Age: 56
female
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.
Octavia Spencer
Thelma McQueen
for Thelma McQueen in Breaking Barriers: The Hattie McDaniel Story
Suggested by kamsismith
Hattie McDaniel, born in 1895, faced seemingly insurmountable challenges as a black woman in early 20th-century America. Despite the racial prejudices and gender discrimination of her time, she possessed an unparalleled talent for entertainment and a burning desire to succeed. The film begins with Hattie's early life in Wichita, Kansas, where her passion for performing first took root. As she navigates the vibrant world of black vaudeville and theater, Hattie's undeniable talent leads her to Hollywood, where she becomes a sought-after actress in the burgeoning film industry. But it's not all glitz and glamour; Hattie faces racism, stereotyping, and limited opportunities, even as she establishes herself as a talented character actress. The heart of the story revolves around Hattie's journey during the production of "Gone with the Wind," where she famously portrayed Mammy, a role that would earn her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. "Breaking Barriers" delves into the complexities of her decision to take on the role, the impact of her win on the industry, and the personal sacrifices she made in the face of criticism and backlash.
