Octavia Spencer at SAG Awards: 'I Am Not Healthy at This Weight'
Octavia Spencer, best known for her role as an African-American housemaid in "The Help," discussed her weight at the Screen Actors Guild Awards Sunday.
At the awards show- Spencer won best supporting actress for her role as Minny in "The Help"- she acknowledged her obesity, and spoke of the challenges she faced because of it.
"I am not healthy at this weight," said the 41-year-old backstage. "Any time you have too much around the middle, then there's a problem."
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She even revealed the discrimination within Hollywood, who rarely chooses voluptuous women for the leading roles, despite their prevalence in America.
"When you reach a certain weight, you are less valuable," the Golden Globe award-winning actress told People magazine.
Spencer, who dedicated her award to "the downtrodden, the under-served, the underprivileged, [and the] overtaxed whether, emotionally, physically, or financially," thinks Hollywood should be more open-minded when representing all women.
To be fair, though, she based Hollywood's representation of those who aren't average on the "stigmas" society has produced.
"I feel for the overly thin women as much as I do for the overweight women. It … has to change," declared the "Ugly Betty" actress to People.
Although the representation of women as a whole may be changing only gradually, the recognition for their outstanding performances was symbolized at the SAG Awards.
The cast of "The Help" took home three awards Sunday, with Viola Davis winning for best lead actress, Octavia Spencer winning for best supporting lead actress, and the entire cast winning for best performance.
In addition to wins at the Screen Actors' Guild Awards, "The Help" was also recognized for its merit with a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award nomination, and an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Spencer accepted her award graciously, saying, "Thank you for putting me in category with so many beautiful women I know and love."
She also joked about her eating habits, despite the serious tone earlier in the evening.
"If more women ate, they would be a lot happier," Spencer said. "Let me tell you, I am a lot grumpier when I don't eat."
