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"For me, it's about creating the opportunity for other people."
Playing Poppy Scoville-Parnell, a true-crime podcaster out to solve crimes on Truth Be Told (Apple TV+, January 20), was always in the cards for Octavia Spencer. "I've had this affinity for true-crime and investigative journalism. So it was just a natural progression." Now in its third season, Spencer says, "it actually is our best season because it's tied to something meaningful and real." Spencer is joined by Gabrielle Union, who she says "is such a brilliant comedic actress and she's coming into her own as a dramatic actress." Together they must solve the case of a missing girl. For Spencer, what makes the genre so appealing is that "there's something about being an active member of the investigation as a viewing audience member, you are actively a part of the investigation." Spencer has expanded her credits to include producing recently. "The question always comes up, what is the role you're destined to play, and at this age and stage of my life, I would say that it's definitely that of a producer. A person who generates work and creates opportunities not just for myself."
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What was the catalyst for you to do this show?
My agent at the time, who is now my producing partner, Brian Clisham, has always known that I've had this affinity for true-crime and investigative journalism. I've been that person, I watch most procedural shows, especially during the '80s. So it was just a natural progression for me. When we were starting to to look for things that I would use as a vehicle for myself, I was just drawn to this book by Kathleen Barber called Are You Sleeping. And I didn't know how they were going to be able to change it because at the time the podcaster was not the focal point of the story at all. Nichelle Tramble Spellman, our showrunner for seasons one and two, she just made Poppy the focal point. And it was so great, her take on the show and what the show would be. Each season we just continue to get better and find newer ways to make the podcast [on the show] interesting.
Using Poppy narrating a podcast as a framework for storytelling is brilliant, especially with an actress like you who is able to convey so many emotions with your expressions. Do you think the podcast element allows you to tell a deeper story?
I do, and I love it because Poppy blurs those journalistic lines. The journalist is never a part of the story, but somehow Poppy, in her quest for the truth and doing the right thing, is always at the center of the investigations, and so it makes it a little more episodic and soapy. But I can't imagine in my real life, if I were a journalist, where I would somehow be tied into the story. It makes it a lot of fun. We have a day where we just do the podcast each episode and we just try to keep that fresh, unmemorized so that we find things when we record it for the show that we just keep it fresh as if she's written her script and it just keeps it lively. I love podcasts. We rely so heavily on the voice.
I have to admit, when I watch Poppy, I think of Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote or Peter Falk in Columbo.
Well, I have to let you in on a little secret. I watched every episode of Murder, She Wrote and every episode of Columbo, and Poppy is kind of the marriage between the two of those characters. She always wears her expensive jackets because she left the New York Times and she hasn't gotten rid of her suits, she just wears the suit jackets. And I have to have on my non-rumpled trench coat, it's my ode to Peter Falk.
I am a huge fan of Murder, She Wrote, and when it was announced that the reboot of the show with you didn't go anywhere, I was so upset.
It's something that has come up a lot. I think there was a bit of miscommunication between Angela Lansbury's team and our team. She thought we wanted to reboot the show where I would be playing Jessica Fletcher, and I am like, if you know anything about me there's only one Jessica Fletcher. And we wanted [her to] be on the show and to be a part of the mystery. My character could be someone who is taking a writing class, but completely in another field. But when she decided that she did not want it to go forward, we were all understanding of that. Which is even better because I hate the idea of the comparison, you know, "That's not like the old Murder, She Wrote." It's like, it's been 20 years, of course it's going to be different and and located in a different place. But I would not have had Poppy, and so I'm elated that we were able to carve out our own investigative person.
Where is Poppy in season three?
In season three, she's had some life shake-ups. In season two we find out that her relationship with a childhood friend, played by the indomitable Kate Hudson, has left another void in her life, and so at the top of season three she's basically grappling with all of the decisions and choices she's made. A child goes missing in season three and it's about examining what happens when kids go missing. It's definitely a deep intense season, and it actually is our best season because it's tied to something meaningful and real in a way that it could be any one of us. Whereas I love the other seasons because I could just investigate fake murders. I love it. It's kind of like a horror film in that regard. But it really does illuminate the dangers of teenagers and being online and not knowing who they're speaking to. And the brilliant Gabrielle Union joins us this season, so we're excited about what she contributes. Then we have all of our returning cast. I can't tell you what it's like to look at the call sheet and know that you're going to be playing opposite Ron Cephas Jones or Mekhi Phifer. Merle Dandridge has a huge role to play in this season. As well as my sisters, Tracie Thoms and Haneefah Wood, and then David Lyons is back on the show so it's pretty exciting.
What was it like working with Gabrielle Union this season?
The funny thing is Gabrielle and I go way way back. We did a show called City of Angels. To work with Gabrielle, she is such a brilliant comedic actress and she's coming into her own as a dramatic actress. We got to feel and experience a lot of of that talent this season. I don't want to say anything except look out because she gives a thrilling performance. I love that we're friends. I called her up to say, listen, we're coming to you. Are you interested? And she was game. In some episodes we go places and she made a lot of personal sacrifices and I can't say thank you enough because we have been very blessed to have wonderful lead co-stars. In season one it was Aaron Paul and Brett Cullen and Elizabeth Perkins. Season 2 it was Kate [Hudson]. And now we get Gabrielle. So I feel fortunate that we are getting to play at this level.
For you, what do you think it is about true crime that makes it such a popular genre?
I think it's a trait of a type A personality, quite honestly. There's a part of me that loves the fact that if it's true, you are actively there as a viewer trying to solve that mystery. You're actively in the investigation, at least that's what it is for me. The sad part about it is that it's an actual crime that took place, so for me, it's about somehow seeing it from a perspective that maybe, by the end of it, when we learn who the culprit is, that I was right. And I would say 90 percent of the time I'm right because you hone that deductive reasoning, and it's how I conduct my life. The step-by-step, allowing the evidence to lead you to the conclusion and when I'm wrong, it's random. There's nothing that would have pointed to that person. I just feel like there's something about being an active member of the investigation as a viewing audience member, you are actively a part of the investigation.
Totally. I also feel like there's an element of, as an empathetic person, we try and understand how someone could do something as awful as murder.
We will never understand because it's not a part of our DNA and I think that it's a wonderful character. It's about empathy, especially for the members of the families who've lost someone. That's why I'm now producing different projects with Discovery ID. To get information out there so that hopefully cases that haven't been solved, that they get new information so that hopefully there's a closure, which is a word that I hate to use because how does one get closure, you know?
You've become a pretty big force in producing these past few years. Not just with this show but also with films like Green Book. What is it about producing that you enjoy so much?
The question always comes up, what is the role you're destined to play, and at this age and stage of my life, I would say that it's definitely that of a producer. A person who generates work and creates opportunities not just for myself but for people in general. Artists who don't really get those opportunities. It's been fun. I gravitate toward stories that might have a little darkness, but there's always a thread of light, always a thread of hope, because that is what life is. I don't want to be in a comedy all the time because nothing is funny 24 hours a day. Even when you're watching a comedy, it's like, I just wish it had a little more heart, more pathos, because we're never laughing completely for 24 hours, you're never crying for 24 hours. There's a gamut of emotions, and so that's what I'm attracted to. Family dramas, family comedies...I just want to produce those types of things. My company is new but very, very busy. I love that we're looking for things that aren't necessarily done, stories that aren't necessarily shown by people who don't necessarily get the opportunities to go there.
And I think you're the exact person needed to produce those things, because since you burst onto the scene with The Help, you've been a recognizable force. We, as the audience, see ourselves in you.
I love the idea of different voices and different perspectives in the creative space, and I'm excited about producing that type of material. And I'm excited about playing in that type of material. So here we are.
Considering you've experienced every aspect of this business as an actor, when you look at your Oscar [for The Help], what do you think? And where do you keep it?
Well, it's in my living room. I realized that there are a lot of people who are more talented than I am who haven't received that honor. I feel blessed that I was a part of a production that people loved and that somehow my peers thought that year that my work was the best of the five performances. You don't take it for granted, I can tell you that. I certainly don't rest on my laurels either, because like I said, there are a lot of people out there who are more talented than I am, who only need the opportunity. So for me, it's about creating the opportunity for other people, so that they can get their moment to shine. But it's humbling. I don't spend a lot of time in my living room, so when I've been in there, I marvel at the fact that Oscar is a constant companion, and I'm grateful for that.
Listen to H. Alan Scott on Newsweek's Parting Shot. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Twitter: @HAlanScott
