History of Octavia Spencer in Timeline

Octavia Spencer is a highly acclaimed American actress known for her exceptional talent and versatility. She has won numerous awards for her performances, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award. Her contributions to the entertainment industry have also earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

1945: Birth of Dellsena Spencer

Octavia Spencer's mother, Dellsena Spencer, was born in 1945.

May 25, 1970: Birth of Octavia Spencer

Octavia Lenora Spencer was born on May 25, 1970.

1988: Passing of Dellsena Spencer and High School Graduation

Octavia Spencer's mother, Dellsena Spencer, passed away in 1988. That same year, Octavia graduated from Jefferson Davis High School.

1996: Film Debut in "A Time to Kill"

Octavia Spencer made her film debut in the 1996 drama "A Time to Kill."

1997: Move to Los Angeles

In 1997, Octavia Spencer made a pivotal move to Los Angeles on the advice of her friend, Tate Taylor.

2003: Stage Debut and "Chicken Party"

Octavia Spencer made her stage debut in Los Angeles in the play "The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife." The same year, she starred in Tate Taylor's short film "Chicken Party."

2008: Praise for "Seven Pounds"

Octavia Spencer garnered critical praise and media attention for her brief but impactful role in the film "Seven Pounds."

April 2009: Recognized for Comedic Talent

Octavia Spencer's comedic talent was acknowledged in April 2009 when Entertainment Weekly included her in their "25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood" list.

August 2009: Diverse Roles in Film

In August 2009, Octavia Spencer showcased her versatility with roles in "Halloween II," "Love at First Hiccup," and "Herpes Boy." She also lent her voice to the audiobook of "The Help."

2009: Release of "Fruitvale Station"

"Fruitvale Station," a film in which Octavia Spencer starred alongside Michael B. Jordan, chronicling the final day of Oscar Grant, was released in 2009.

August 2010: Joining the Cast of "The Help"

In August 2010, Octavia Spencer joined the cast of the period drama "The Help," reuniting with director Tate Taylor.

2011: Breakthrough Role in "The Help"

Octavia Spencer's breakthrough role came in 2011 when she portrayed a maid in the 1960s America in the acclaimed drama film "The Help."

February 12, 2012: BAFTA Award Win for "The Help"

Octavia Spencer won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "The Help" on February 12, 2012.

June 2012: Academy Invitation

In June 2012, Octavia Spencer received an invitation to join the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

September 2013: Reuniting with Tate Taylor for "Get on Up"

It was announced in September 2013 that Octavia Spencer would be reuniting with "The Help" director Tate Taylor for the biopic "Get on Up" about singer James Brown.

2013: Acclaim for "Fruitvale Station"

In 2013, Octavia Spencer received critical acclaim and the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Ryan Coogler's biopic "Fruitvale Station."

2013: Debut Children's Book

Octavia Spencer published her first children's book, "Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit," in 2013.

September 2014: Starring in "Red Band Society"

From September 2014 until February 2015, Octavia Spencer starred in Steven Spielberg's Fox drama television series "Red Band Society."

2014: Starring in "Black or White"

Octavia Spencer starred alongside Kevin Costner in the drama film "Black or White" in 2014.

2014: Starring in "Red Band Society"

Octavia Spencer starred in Steven Spielberg's Fox drama television series "Red Band Society" from September 2014 to February 2015.

February 2015: End of "Red Band Society"

Octavia Spencer's run on the Fox drama series "Red Band Society" concluded in February 2015.

2015: Recurring Role in "Mom" and "Red Band Society"

Octavia Spencer had a recurring role in the CBS sitcom "Mom" from 2013 to 2015 and starred in the Fox drama series "Red Band Society" from 2014 to 2015.

2015: Joining "The Divergent Series: Insurgent"

Octavia Spencer joined the cast of "The Divergent Series" as Johanna Reyes in the second installment, "Insurgent," released in 2015.

2015: Second Children's Book

Octavia Spencer released her second children's book, "Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective: The Sweetest Heist in History," in 2015.

2016: Reprising Role in "Allegiant" and Voice Acting Debut

Octavia Spencer reprised her role as Johanna Reyes in "The Divergent Series: Allegiant" and made her animated film debut as the voice of Mrs. Otterton in Disney's "Zootopia" in 2016.

2016: Critically Acclaimed Performance in "Hidden Figures" and Generous Act

Octavia Spencer starred as mathematician Dorothy Vaughan in "Hidden Figures" in 2016. Her performance garnered critical acclaim, including Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as her second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, she bought out a Los Angeles screening of "Hidden Figures" to make it accessible to low-income families.

2016: Critical Acclaim for "Hidden Figures"

Octavia Spencer's performance as Dorothy Vaughan in the biopic "Hidden Figures" (2016) earned her numerous awards and her second Academy Award nomination.

August 31, 2017: Premiere of "The Shape of Water" at Venice Film Festival

"The Shape of Water," starring Octavia Spencer and Sally Hawkins, premiered to positive reviews at the 74th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2017, where it won the Golden Lion for best film.

2017: Religious Affiliation Revealed

During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2017, Octavia Spencer shared that she identifies as Southern Baptist.

2017: Acclaimed Performance in "The Shape of Water"

Octavia Spencer starred in "The Shape of Water" in 2017, which premiered to positive reviews on August 31, 2017, at the 74th Venice International Film Festival. Her role earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations, and her third Academy Award nomination.

2018: Starring Roles and Executive Production

In 2018, Octavia Spencer took on starring roles in two films: as a preschool principal in "A Kid Like Jake" and a social worker in "Instant Family." She also served as executive producer for the acclaimed biographical comedy-drama "Green Book," which won an Academy Award for Best Picture.

2018: Starring in "Instant Family"

Octavia Spencer starred in the comedy-drama "Instant Family" in 2018.

2019: Starring in "Luce" and "Ma"

In 2019, Octavia Spencer delivered powerful performances in the films "Luce" and "Ma."

2019: Critically Acclaimed Roles and Television Return

Octavia Spencer garnered critical acclaim in 2019 for her performance as Harriet Wilson in the drama film "Luce," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She also received praise for her role as Sue Ann "Ma" Ellington in the psychological horror film "Ma," directed by Tate Taylor, and earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actress. Additionally, Spencer returned to television as executive producer and star of the Apple TV+ drama series "Truth Be Told."

January 2020: Voice Role in "Dolittle"

In January 2020, Octavia Spencer lent her voice to the character of Dab-Dab, a duck with a metal leg, in the fantasy comedy film "Dolittle," starring Robert Downey Jr.

March 2020: Voice Role in Pixar's "Onward"

Octavia Spencer voiced a manticore restaurant owner in Pixar's animated fantasy film "Onward," which was released in March 2020 to positive reviews.

March 20, 2020: Executive Producer and Star of "Self Made"

On March 20, 2020, Netflix released the biographical limited series "Self Made," executive produced by and starring Octavia Spencer as Madam C. J. Walker. Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.