octavia spencer, august 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Do
ve
sh
or
e
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.”