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Octavia Spencer
451247034 (1)
Birth Date May 25th, 1970 (49 years old)
Birthplace Montgomery, Alabama
Twitter octaviaspencer
Portrayal
Portrays Nurse Jackson
Seasons 1

Octavia Lenora Spencer (born May 25, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Minny, the outspoken maid in the 2011 film The Help, for which she won many accolades for.

She portrays Nurse Jackson on Red Band Society.

Early Life[]

Born in Montgomery, Alabama, she is the sixth of seven children. Her mother worked as a maid. Spencer graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in 1988, she then spent two years at Auburn Montgomery studying drama (1988–89), and received a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Auburn University.

Career[]

At 16, she worked as an intern on the set of The Long Walk Home, a film starring Whoopi Goldberg.

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 small part. Other film credits include: Never Been Kissed, Big Momma's House, Bad Santa, Spider-Man, Coach Carter, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! and Pretty Ugly People. 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 and Dharma & Greg. She is best 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, she 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 told Back Stage Magazine that she suffers from "stage fright." Later that year, she starred opposite Allison Janney in Tate Taylor's critically lauded 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 in its list of 25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood.

In August 2009, Spencer 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 hit web series-turned feature film Herpes Boy alongside Beth Grant, Ahna O'Reilly, and Byron Lane; and, can be heard as the voice of "Minny" on the audio version of The Help, the "New York Times Best Seller" by Kathryn Stockett. Later that year, Spencer's short film The Captain was honored by the CICFF as a finalist for the coveted REEL Poetry Award.

In August 2010, Spencer joined Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard in DreamWorks' production of The Help, in which she played the feisty and unflappable domestic Minny Jackson. The film was directed by Tate Taylor, and produced by Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe. Her role garnered her critical acclaim, and started talk of various awards nominations. She won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her work in The Help.

On February 12, 2012, she 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; making it her first Oscar nomination and first win. Spencer was so thrilled to win that she could hardly speak at the ceremony and was given a standing ovation 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 Tate Taylor in a biopic on singer James Brown.

In January 2014, it was announced that plans for Spencer to appear as the lead in a remake of Murder, She Wrote had been cancelled.

In May 2014, it was announced that Spencer would play the supporting role of Johanna Reyes in the second installment of the Divergent series, titled The Divergent Series: Insurgent, which is scheduled to release on 20 March 2015.

Filmography Film[]

Year Film Role Notes
1996 A Time to Kill Roark's Nurse
1997 The 6th Man Nativity Watson
1997 Sparkler Wanda
1997 Making Sandwiches uncredited Short
1999 Lanksy Evelyn the Maid TV Movie
1999 Never Been Kissed Cynthia
1999 Live Virgin Agnes Large
1999 Being John Malkovich Woman in Elevator
1999 Blue Streak Shawna
2000 Everything Put Together Nurse B
2000 Missing Pieces Elegant Guest TV Movie
2000 What Planet Are You From? Baby Nurse
2000 Auto Motives Rhonda Short
2000 Big Momma's House Twila
2000 Four Dogs Playing Poker Waitress
2001 The Journeyman Black Belly
2001 Follow the Stars Home Hildy TV Movie
2001 The Sky Is Falling Nurse #2
2002 Spider-Man Check-In Girl
2002 Little John Waitress TV Movie
2003 So Goode Unemployment Clerk
2003 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Security Clerk
2003 S.W.A.T. Neighbor in Alley
2003 Chicken Party Laquenta Mills Short
2003 Bad Santa Opal
2004 Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! Janine
2004 Breakin' All the Rules Stylist
2005 Coach Carter Mrs. Battle
2005 Pretty Persuasion Woman
2005 Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School Ayisha Lebaron
2005 Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Octavia - Bookstore
2005 Beauty Shop Big Customer
2005 Wannabe Lady Chanet Janney Jones
2006 Pulse Landlady
2007 The Nine Streetwalker (pedestrian) Credited (uncredited)
2008 Pretty Ugly People Mary
2008 The Speenectomy Nurse Short
2008 Seven Pounds Kate
2008 Next of Kin Grace
2009 Drag Me to Hell Bank Co-Worker
2009 Jesus People: The Movie Angel Angelique
2009 The Soloist Troubled Woman
2009 Just Peck Detention Teacher
2009 Halloween II Nurse Daniels
2009 Love at First Hiccup Mrs. Hambrick
2009 Herpes Boy Rochelle
2010 Small Town Saturday Night Rhonda Dooley
2010 Dinner for Schmucks Madame Nora - Pet Psychic
2010 Peep World Alison
2011 Girls! Girls! Girls! Unnamed
2011 Family Practice Helen Overby TV Movie
2011 Flypaper Madge Wiggins
2011 The Help Minny Jackson
2011 Smashed Jenny
2012 Blues of Willadean LaSonia Robinson
2012 The Perfect Fit Shy Girl
2013 Fruitvale Station Wanda
2013 Lost on Purpose Nurse Keller
2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Dr. Nance TV Movie
2013 Snowpiercer Tanya
2013 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Martha (voice)
2013 Paradise Loray
2013 Get on Up Aunt Honey
2014 Black and White Unnamed
2014 The Great Gilly Hopkins Unnamed
2014 Car Dogs Mrs. Barrett
2015 Fathers and Daughters Unnamed
2015 Insurgent Johanna filming
2015 B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations (voice) filming
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1998 Moesha Gloria 1 episode
1998 To Have & to Hold Clerk 1 episode
1998 ER Maria Jones 1 episode
1999 Brimstone Dusty Nurse 1 episode
1999 L.A. Doctors Bus Driver 1 episode
1999 Chicago Hope Nurse Jane 1 episode
1999 Roswell Nurse 1 episode
1999 The X-Files Nurse Octavia 1 episode
2000 Chicken Soup for the Soul Hannah 1 episode
2000 Just Shoot Me! Nurse 1 episode
2000 Becker Ticket Woman 1 episode
2000 Malcom in the Middle Cashier 1 episode
2000 City of Angels Nurse Bernice 5 episodes
2001 Grounded for Life Admitted Nurse 1 episode
2001 Dharma & Greg Gloria 1 episode
2001-2002 The Chronicle Ruby Rydell 6 episodes
2002 Titus Ms. Alice Hays 2 episodes
2002 Presidio Med Sheryl Washington 1 episode
2002/2005 NYPD Blue Eleanor Jackson/Dawna Cahill 2 episodes
2004-2005 LAX Flight Attendant 6 episodes
2005 CSI: NY Child Welfare Rep 1 episode
2005 Medium Jurist 1 episode
2006 Huff Dementia 1 episode
2006 Standoff Rapid Air Clerk 1 episode
2007 Ugly Betty Constance Grady 4 episodes
2007 Halfway Home Serenity Johnson 10 episodes
2006-2007 The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman Cheryl/Female Security Guard 10 episodes
2008 Wizards of Waverly Place Dr. Evilini 2 episodes
2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sherry 1 episode
2008 The Big Bang Theory Octavia 1 episode
2008 Faux Baby Robyn 1 episode
2009 Worst Week Nurse 1 episode
2009 Dollhouse Professor Janack 1 episode
2009 Raising the Bar Arvina Watkins 5 episodes
2010 Hawthorne Emily Tomkins 1 episode
2011 The Looney Tunes Show Additional Voices 1 episode
2013 30 Rock Octavia Spencer 1 episode
2013 American Dad Shonteeva 1 episode
2013 Mom Regina 4 episodes
2014 Break a Hip Dr. Trekman 1 episode (pre-production)
2014 Red Band Society Nurse Jackson series regular

Awards and Recognition[]

Year Award Category Result Notes
2011 Academy Award Best Supporting Actress Won The Help
African American Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Awards Circuit Community Award Best Cast Won
BAFTA Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role Won
Black Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Ensemble Won
Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Ensemble Won
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Acting Ensemble Won
Gold Derby Film Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Best Ensemble Cast Won
Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Won
Hollywood Film Festival Award Best Ensemble Won
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Won
National Board of Review Award Best Acting by an Ensemble Won
Nevada Film Critics Society Best Ensemble Cast Won
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival Award Breakthrough Performance Won
Satellite Award Best Cast – Motion Picture Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Won
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Won
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Won
Women Film Critics Circle Best Ensemble Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award Best Ensemble Cast Nominated
Best Ensemble Cast Nominated
Unforgettable Moment Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Black Reel Award Breakthrough Performance Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Detroit Film Critics Society Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Best Ensemble Nominated
Houston Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
London Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
MTV Movie Award Best On-Screen Duo Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Award Best Ensemble Performance Nominated
Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Ensemble Nominated
2013 Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable Pending Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
National Board of Review Award Best Supporting Actress Won Fruitvale Station
AACTA International Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Denver Film Critics Society Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress Nominated

Gallery[]

References[]

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