*Oscar-winning actress and producer Octavia Spencer has finally added an Emmy to her awards shelf — but the career milestone didn’t come for one of her celebrated acting performances. Spencer won Outstanding Narrator for Investigation Discovery’s true-crime series “Lost Women of Alaska.”
Spencer won for the episode “The Missing” during the first night of the 78th Emmy Awards. It was her third Emmy nomination and first victory. Her previous nominations came for portraying Madam C.J. Walker in Netflix’s “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker” in 2020 and narrating ID’s “Lost Women of Highway 20” in 2024. EURweb previously covered Spencer’s work in “Self Made” and her performance as the pioneering entrepreneur.
A First Emmy for Stories Spencer Wanted Told
“Lost Women of Alaska,” which Spencer also executive produces, examines the cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Alaska. The project centers marginalized victims and the circumstances that allowed them to become vulnerable to violence.
Speaking backstage after her Emmy win, Spencer reflected on her longstanding interest in true crime and how her perspective on the genre evolved.
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“True crime, these things actually happen,” Spencer said, as reported by Forbes. “I was a consumer who watched for entertainment. There was always something greater to say; if I ever had a platform, I would do something.”
She added, “Lost Women was the perfect vehicle.”
Earlier this year, Spencer told AARP that she considers telling these stories a form of service to victims and their families, particularly women who can no longer speak for themselves.
Spencer Moves Closer to EGOT Status
The Emmy puts Spencer halfway to one of entertainment’s rarest achievements. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for “The Help” in 2012. With an Oscar and now an Emmy, Spencer would need a Grammy and Tony to complete an EGOT.
Her victory also came against formidable competition. The Outstanding Narrator field included Jodie Foster, Werner Herzog and Sir David Attenborough, who received two nominations in the category.
But the bigger story for Spencer isn’t who she defeated. After decades of memorable work in front of the camera, her first Emmy recognizes the voice she used to bring attention to women whose stories might otherwise remain unheard.
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