Auburn graduate Octavia Spencer
makes it big in The Help
The black SUV pulled up to the curb of the Montgomery Rave Theatre on Vaughn Road one hot Friday evening in August. A small crowd, including one television station camera crew, had gathered on the sidewalk waiting for the arrival of Octavia Spencer, a capitol city native, in town for the premiere of The Help, her first starring role. Until that night, the movie was known primarily as a New York Times bestselling novel. But all of that was about to change in a big way.
Spencer stepped out of the car, took one look around and lit up when she realized most of those waiting were former teachers, principals and childhood friends.
“Oh my gosh, my principal!” she squealed. “Oh, wow! I haven’t seen you in years; I can’t believe you’re here!” she yelled to another bystander as she jumped up and down and hugged each one.
It seemed odd to see the touted star of the heavily advertised movie get more excited to see familiar faces there to greet her than the other way around, but it was just opening night, and nobody really knew what was about to happen. Spencer was escorted into a packed theatre where she thanked her hometown for coming out to support the movie, signed copies of the books movie-goers had brought with them and then slipped away. Little did any of them know, including Spencer, that after that weekend, Octavia Spencer would become a household name nationwide. No, make that worldwide.
