In 2017 , Spencer co-starred with Sally Hawkins in Guillermo del Toro 's fantasy drama film '' The Shape of Water '' , which follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who befriends a captured humanoid-amphibian creature . The film was screened in the main competition section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival , where it premiered to positive reviews on August 31 , 2017 , and was awarded the Golden Lion for best film in the competition . It also screened at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival . Spencer earned Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations for her portrayal , while receiving her third Academy Award nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category , making her the first black actress to receive two consecutive Oscar nods in back-to-back years as well as the most nominated black actress to date , along with '' The Help '' co-star Viola Davis
74th Venice International Film Festival
74th Venice International Film Festival
Octavia Spencer