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interview by Lacy Morris2 2 | s o u t h e r n l i v i n g | A u g u s t 2 0 1 4

Octavia Spencer

My favorite memory of growing

up is the way the air smelled

after it rained. It’s very evocative

of the south. I love the earthiness

of it. Whenever I smell that, it just

takes me back to my childhood.

I am the sixth of seven children.

We weren’t a rowdy bunch. My

mom worked a few jobs, and it

was pretty normal to not get in

HOMETOWN: MoNTGoMerY, ALABAMA OCCUPATION: ACTress WHAT’S ON HER PLATE: The AUGUsT 1 reLeAse oF The JAMes

BroWN BIoPIC, GET ON UP FAVORITE SOUTHERN EXPRESSION: “I Love WheN PeoPLe sAY, ‘BLess her heArT.’ IT’s JUsT so

LoADeD, esPeCIALLY hoW YoU sAY IT—WhAT YoU FoLLoW IT WITh, AND WhAT’s BeFore IT.”

trouble. We definitely didn’t want

to get afoul of a very tired mom.

James Brown’s music reminds

me of my childhood and teenage

blossoming years. I kind of grew

up with him. I wouldn’t say [my

family] were all musically inclined,

but there was always music in the

background. There’s just some-

thing about his music though; it’s

transcendent. You don’t

have to be a certain age

to appreciate it.

James Brown came

from abject poverty to

become one of the most

iconic entertainers in

the world. I think that’s

a huge lesson to learn.

It doesn’t matter your

situation in life; your

path is what you choose

it to be. he didn’t have

the first-rate education,

he was self-taught in the

way of music, but he had

a strong work ethic. It’s

what you bring to the

table, and what you’re

willing to sacrifice. Those

are the ingredients for

success.

My go-to karaoke song

is “Midnight Train to

Georgia.” There’s a little

prelude that Gladys

Knight does; it’s only a

couple beats of the

song. It’s the note of that

moan, done in such a

precise way. If you hit

that right, people don’t

realize until later that

you’re not a good singer.

I try to get home every spring or

summer for a couple of weeks.

Because everything is so fast-

paced now, I just like to be in

slippers and sweatpants, hanging

out on the porch with my family.

The Gulf shores of Alabama will

spoil you. They’re snow-white and

well maintained—nature made

them that way. It’s one of the most

beautiful places on the planet.

My mom was an amazing cook.

sunday dinner was important.

It was often turnips or collards,

black-eyed peas, hoppin’ John

or pinto beans, candied yams,

some meat (usually meatloaf), and

a glass of tea. But always with her

buttermilk cornbread. oh honey,

let me just say, that is heaven. Life

is good with that.

I don’t cook. It’s like, “You’re hav-

ing a party? I can stop and pick up

things.” I’m not going to whip up a

meal. People say it relaxes them.

But it stresses the hell out of me!

In Alabama, there was an Octavia

Spencer Day on March 21, 2012.

There is nothing more wonderful

than being recognized by your

hometown in your home state by

some of the very same people that

inspired you. It’s very humbling

and a time in my life I’ll always refer

to and try to live up to. We were at

the state Capitol, and my high

school band played. I got to raise

the gavel to officially start the

workday at the state legislature.

I will never not be an Auburn

football fan—War Eagle all the way.

There was a time in my life where,

as an Auburn fan, I couldn’t appre-

ciate The University of Alabama.

Now, I can say I’ve evolved.

Being Southern is just who I am. I

wouldn’t know how to be anything

else. It’s a part of my DNA. The

majority of the women I know

are southern, and we’re strong,

beautiful, and unrelenting.

t r a v e l + c u l t u r e p a p e r n a p k i n i n t e r v i e w

“It doesn’t

matter your

sItuatIon In

lIfe; your path

Is what you

choose It to be.”