Montgomery native and Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer was honored this month with the 2,742nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Octavia Spencer is one of Hollywood’s most captivating actresses, appearing in many films that have endeared her to fans from around the world,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “Octavia has won many of the entertainment world’s most coveted awards for her work. We are thrilled to give her the only award that can be shared with her fans, as they pose with and touch her star once it is added to our iconic sidewalk.”
Joining Spencer to unveil the star were emcee Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, chair of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; actors Will Ferrell and Allison Janney, and Auburn University mascot Aubie the Tiger. Spencer earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Auburn.
Following her movie debut in “A Time to Kill” (1996), Spencer has appeared in dozens of roles in film and television. Her performance in the 2011 film “The Help” won her the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, SAG Award and Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award, among other accolades. She also received Academy Award nominations for her performances in “Hidden Figures” and “The Shape of Water,” and was an executive producer of “Green Book,” which won the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Picture.
Other credits include “Encounter,” “Ma,” “Self Made,” “The Witches” and “Fruitvale Station.” Spencer launched her production company, ORIT Entertainment, in 2019.
She currently appears with Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in the holiday film “Spirited” for Apple TV+. On television, she will return for the third season of Apple TV+’s thriller “Truth Be Told” as Poppy Parnell, a true crime podcast host who risks everything in pursuit of truth and justice. She also serves as an executive producer on the program.
In addition to her film and television work, Spencer has co-authored an interactive mystery series for children called “Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective.” She is a longtime board member of City Year Los Angeles, an education nonprofit that partners with AmeriCorps to provide young adult mentors for students in systemically underserved communities.
Her star on the Walk of Fame was dedicated at 6623 Hollywood Blvd. in front of Ballet Hollywood.
