
L.A. Doctors
1998
as Bus Driver
Brimstone
1998
as Duty Nurse
Halfway Home
2007
LAX
2004
as Flight Attendant
Presidio Med
2002
as Sheryl Washington
The Chronicle
2001
as Ruby Rydell
Red Band Society
2014
as Nurse Jackson
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Elegant guest / Hildy / Waitress
Hollywood Black
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
2020
as Madam C. J. Walker
Standoff
2006
as Rapid Air Clerk
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
2006
Movies (98)
Zootopia
2016
as Mrs. Otterton (voice)
Spider-Man
2002
as Check-In Girl
The Shape of Water
2017
as Zelda Fuller
Snowpiercer
2013
as Tanya
The Help
2011
as Minny Jackson
Instant Family
2018
as Karen
Hidden Figures
2016
as Dorothy Vaughan
Insurgent
2015
as Johanna Reyes
Dolittle
2020
as Dab-Dab (voice)
Smurfs
2025
as Asmodius (voice)
Allegiant
2016
as Johanna Reyes
Fruitvale Station
2013
as Wanda
Gifted
2017
as Roberta Taylor
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
2003
as Security Guard
Drag Me to Hell
2009
as Bank Co-Worker
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
2013
as Martha (voice)
Ma
2019
as Sue Ann
The Shack
2017
as Papa / Elouisa
Roald Dahl's The Witches
2020
as Grandma
A Time to Kill
1996
as Roark's Nurse
S.W.A.T.
2003
as Neighbor in Alley
Seven Pounds
2008
as Kate the Home Health Care Nurse
Tow
2026
as Barbara
Onward
2020
as The Manticore (voice)
Fathers and Daughters
2015
as Dr. Corman
Being John Malkovich
1999
as Woman in Elevator
Blue Streak
1999
as Shawna
Coach Carter
2005
as Mrs. Battle
Big Momma's House
2000
as Twila
Flypaper
2011
as Madge Wiggins
Pretty Persuasion
2005
as Woman
Bad Santa
2003
as Opal
Superintelligence
2020
as Octavia Spencer (voice)
Lansky
1999
as Evelyn
Dinner for Schmucks
2010
as Madame Nora
Spirited
2022
as Kimberly
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
2019
as Self
The Heart
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
2005
as Middle-Aged Woman
Pulse
2006
as Landlady
Get On Up
2014
as Aunt Honey
Halloween II
2009
as Nurse Daniels
Beauty Shop
2005
as Big Customer
Never Been Kissed
1999
as Cynthia
Follow the Stars Home
2001
as Hildy
Black or White
2015
as Rowena Jeffers
Smashed
2012
as Jenny
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
2013
as Dr. Nance
A Kid Like Jake
2018
as Judy
Thunder Force
2021
as Emily Stanton
Small Town Crime
2018
as Kelly Banks
The Nines
2007
as Streetwalker
Little John
2002
as Waitress
Luce
2019
as Harriet Wilson
The Soloist
2009
as Troubled Woman
American Virgin
2000
as Agnes Large
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
2006
as Ayisha Lebaron
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
2004
as Janine
Pretty Ugly People
2008
as Mary
The Great Gilly Hopkins
2015
as Miss Harris
Becoming bell hooks
2024
as Self
Bad Santa 2
2016
as Opal
The Spleenectomy
2008
as Nurse
The Journeyman
2001
as Black Belly
Car Dogs
2016
as Mrs. Barrett
What Planet Are You From?
2000
as Baby Nurse
Untitled Holiday Comedy Project
Everything Put Together
2001
as Nurse B
Breakin' All the Rules
2004
as Stylist
The 6th Man
1997
as Nativity Watson
Missing Pieces
2001
as Elegant Guest (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
2013
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Encounter
2021
as Hattie Hayes
Nobody Nothing Nowhere
Peep World
2010
as Alison
Blues for Willadean
2012
as LeSonia Robinson
Paradise
2013
as Loray
The Sky is Falling
2001
as Nurse #2
Ma 2
as Sue Ann
Death of a Salesman
as Linda Loman
The Free World
2016
as Linda Workman
Auto Motives
2000
as Rhonda
Sparkler
1997
as Wanda
Just Peck
2011
as Detention Teacher
Chicken Party
2003
as Laqueta Mills
Lost on Purpose
2013
as Nurse Keller
Love and Distrust
2010
as Rhonda (segment "Auto Motives")
Jesus People
2013
as Angel Angelique
Herpes Boy
2009
as Rochelle
Wizards of Waverly Place: Wizard School
2008
as Dr. Evilini
Four Dogs Playing Poker
2000
as Waitress
Valley Girls
1996
as Cheerleader
Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
2022
as Self
Love at First Hiccup
2009
as Mrs. Hambrick
Small Town Saturday Night
2010
as Rhonda Dooley
Sol Goode
2003
as Unemployment Clerk
Deck the Y'alls
as Gladys Gibbes
The Quest for Sleep
2022
as Narrator
About Octavia Spencer
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… With 163 credits spanning from 1951 to 2026, Octavia Spencer has appeared in 98 films and 65 TV shows.
Fans searching for Octavia Spencer movies, Octavia Spencer filmography, or the latest projects starring Octavia Spencer can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Octavia Spencer Movies
- Zootopia (2016) — as Mrs. Otterton (voice)
- Spider-Man (2002) — as Check-In Girl
- The Shape of Water (2017) — as Zelda Fuller
- Snowpiercer (2013) — as Tanya
- The Help (2011) — as Minny Jackson
Where to Watch Octavia Spencer Films
Most Octavia Spencer movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Octavia Spencer, check our movies catalogue and browse page.