Black History Month: Spotlight on Octavia Spencer
Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 2:40PM 
On February 26, 2012, Octavia Spencer won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her endearing performance as the feisty Minny Jackson in Tate Taylor’s The Help. With her win, Spencer joined an elite group, becoming just the sixth black actress to win an acting Oscar (and only the seventh overall, if you count Irene Cara’s Original Song win for Flashdance, since she also starred in the film). Prior to 2011, Spencer had worked steadily since the mid-90s, gaining a reputation as a warm and generous co-star and a beloved character actress. So her win in February 2012 felt like an authentic opportunity for the academy to recognize an industry favorite.
Spencer was an indomitable force in the 2011 awards season, snatching wins at the Critics Choice, SAG awards, Globe Globes, and BAFTA, and beating out a talented crop of women in sensational breakout performances, including: Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Shailene Woodley (The Descendants), and Spencer’s co-star, Jessica Chastain (who had taken both the LA and NY Film Critics awards for her outstanding trio of performances in The Help, Take Shelter, and Tree of Life). Spencer’s Oscar win was a foregone conclusion early in the race. The real competition that was year between Viola Davis and Meryl Streep in Leading Actress. Viola could have made history that night as the second black woman to win in lead, but it wasn’t to be. Instead, Spencer walked away with The Help’s only win that evening. Little did we know then, Octavia’s Oscar story wasn’t over, and she definitely wasn’t done making history...
The Help cast reunited for this year's Oscar luncheon - they're all nominees on Sunday, with two of them expected to win.
When the 2016 Academy Award nominations were announced on January 24, Octavia Spencer received her second Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actress in Hidden Figures, breaking 77-years of history to become the first black woman to receive a nomination after previously winning. When this year’s nominations came out, there were many exciting “firsts," especially relating to artists of color, but Octavia’s accomplishment fell somewhat of the radar. Let's take a deeper look at this history and how Spencer leveraged her win for even greater success.
First, he numbers, just to demonstrate the importance of Spencer’s achievement:
Hattie McDaniel was the first black winner (Gone With the Wind, 1939). She was 44 years old.Since Hattie McDaniel’s nomination and win for Best Supporting Actress in Gone with the Wind in 1939, 28 black women have received a total of 32 acting nominations (including the four performances nominated this year). From that group, 6 women won: 1 in lead, 5 in supporting. Of those winners, only Whoopi Goldberg won on her second nomination, while all others won for their first and only nomination. Spencer is only the third black woman to receive a second nomination, after Goldberg and Viola Davis, and as mentioned, the first to do so after winning. Collectively, their 7 nominations represent 22% of all nominations for black actresses.
Maybe you’re wondering how things stack up on the men’s side…
Denzel won his first Oscar for Glory (1989). He was 35 years oldSidney Poitier was the first black actor to be nominated (The Defiant Ones, 1958) and win (Lilies of the Field, 1963). Since then, 25 black actors have received 39 Oscar nominations, with 7 of these actors winning a total of 8 awards (4 each in lead and supporting). Multiple nominations have come more easily to the men, 6 of whom have earned multiples nods, including Denzel Washington’s 7 and Morgan Freeman’s 5. As far as Spencer’s record achievement, Denzel was the first black actor to do it in 1992, after his win for Glory (1989) and Morgan Freeman also beat her to the punch, netting his first post-win nomination in 2009. Although they reached this mark before Spencer, she is the only black actor to receive a second nomination after winning for her first (the men each won after other nominations).
But what happened after that first win, and how did Octavia get back into the contender’s circle only five years later? Since her first screen credit in 1996 (A Time to Kill), Octavia Spencer has never stopped working and winning an Oscar did nothing to stall her. Before she’d even wrapped her hands around Oscar, her next film, Smashed made waves at that year’s Sundance. Spencer received fine reviews for her supporting role as a recovering alcoholic Jenny, which only added to her momentum that season. That film continued to play at festivals throughout the year, keeping Spencer in the minds of critics and audiences as she settled into post-Oscar life.
You can see a slight decrease in output over the next couple of years, a critical turning point for any Oscar winner. You have to figure out how to leverage your win and new professional esteem to get and choose better, juicier roles and scripts. But some actors, especially actors of color, can struggle with that transition if the roles just aren’t out there. In the intervening years, Spencer seemed to hedge her bets on a finding a few good spotlight roles, balanced with bit parts in bigger budget pictures.
In many ways, 2013 was a turning point for Spencer. A young, untested director decided to send a script to Spencer, with the faintest glimmer of hope that she might be interested in one of the supporting roles. That was Ryan Coogler, who reached out to Octavia to ask if she would be interested in portraying Oscar Grant’s mother in Fruitvale Station. USA Today described Spencer as “The Help” behind Fruitvale Station, revealing the actress was at first hesitant to take a role in a racially charged film. But she came through for Coogler, agreeing to take on the role and insisting he save his limited resources for the film, rather than covering her expenses. When funding for the film fell through, she took charge as an Executive Producer and used her connections to get Coogler the resources he needed to complete the work. This bold approach paid off in dividends.
Fruitvale Station received wide acclaim and Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan were put on the map. Reviews and critics singled out Spencer for her empathetic performance, and the National Board of Review awarded her their Best Supporting Actress prize that fall (one of the few that eluded her during her campaign for The Help). On nomination morning it was a surprise to many when Fruitvale came up empty-handed, but Spencer had positioned herself well to capitalize on the film’s momentum.
After Fruitvale Station Spencer appeared to become more nterested in testing herself with different types of material. She dipped her toe into science fiction waters with Snowpiercer and roles in franchise installments of Percy Jackson and Divergent. She also worked with her idol, Steven Spielberg, who produced her in the short lived TV series The Red Band Society. But most importantly, Fruitvale pushed her past her fear of engaging with racially charged stories, from dramas like Black and White to an uproarious cameo as Harriet Tubman in Drunk History.
This most recent era of her career, her newfound openness to historically and socially complex roles, was perfectly attuned to gradual shifts in the film landscape, where there was a surging demand for more, and more complex, roles and opportunities for actors of color. Hidden Figures, arrived at the right time for Spencer. Since her Oscar win, Octavia found her own rhythm, taking roles that inspired or delighted her, and charting her own path. She wasn’t gunning for a return to the Oscars, she just sought out and made herself available for good work (as any experienced character actor would recommend).
Spencer is an industry veteran and knows a great part when she sees it, so the role of Dorothy Vaughan was a no brainer. She plays Dorothy with a fire that refuses to be doused. She’s smarter than most of the people around her and can see about 10 steps ahead of them to boot. Spencer infuses her performance with a sly and persistent righteousness. Dorothy is ferociously devoted to her family, friends, and colleagues, and Spencer exudes both a warm motherliness and a fierce protectiveness. You find yourself rooting for Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy, equally, but within the film you sense Dorothy is rooting for the others alongside you. Her willingness to fall on her sword, if only to help further the cause for others, is her greatest quality, and the one that most endears her to the audience.
When this year’s Oscar campaigns began in earnest, the Hidden Figures juggernaut was barely on the radar. As the film picked up steam, talk of the trio of outstanding performances at its center lit up the acting races. In a remarkable year for women’s performances, it was unclear who or how many of the cast would squeeze their way into this year’s roster of nominees. Many thought Janelle Monae had the stronger shot, with a buzzier year making her acting debut. But others had their eyes on Spencer, knowing she brought with her the tremendous good will of the industry, the same people that gave her a standing ovation for her last win. When she nabbed Globe and SAG nominations, it seemed she was indeed poised to make history at the Oscars again. And so she did, when her name was called on January 24, she cemented her place in Academy and black history.
What do you think the future holds for Spencer? Which actress do you think is poised to mark this great accomplishment next?
Reader Comments (26)
Glad for her success, and she seems like the type that can be nominated a number of times over the years now. She doesn't particularly excite me (I prefer Chastain and Monae over her two nominations), but good for her!
she also had some guest appearances in Mom (the Anna Faris/Allison Janney sitcom), and she was hysterically funny there. She needs more comedic roles
I remember being perplexed at how easily she walked to her first Oscar in what seemed like it might have been a more competitive year, but I've been steadily falling under her spell ever since. I loved her in Fruitvale -- not much of a role but she brought a gravitas to it that deepened the film overall. And she's just great in Hidden Figures. Oooh, what she keeps hidden under that dogged surface. Bonus points for her hilarious Drunk History. Get it, ma'am!
I don't always think she is deserving of the accolades she receives as an actress, but she is an infinitely likable person and I applaud all the success she has managed to achieve and hope there is no end in sight.
What black actress do we think will be the first to win twice? Viola is the easy answer but who else might there be? I sometimes think Halle Berry could do it all again a la Hillary Swank but her projects are just never very good at all. I have some hope for her upcoming film with Daniel Craig regarding the time right before the Rodney King riots.
I just love this woman. The Harriet Tubman bit is hilarious. She should get (or should've gotten) an Emmy nomination.
In my opinion, Octavia is the black Thelma Ritter so, just like her, she'll get at least 6 Oscar nominations
My introduction to Octavia Spencer was her guest role on Ugly Betty. She was so funny in that role. However, what I remember most is her quiet heartbreak that concluded her arc. She managed to do so much with the role that was essentially written as a one-denominational caricature. I am sure she has more supporting nominations in her future. But I also want to see her in some leading roles.
One actress that I would love to see get back in the Oscar race is Alfre Woodard. Given that she has been one of the best dramatic actresses in Hollywood for over three decades, the lack of Oscar worthy roles for her is truly baffling.
I would love to see Angela Bassett throw her hat back in the Oscar ring. The woman went to Yale for Heaven's sake as did Meryl Streep who gets an interesting part almost every year. We all know Streep can be amazing but must she get ALL the best roles?
@SanFranCinema (great username), I co-sign everything you just wrote. Spencer seems as if she's just so genuinely warm that it's hard to begrudge her anything, even if I was a *little* salty she got nominated for Hidden Figures, but I've watched it twice now and I haven't had the same reaction (both positive)which is always a sign of a great performer.
I've also watched her in Mom and she's very funny. I'd love more great roles to come her way, and I really think she has what it takes. Extra points for that hilarious Drunk History bit. I've somehow never seen that show and it looks tailor made for me.
She'll always be Dr. Evilini from "Wizards Of Waverly Place" to me.
I'm so glad she's back! She's the perfect supporting actress. No matter how many scenes she's got, she will always light up the scene.
Tyson-I'm not entirely sold that Octavia couldn't have made a run this year for Hidden Figures if Fences didn't exist or Viola had gone lead. Her film is wildly popular, and it's not like Williams or Harris had the kind of roles that demanded they win.
Williams and Harris certainly would have been competitive for the win and possibly Kidman because people really liked her movie.
@John T
Without Viola, any of the other four could have won, but I feel it would have been Williams ("overdue") or Harris ("revelation").
Then again, it would have depended on the new fifth nominee and her buzz and campaign narrative.
@Tyson - can you imagine?? If Halle Berry came back for a second, I think she'd have some
@dela, @matt st clair - Co-signing your thoughts on Woodard and Bassett. What will it take?? And I'd add Phyllicia Rashad as well.
@Marcos - I think you've nailed it. And I know Nathaniel said the same during the smackdown. I think the best possible comparison for Octavia is Thelma Ritter. A truly reliable character actor who can come in, do exactly what you need her to do, and leave everyone with a smile on her face. And like Ritter, Spencer is SO popular among her peers, and has worked with everyone in town it seems. That level of popularity and industry respect can manifest in amazing ways.
I like Spencer's performance in The Help much more than Chastain, Stone and even Viola's lead performance. I know this is an oxymoron but her Minny is like a quiet firecracker that ignites the screen when she's on -- Spencer does it quietly yet brilliantly with none of the grandstanding.
I said before that if Hidden Figures is a jazz trio, Spencer's Dorothy Vaughan can be likened to the bass that consistently pulsates and animates the melody of the story. It is easy to underestimate the role of the bass in a jazz trio but it provides a platform for the colorful improvisations of showier instruments. I guess Spencer is like an Esperanza Spalding: who quietly does subtle, beautiful, substantial work.
I believe she is hosting the next SNL too which is cool cos she's funny AF!
Like dela, I first saw her in "Ugly Betty". Her role was mainly played for comic affect -- she was either a social worker or immigration case worker who was unrequitedly in love with Betty's dad -- but in her final scene they gave her an emotional beat to play and she and the actor who played Ignacio both aced it.
It was not Kidman's movie.
Most of all, I just love that Octavia Spencer became a legit movie star. That is so exciting, because she's so atypical to the "movie star" category.
Anyway, she's great in The Help. Her cakewalk victory was a bit strange, but I think it was also a way to reward the movie.
I think Fruitvale Station was a great role for her, and would've been a perfect follow-up nod. But according to her, they weren't given a campaign for that movie (she hilariously called out Weinstein for this in a recent Hidden Figures interview when she didn't realize they were rolling lmao).
She wasn't like life-changing in Hidden Figures, but she honestly does the best work of the three women. You can really see her growth as an actress, the refinement, and subtly is beautiful. There isn't a moment that rings untrue.
I have been following her career since I saw The Help (where she gave the best performance) and I was not suprised she made back. I think she has a great supporting actress career ahead of her as of now, hopefully she will get plenty lead roles too.
I love her.
Owl, you hit the nail on the head with that analogy. Spencer really is the grounding force of the Hidden Figures trio. I love that she's found a way to bring such warmth, dignity, and heart to the broadly drawn characters she's often called upon to portray.
I've been holding out for a Halle Berry comeback myself, but more than any other black actress, I desperately wish that Angela Bassett would make a true career comeback beyond her American Horror Story work. Film needs her.
She is damn funny in Ugly Betty. Wonderful stuff.
No mention of her greatest role: as Harriet Tubgirl ("I don't like Tubman. It sounds too much like a dude.") on 30 Rock? "I have to go home and feed my eels. They're not electric, but I have a plan."
I first saw her in the sitcom Halfway Home on Comedy Central and she played Serenity Johnson. On one episode the air conditioning went out at the halfway house and she uttered the now classic line, "Ain't nothing funny about being fat and hot!!!!!" I have loved her ever since.