Octavia Spencer would tell her younger self to make lots of mistakes

Octavia Spencer arriving at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) in London, Britain in February. Photo: Reuters

After many years of paying her dues as a supporting player, Octavia Spencer was given the opportunity of a lifetime when she was chosen too play Minnie Jackson in The Help.

For that glowing performance, she received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and since then she’s become a fixture of hugely acclaimed movies including Hidden Figures, Fruitvale Station, and Black And White.