Octavia Spencer accepting the Academy Award for Actress in a Supporting Role

I was eight years old when I decided to be an actor. And I am just so privileged to be gazing on the beautiful face of the woman who inspired me that beautiful day, and that’s Cicely Tyson.

And when I woke up and realized how difficult it was to be an actor, and how the rejection was so high, then another beautiful face graced the screen when I was in college, and that was Meryl, who just …always inspires me.

But there’s so many people involved in The Help, in lieu of mentioning all them, I just have to say that, what is there but a dream? You can’t trade in your dream for another dream. I am so proud to be an actor, and I thank the Screen Actors Guild for this award.

And I have a special, special note to the kids in Central Falls, Rhode Island, in Segue Institute of Learning in Central Falls, Rhode Island: to dream big and dream fierce.

Thank you very much.

The Help’s Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer in W Magazine’s Best Performances 2012 issue.