Actress, author, and producer Octavia Spencer has an impressive on-screen resume. Though she at first appeared in minor roles in the mid-90s and 2000s, she eventually broke through as a major player in the 2010s following her appearance in a period drama taking place in 1963 Jackson Mississipi — but let’s not get ahead of ourselves quite yet.
In celebration of her on-screen success and in anticipation of her upcoming role in Pixar’s Onward, we thought it was time to look at Spencer’s greatest films to date. Because we already focused on critics’ favorite Octavia Spencer films, we’re here to look at the fan favorites now, using the scores on IMDb. The movie website has attached a star score (on a scale of 1 to 10) to every one of Spencer’s films, based on the votes or registered users. Those with the highest numbers will be showing up here. With the logistics discussed, it’s time to take a trip through Spencer’s movie past; Here are her greatest films of all time, as reported by IMDb.
Instant Family (2018): 7.3
This 2018 comedy has couple Pete and Allie deciding to adopt. Rather than bringing home one kid, however, Pete and Allie decide to care for a set of three siblings and must quickly figure out how to step into their new role as parents.
Spencer plays a social worker named Karen who helps the couple through the foster care process. Instant Family’s chaotic fun entertained its viewers.
The Shape Of Water (2017): 7.3
Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, this romantic dark fantasy follows a mute cleaning lady named Elisa, who stumbles upon a mysterious water creature hidden in the government lab she works at. Though the two start to fall in love with one another, she soon learns that Amphibian Man’s fate rests in hands that are not her own. Spencer plays a character named Zelda, who in addition to being Elisa’s co-worker, acts as her interpreter.
The Shape of Water won the coveted Best Picture title at the Academy Awards.
Fruitvale Station (2013): 7.5
Fruitvale Station recounts the events that led up to the death of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old black man, who was fatally shot by a police officer on New Years Day 2009.
Spencer plays Grant’s mother, Wanda. He attends her birthday party on the last day of his life. The 2013 drama’s powerful performances turned it into a success. The layered themes of life and death contributed to the movie’s interest.
A Time To Kill (1996): 7.5
Octavia Spencer’s earliest roles came in 1996 when she made a cameo as a nurse in this crime drama.
Based on John Grisham’s novel of the same name, A Time To Kill has a father getting arrested after he murders a man for raping his young daughter. A skilled lawyer and his team rush to his defense at court. While Spencer’s part was small, it helped kick off her long career to come.
Seven Pounds (2008): 7.6
This Will Smith drama tells of a man, who decides to help out people in medical crises by acting as their donor. After falling for a woman with a fatal heart condition named Emily, however, it becomes evident that his current kindness is linked to the past.
Spencer fulfills the role of Emily’s nurse, Kate. Though critics believed the plot had flaws, general audiences couldn’t help but love the film’s emotion.
Gifted (2017): 7.6
Gifted tells the story of a single man, Frank, who hopes to give his seven-year-old niece a normal life in Florida. After Frank’s mother recognizes that her granddaughter is a math prodigy, however, she hopes to find a way to get custody of the girl.
The film’s mix of charm and drama turned Gifted into a stand-out. Spencer supported this blended tone by playing Frank’s engaging neighbor, Roberta.
Being John Malkovich (1999): 7.7
Another won of Spencer’s early cameos came in 1999 when she appeared as a woman in an elevator in this fantasy comedy. Though her lines are limited, we thought it was important to include the roles she had that slowly led her to stardom.
Being John Malkovich follows an unemployed New York puppeteer named Craig, who decides to fulfill a temporary filing clerk job. After discovering a portal that will let him see inside the brain of the titular actor, he and his co-worker Maxine decide to use this discovery for their personal benefit. The quirky film had a lot going for it, including a fresh script and originality.
Hidden Figures (2016): 7.8
Spencer portrayed real-life Dorothy Vaughan in this biographical drama about the black female mathematicians who helped NASA became a major player in the Space Race. Their goal: to launch John Glenn into space. However, there are many social and racial obstacles they must first overcome.
Heartwarming, engaging, and relevant, Hidden Figures was well-loved by general audiences.
Zootopia (2016): 8.0
Though Spencer more frequently shows up in live-action hits, she also appeared in one of the highest-rated animations of all time: Zootopia.
This 2016 Disney animation tells of a rabbit who becomes the first of her kind to join the police force. Though she’s excited to fulfill her career dreams, proving that she’s up for the job is a challenge — especially after she’s forced to team up with a con-artist fox. Spencer voices a North American river otter named Mrs. Otterton. She becomes concerned after her husband goes missing.
The Help (2011): 8.1
Based on the novel of the same name by author Kathryn Stockett, The Help follows two black women who work as maids in the deep south during the Civil Rights Movement. Though the two are just trying to get on with life, young journalist Eugenia hopes that she can bring their stories to a wider audience and expose the racism they face in the process.
While Viola Davis plays one of the two maids, Spencer takes on the other, Minny Jackson. For her believable performance, Spencer won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Help remains Spencer’s highest-rated film to date.
