Octavia Spencer has booked another leading role. The “Shape of Water” actress has signed on to star in Blumhouse Productions’ “Ma,” a thriller that sees her reuniting with Tate Taylor, who directed her Oscar-winning turn in “The Help.” “Plot details are sparse,” Deadline writes, but we know that Spencer will play “a lonely woman who befriends a group of teenagers with torturous consequences for the kids.”
“Ma’s” supporting cast includes Juliette Lewis and Luke Evans.
Spencer is up for an Oscar for her performance in otherworldly romance “The Shape of Water.” She earned a nod last year for “Hidden Figures.”
Typically cast in supporting roles, Spencer will topline an upcoming true crime series for Apple. She and Reese Witherspoon are among the project’s executive producers. The “Mom” alumna has also lined up a holiday comedy with Jessica Chastain. The pair made headlines when it was revealed that they banded together to secure a favored nations deal.
It’s a relief to see Spencer finally getting the credit and opportunities she deserves. “My dream role is that of a producer, a woman behind the scenes who creates roles for diversity in film,” Spencer said after accepting the 2017 Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award. “And when I say diversity, I mean I want to see women of all shapes and sizes, people of all shapes and sizes, people with disabilities. It’s about creating a landscape that demonstrates what our society is as a whole.” She continued, “As a female who’s African American, who is also a producer, it’s my job to make sure I voice those opinions. Women also have to ask for what they want. Sometimes they’re going to say no, but all we need is one yes.”
Spencer is currently championing an inclusive project that she’s not personally involved with. She announced that she’s planning to “buy out a movie theater in Mississippi, where she will be when [‘Black Panther’] opens, to offer screenings to underserved communities,” TIME reports. In an Instagram post, the actress wrote she wants to “ensure that all our brown children can see themselves as a superhero.” The pic, which is said to include depictions of fierce female warriors, hits theaters February 16. Rachel Morrison, the first woman ever to receive an Oscar nod for cinematography, is the Marvel flick’s DP.
