Friday, July 17, at the Dryden Theatre
The George Eastman Museum will honor Octavia Spencer with the George Eastman Award for her distinguished contribution to the art of cinema on Friday, July 17, at 8 p.m. in the Dryden Theatre.
Octavia Spencer’s performance as Minny in The Help (2011) earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, SAG Award, and Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award, among numerous other accolades. She has since received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Hidden Figures (2016) and The Shape of Water (2017). She served as an executive producer on the critically acclaimed drama Green Book (2018), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture–Musical or Comedy.
Additional acting credits include Fruitvale Station (2013), for which she was awarded Best Supporting Actress by the National Board of Review; Snowpiercer (2013); Luce (2019), which brought an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Supporting Female; Get on Up (2014); The Shack (2017); Apple TV+’s Spirited (2022); and voice roles in Zootopia (2016), Dolittle (2020), and Onward (2020).
In 2019, Spencer launched her production company, Orit Entertainment. Its next project, Ride or Die (premiering July 15), stars her alongside Hannah Waddingham and Bill Nighy. Spencer is executive producer of this action-adventure series for Amazon Prime Video.
In receiving the award, Spencer joins an elite group of film artists, including Fred Astaire, Lauren Bacall, Louise Brooks, Charlie Chaplin, Dolores Del Rio, Cecil B. DeMille, Michael Douglas, Jodie Foster, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Michael Keaton, Rita Moreno, Ramon Navarro, Gregory Peck, Julia Roberts, Martin Scorsese, James Stewart, and Meryl Streep.
The award ceremony and gala are open to the public.The ceremony will feature an appreciation of her career by Peter Bagrov, senior curator, Moving Image Department, George Eastman Museum; a compilation of highlights of her work; and an on-stage conversation with Spencer—to be followed by the celebratory gala in the museum.
Members of the George Eastman Museum will have access to advance ticket sales, beginning on Monday, June 15, at 10 a.m. To become a member, visit eastman.org/membership or call 585-327–4833 for information. Any remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, June 18, at 10 a.m.All tickets for the George Eastman Award benefit event include reserved seating for the award ceremony, admittance to the celebratory gala, and valet parking. Ticket prices are determined by seat location for the ceremony in the Dryden Theatre. Visit eastman.org/eastmanaward2026 for more information and to purchase tickets.
Provided information
Photo by Art Streiber
