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The last time we checked in with Octavia Spencer she said she was alone in lockdown and wasn’t really cooking for herself, but was getting by with the help of friends cooking for her. I got the the impression they were dropping things off for her. I was covering a joint interview with Octavia and Melissa McCarthy and was surprised to learn that they’ve been friends for 20 years. Anyway Octavia just turned 50, which she admitted in an Instagram video celebrating her birthday in the back yard of her house. She’s been claiming to have been born May 25, 1972, which is her listed birthday on Wikipedia and IMDB, but it turns out that she was born in 1970.
Sitting out here in the backyard drinking some sangria eating some potato chips listening to Ronnie Milsap, celebrating my birthday. The big 5-0. I know I’ve been saying I’m 48, but the Internet will always win. People putting dates and numbers. ‘I thought we went to school together I’m 50. How are you 48?’
‘Because I want to be.’
All of that seems so trivial right now. I’m grateful to be turning 50, especially right now when we’ve lost so many.
Remember this time last year we talked about deferring your joy? If you did not look for the joy between May 24th this time last year until now let that sink in. The good Lord has a way of making us prioritize thing and I think that’s what this crazy pandemic is doing. Figure out what’s important to us and who… I’m very grateful and since it’s the day of remembrance remembering our veterans I’m grateful to them. I’m also grateful to those waging this new war, making it possible for me to be here sitting home. Happy birthday Gemini. You got to look for the light in these dark times.
That cracked me up how she described being found out! Plus she talked about a weird squirrel in her backyard. I can’t stand squirrels, she’s got a lot of positivity if she finds them cute. Two years doesn’t make a lot of difference and if Octavia told us she was 46 I would still believe her. Do you think Octavia will inspire other celebrities to open up about their real ages? I don’t blame women for doing this particularly, there’s a lot of ageism in their industry. Octavia’s friend Jessica Chastain is likely about five years older than she claims. I reported on that a few years ago when people came out saying they’d gone to high school with her and older articles listed her as being born five years before her official birth date. Chastain has admitted that she doesn’t like revealing her age and said she tries to avoid being typecast. I bet there are so many other celebrities who are at least a couple years older than they claim.
After that Octavia recorded another video in which revealed that she’d had a virtual surprise birthday party and sounded so grateful for that. She said “sometimes you don’t know what you need until you get it.” It was really sweet and touched me.
Viola Davis sent her flowers!
Photos credit: Getty, Avalon.red and via Instagram
“People putting dates and numbers. ‘I thought we went to school together I’m 50. How are you 48?’”
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
May 25 = best birthday, but I might be a bit biased haha.
I kind of love how she addressed this. I don’t really want to shade a woman for lying about her age when she’s part of an industry that’s so ruthless. Especially when she’s only fudging the numbers by 2 years.
The best birthdays are in late May.
Let’s hear it for May 25 and for May Geminis!
Mine is May 26. I was born overseas and it was still May 25 here, so my grandma always insisted that I was born on her birthday. I’ll celebrate two birthdays since I am a Gemini, lol! 😊
Didn’t Rebel Wilson knock off 6 years off her real age?
It sucks that women feel the need to lie about their age.
She’s beautiful
She really is…
I adore her! I hate saying my age because of ageism.
Years ago when Catherine Zeta-Jones was becoming famous (around the Mask of Zorro I believe?), there was a great rumour that she was 10 years older than she claimed. I think the rumour included something about her real age coming to light when she had to go through a background security check to attend an event at the White House.
“How are you 48?”
“Because I want to be.”
I f’ing love her.
I love her more for admitting this. Also, she’s at a point in her career where the two years don’t make a difference
If I was going to lie about my age, I would shave off more than 2 years!