Profile Text
Spencer in 2012, photo by PR Photos
Birth Name: Octavia Lenora Spencer
Place of Birth: Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Date of Birth: May 25, 1970
Ethnicity: African-American
Octavia Spencer is an American actress, author, and producer. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Help (2011). Her roles also include the films Sparkler , Never Been Kissed , American Virgin (1999), Big Momma’s House , Four Dogs Playing Poker , Spider-Man (2002), Bad Santa , and its sequel; Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! , Coach Carter , Pulse (2006), The Nines , Seven Pounds , The Soloist , Halloween II (2009), Small Town Saturday Night , Dinner for Schmucks , Smashed (2012), Blues for Willadean , Fruitvale Station , Snowpiercer (2013), Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters , Paradise (2013), Get On Up , Black or White , The Divergent Series: Insurgent , and its sequel; Fathers and Daughters , The Great Gilly Hopkins , The Free World , Zootopia , Car Dogs , Hidden Figures , The Shack , Small Town Crime , Gifted (2017), The Shape of Water , A Kid Like Jake , Instant Family , Luce , Ma (2019), Dolittle , Onward , The Witches (2020), Superintelligence , Thunder Force , Encounter (2021), Spirited , Tow , and Smurfs (2025); the series City of Angels , The Chronicle , LAX , The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman , Ugly Betty , Halfway Home , Raising the Bar , Mom , Red Band Society , Truth Be Told , and Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker ; and the made-for-tv movie Call Me Crazy: A Five Film . She created children’s book series Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective .
Her mother, Dellsena, worked as a maid.
Octavia’s paternal grandfather was named James Spencer. James was born in Alabama.
Octavia’s paternal grandmother was named Lelia/Ledis Peoples/Peebles. Lelia was born in Alabama.
Octavia’s maternal grandfather was named Jesse Owens Hatcher. Jesse was born in Simsville, Bullock County, Alabama.
Octavia’s maternal grandmother was Sarah A. Fitzpatrick (the daughter of Will Fitzpatrick and Kizzie/Kiziah Jones). Sarah was born in Mitchell’s Station, Bullock County, Alabama.