Octavia Spencer – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 5, 2026

The Help earned Octavia Spencer the Oscar, warm and quietly devastating, Hidden Figures gave her a similarly dignified role years later, and Ma proves she’s just as effective leading a genre thriller. Onward and Zootopia use her voice, Luke Cage gives her a recurring TV role, and Self/less is a supporting turn in a body-swap thriller. Fruitvale Station, The Shape of Water and Divergent round out the list.

Onward (2020)

TMDB ★ 7.6

Two elf brothers embark on a quest using old-world magic to spend one last day with their late father.

Directed by Dan Scanlon · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Luke Cage (2016)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A street-level hero show with real cultural specificity and a genuinely great soundtrack.

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Zootopia (2016)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 98% Metacritic 78

A rookie rabbit cop and a con-artist fox uncover a conspiracy threatening their whole city.

Directed by Byron Howard & Rich Moore · 1h 49m · Rated PG

Won 1 Oscar50 wins & 75 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Self/less (2015)

TMDB ★ 6.4

Octavia Spencer has a supporting role in a body-swap sci-fi thriller.

Directed by Tarsem Singh · 1h 57m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Divergent (2014)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 41% Metacritic 48

A young woman who doesn't fit any of society's five rigid factions hides a dangerous secret.

Directed by Neil Burger · 2h 20m · Rated PG-13

7 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Fruitvale Station (2013)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A young man's final day alive is chronicled before a fatal encounter with transit police.

Directed by Ryan Coogler · 1h 25m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Starz Apple TV channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Ma (2019)

TMDB ★ 5.8

Octavia Spencer plays a lonely woman whose kindness towards local teenagers hides something much darker.

Directed by Tate Taylor · 1h 39m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Shape of Water (2017)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 92% Metacritic 87

A mute janitor falls for a captive amphibious creature in a Cold War-era research facility.

Directed by Guillermo del Toro · 2h 03m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars138 wins & 350 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Hidden Figures (2016)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 93% Metacritic 74

Three Black women mathematicians become essential to NASA's early space race successes.

Directed by Theodore Melfi · 2h 07m · Rated PG

Nominated for 3 Oscars37 wins & 94 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Help (2011)

TMDB ★ 8.2

A young writer works with Black domestic workers to expose the injustices they face in the segregated South.

Directed by Tate Taylor · 2h 26m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, FXNow, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Octavia Spencer – 10 Best Movies

Onward (2020)

Luke Cage (2016)

Zootopia (2016)

Self/less (2015)

Divergent (2014)

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Ma (2019)

The Shape of Water (2017)

Hidden Figures (2016)

The Help (2011)

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