Octavia Spencer
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Film
Spider-Man
Check-In Girl
2002
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
2014
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Sherry
2000
Series
The Daily Show
Self
1996
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014
Series
American Dad!
Shonteeva (voice)
2005
Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019
Series
Young Sheldon
Officer Rhonda Tomasson
2017
Series
The X-Files
Nurse
1993
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
2005
Series
Chicago Hope
Nurse Jane
1994
Series
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self - Guest
2022
Series
The View
Self
1997
Series
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest
2015
Series
ER
Maria Jones
1994
Series
The Big Bang Theory
Octavia
2007
Series
CSI: NY
Child Welfare Rep
2004
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
Malcolm in the Middle
Cashier
2000
Series
Mom
Regina Tompkins
2013
Series
Medium
Jurist
2005
Series
30 Rock
Octavia Spencer
2006
Series
black-ish
Octavia Spencer
2014
Series
Ride or Die
Debbie Claybourne
2026
Series
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003
Film
Zootopia
Mrs. Otterton (voice)
2016
Series
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
Series
Wizards of Waverly Place
Dr. Evilini
2007
Series
Ugly Betty
Constance Grady
2006
Series
Moesha
Gloria
1996
Film
Hidden Figures
Dorothy Vaughan
2016
Series
Just Shoot Me!
Nurse
1997
Series
Dollhouse
Professor Janack
2009
Series
Roswell
Nurse
1999
Series
Truth Be Told
Poppy Scoville
2019
Series
Off Camera with Sam Jones
Self
2014
Series
Becker
Ticket Woman
1998
Series
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015
Series
The Oscars
Self - Presenter
1953
Series
Grounded for Life
Admitting Nurse
2001
Series
Drunk History
Harriet Tubman
2013
Series
Number One on the Call Sheet
Self
2025
Film
The Help
Minny Jackson
2011
Series
Dharma & Greg
Gloria
1997
Film
Insurgent
Johanna Reyes
2015
Film
Gifted
Roberta Taylor
2017
Film
Instant Family
Karen
2018
Film
Snowpiercer
Tanya
2013
Film
Smurfs
Asmodius (voice)
2025
Series
To Tell the Truth
Self - Panelist
2016
Film
Spirited
Kimberly
2022
Film
The Shape of Water
Zelda Fuller
2017
Film
Onward
The Manticore (voice)
2020
Film
A Time to Kill
Roark's Nurse
1996
Film
The Shack
Papa / Elouisa
2017
Film
Dolittle
Dab-Dab (voice)
2020
Film
Coach Carter
Mrs. Battle
2005
Film
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
Security Guard
2003
Film
Drag Me to Hell
Bank Co-Worker
2009
Film
Blue Streak
Shawna
1999
Film
Seven Pounds
Kate the Home Health Care Nurse
2008
Film
Roald Dahl's The Witches
Grandma
2020
Film
Allegiant
Johanna Reyes
2016
Film
Big Momma's House
Twila
2000
Series
Raising the Bar
Arvina Watkins
2008
Series
Titus
Ms. Alice Hays
2000
Film
Bad Santa
Opal
2003
Series
Brimstone
Duty Nurse
1998
Series
L.A. Doctors
Bus Driver
1998
Series
LAX
Flight Attendant
2004
Film
Being John Malkovich
Woman in Elevator
1999
Film
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Middle-Aged Woman
2005
Film
S.W.A.T.
Neighbor in Alley
2003
Film
Ma
Sue Ann
2019
Series
Entertainment Tonight
Self
1981
Film
Halloween II
Nurse Daniels
2009
Film
Fathers and Daughters
Dr. Corman
2015
Series
Presidio Med
Sheryl Washington
2002
Series
Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
Team Martha
2016
Film
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Martha (voice)
2013
Series
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C. J. Walker
2020
Film
Tow
Barbara
2026
Film
The Soloist
Troubled Woman
2009
Series
Hollywood Black
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
Bad Santa 2
Opal
2016
Film
Never Been Kissed
Cynthia
1999
Series
Red Band Society
Nurse Jackson
2014
Series
The Chronicle
Ruby Rydell
2001
Film
Dinner for Schmucks
Madame Nora
2010
Film
Thunder Force
Emily Stanton
2021
Film
Superintelligence
Octavia Spencer (voice)
2020
Film
Beauty Shop
Big Customer
2005
Film
Pretty Persuasion
Woman
2005
Film
Get On Up
Aunt Honey
2014
Film
Pulse
Landlady
2006
Film
Fruitvale Station
Wanda
2013
Series
Standoff
Rapid Air Clerk
2006
Film
Flypaper
Madge Wiggins
2011
Series
Halfway Home
2007
Film
The Nines
Streetwalker
2007
Series
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
2006
Series
Cavemen
2007
Film
Lansky
Evelyn
1999
Film
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
Janine
2004
Film
Encounter
Hattie Hayes
2021
Film
The 6th Man
Nativity Watson
1997
Film
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Dr. Nance
2013
Film
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Miss Harris
2015
Film
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé
Self
2019
Film
Black or White
Rowena Jeffers
2015
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Elegant guest
1951
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hildy
1951
Series
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Waitress
1951
Film
What Planet Are You From?
Baby Nurse
2000
Series
Family Recipe Showdown
Host
2025
Series
My Happy Place
Self
2025
Film
Luce
Harriet Wilson
2019
Film
Follow the Stars Home
Hildy
2001
Film
Smashed
Jenny
2012
Film
Pretty Ugly People
Mary
2008
Film
Breakin' All the Rules
Stylist
2004
The Heart
Film
Small Town Crime
Kelly Banks
2018
Film
Small Town Saturday Night
Rhonda Dooley
2010
Film
A Kid Like Jake
Judy
2018
Film
Letters to Jackie: Remembering President Kennedy
Self - Narrator (voice)
2013
Film
Love and Distrust
Rhonda (segment "Auto Motives")
2010
Film
Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
Self
2022
Film
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
Ayisha Lebaron
2006
Film
Peep World
Alison
2010
Film
Sol Goode
Unemployment Clerk
2003
Film
American Virgin
Agnes Large
2000
Film
Just Peck
Detention Teacher
2011
Film
Paradise
Loray
2013
Film
Four Dogs Playing Poker
Waitress
2000
Series
Lost Women of Highway 20
Host
2023
Film
Wizards of Waverly Place: Wizard School
Dr. Evilini
2008
Series
The Santa Stories
Detective Grinchauser
2023
Film
The Journeyman
Black Belly
2001
Film
Little John
Waitress
2002
Untitled Holiday Comedy Project
Film
Everything Put Together
Nurse B
2001
Film
Car Dogs
Mrs. Barrett
2016
Nobody Nothing Nowhere
Auto Motives
Rhonda
2000
Film
Love at First Hiccup
Mrs. Hambrick
2009
Film
The Free World
Linda Workman
2016
Film
Ma 2
Sue Ann
Film
Missing Pieces
Elegant Guest (as Octavia L. Spencer)
2001
Film
The Sky is Falling
Nurse #2
2001
Film
Herpes Boy
Rochelle
2009
Film
Valley Girls
Cheerleader
1996
Film
The Spleenectomy
Nurse
2008
Film
Sparkler
Wanda
1997
Death of a Salesman
Linda Loman
Deck the Y'alls
Gladys Gibbes
Film
Becoming bell hooks
Self
2024
Film
Lost on Purpose
Nurse Keller
2013
Film
Chicken Party
Laqueta Mills
2003
Film
Jesus People
Angel Angelique
2013
Film
Blues for Willadean
LeSonia Robinson
2012
Film
The Quest for Sleep
Narrator
2022