Octavia Spencer siblings Areka Spencer and Rosa Spencer are among her five sisters and a brother. Octavia was born as the sixth of seven children to her parents.
American actress Octavia was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 25, 1970; she is 52 years old.
Spencer graduated from Jefferson Davis High School before attending Auburn University at Montgomery and Auburn University. The actress graduated with a minor in theater from the latter.
The 52-year-old made her acting debut as a nurse in the 1996 film A Time To Kill. She worked in minor roles until 2011 when she landed her breakthrough role in the acclaimed film The Help. Interestingly, Octavia has portrayed a nurse 16 times between 1996 to 2013.
According to IMDb, Octavia has 140 acting credits from her career of over two and a half decades.
The actress’s breakthrough role in The Help earned her Golden Globe, BAFTA, and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2012. According to Boston Globe, Octavia’s sister Areka was left in tears when her name was announced as the winner during Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
Octavia Spencer Has Two Sisters Areka And Rosa Spencer
Octavia Spencer siblings Areka and Rosa are the commonly known family members of the actress. Areka is a television host, and Rosa has appeared numerous times with Octavia.
Spencer has three other sisters apart from Areka and Rosa, she also has a brother in her family. While Octavia has not revealed the name of her only brother, she said he is deaf and mute during an emotional interview with Dave Morales in Backstage OL.
Despite being mute and deaf, Spencer’s brother did not want anyone to learn sign language to communicate with him. He insisted on people speaking normally to him. Octavia’s only brother has not shared the spotlight with his famous sister.
Similarly, one of actress Spencer’s sisters is named Dee Spencer. Dee is happily married to Aaron Carson and lives a retired life with her family in Georgia.
Areka Spencer Is A News Host
Areka is a TV host best known for working as a news anchor on the Boston-based radio network WRKO. She has also worked as a producer and host.
Spencer hosted and produced the 2003 television series Make It Happen alongside her co-host Martha Hawkins. Much about her television show is unavailable, but IMDb suggests the show ran for two episodes from September 29, 2003.
Likewise, Areka worked for WDDE as a morning on-air host. She joined the Dover, Delaware, based radio station in October 2013. Prior to WDDE as a morning on-air host, she had worked in the industry for 25 years.
The Hidden Figure star’s sister has also worked for American Urban Radio Network, Paxson Communications, KXAS, WRKO, and ABC Radio Network, among others. She held the helm as a radio/television reporter and anchor during her career.
Rosa Spencer Has A PhD In Education
Rosa Spencer is probably the most educated in the Spencer family; she has a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Alabama Graduate School. She excels in leadership, policy-making, and technology studies.
Further, Rosa appeared together with the Self Made star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Octavia.
The sisters were seen together wearing matching black dresses on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles for the ceremony. Octavia was dedicated 2,742nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 8, 2022.
Unlike Areka, Rosa has not revealed much about her personal life. She is not found using social media and has not revealed much about her profession. Rosa appears to be the elder sister of Octavia judging by her images.
Their Father Passed Away When She Was 13
Actress Octavia Spencer lost her father when she was only 13 years old.
The Hidden Figures actress has not revealed her father’s name and does not speak much about him. She has mentioned losing her dad a few times during her interviews but has not provided any details on his personal life.
Her father’s death was followed by her mother’s passing five years later when Octavia was 18. She was barely a teenager when her father passed away and barely an adult when she lost both parents.
Her mother Dellsena Spencer worked as a maid while raising her seven children. According to The Telegraph, seeing her mother work as a household maid helped the actress nail her role as Minny Jackson in The Help.
Additionally, Spencer has an onscreen father in her Apple TV+ series Truth Be Told. 66-year-old actor Ron Cephas Jones portrays her father in the crime-drama series.
Octavia has expressed the sheer joy of being an onscreen daughter and getting an opportunity of working with Ron on Instagram.
Although Ron is only 14 years older than Spencer, the two actors are pretty convincing in their onscreen roles as father and daughter.
David Woolfolk Is The Step Father of The Spencer Sisters
The Spencer sisters have a step-father named David Woolfolk.
According to Ancestry, Octavia’s mother Dellsena Spencer married David after her husband’s death in 1983.
Dellsena’s second husband David was born on July 27, 1943, to John Henry Woolfolk Sr and Rubie Mae Carr. He was born as one of the 12 children of his parents in Mathews, Montgomery, Alabama.
Moreover, his siblings are Mary, Jasper, Celia, John Henry, James, Tommy, Barbara Stinson, Lassie, Betty, Larry, and Abdul Woolfolk.
David passed away on August 6, 2016, surrounded by his family at his Pike Road, Montgomery, Alabama residence. According to Find A Grave, David is buried at Panther Creek Baptist Church Cemetery.
During his life, Woolfolk served in the military and fought in the Vietnam war. Unfortunately, much about David and Dellsena’s married life is not available to the general public. However, he sure did become a father figure for Octavia and her sisters.