Exclusive: Octavia Spencer On Working With Robert Zemekis In ‘The Witches’

Now playing on HBO Max is the family fun adventure Roald Dahl’s The Witches, directed and co-written by Robert Zemeckis.

Zemeckis brings a fresh sense of humor along with warmth and the unexpected to what is sure to be a Halloween favorite! It’s a wickedly funny and heartwarming tale about a young boy who stumbles upon a secret coven of witches and, with the help of his loving grandmother, must try to stop their evil plan to turn all the world’s children into mice. “Roald Dahl’s The Witches” is the film the whole family can enjoy together this Halloween season.

The incredible cast includes powerhouse performances by Anne Hathaway as the sly, menacing Grand High Witch and Octavia Spencer as the tough but loving grandmother who will fight her to the end. Stanley Tucci is the hotel manager unwittingly hosting the witches’ convention; Kristin Chenoweth lends her familiar voice and energy to the action; and the heart of the film is the young boy, played by Jahzir Bruno [adult narration by Chris Rock], who becomes a brave but unlikely hero by teaming with his friends and grandma to stop the witches’ evil plan.

For Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who was seen earlier this year on Netflix in the 4-part series, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker, she gets to work with Zemekis, whose films have been not only successful but come with a vision that can’t be match. Films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Back To The Future, Forest Gump, Cast Away, The Polar Express, Beowulf, and A Christmas Carol.

In speaking with Ms. Spencer, she talked about her role, working with Zemekis and what inspires her to the projects she takes.

How did this project come about for you? And why did you say yes?

Octavia Spencer: I had just won a Golden Globe for Green Book. And I got a call the very next day from Kenya Barris and Bob Zemeckis on the phone together and offering me the part. I, of course, said yes, because I was very familiar with with the book. It’s one of my favorite books. So I thought you guys are making grandma African American from Alabama. Absolutely. Sign me up.

Now, did they tailor your character differently than what people know from the book and from the original movie?

Octavia Spencer: Well, yeah, because the grandma in the in the book is a Norwegian. And so I am clearly not Norwegian. But they had set the book and Demopolis, Alabama, and I'm from Montgomery, Alabama. So it was a it was an easy yes for me. 

How would you best describe the grandmother, Agatha?

Octavia Spencer: Grandma is a she's a tough cookie. She has a heart of gold, though. But she's definitely a tough cookie. When her grandson discovers a coven of witches, she has to help him fight the witches and protect the kids in Demopolis, Alabama.

There’s a moment in the film when you are dancing to some 60s music. How was it like that when you heard it? Did you have a say as far as what music you wanted to dance to?

Octavia Spencer: No, that's all all Bob Z. And it was it was fun. The only hard part for me was that I hurt my back the week before we started shooting. And I had been dancing that week. They had a chiropractor come to set every day and work that out. You never saw any of the back pain. I was a little nervous about it, but it was such fun to shoot and do. 

How was working with Jahzir?

Octavia Spencer: Well, it was so much fun. He is from Georgia and it was his first time in the UK. I got to spend time with his mom and grandmother and little baby sister. He's such a protective big brother, and just loves his family. That translates when he is with Grandma, and his friends on screen. He is such a wonderful young actor.

Why do you think there needs to be a retelling of the story?

Octavia Spencer: It's a reimagining. Not necessarily a retelling, but reimagining this family in this scenario. It's fun and sadly, because of COVID Halloween would have been canceled this year. And now it doesn't have to be because people have something that they can do with their kids. If they're not going trick or treating, they can dress up and sit around and enjoy some candy and watch The Witches. So I think The Witches is saving Halloween this year.

What would you say was your favorite part of Halloween growing up? 

Octavia Spencer: Well, we didn't celebrate Halloween growing up. The idea of trick or treating, we didn't do that as kids but my my nieces and nephews do it now. But we didn't do it. 

What did you pick up from Robert Zemeckis that you hadn't picked up from other directors you've worked with in the past?

Octavia Spencer: I wouldn't say that he possessed anything differently from any of the other directors. But Bob is legendary. He is an innovative director. Most of the visual effects stuff that we see now in his films, Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit, all of that, the visual effects from that was innovation that he spearheaded that. So I knew that whatever the visual effects were going to be in this movie, they're going to be fantastic because of Bob, and he's just technically precise. He's a wonderful collaborator.

With the projects that you do, what is the thing that you look for in these movies or projects that you say yes to?

Octavia Spencer: The thing about the projects that I say yes to have to be good stories, and they have to resonate with me, and I feel like if they resonate with me, then there's a chance that they will resonate with a broader audience. So I never pick a project because of a role. As long as it's integral to the story. It could be the tiniest of roles, as long as the project itself is curated well with a bonafide director, writer, and cast. Then it’s hard to say no. 

Doing projects these days have taken a different light as far as how people want to do films, whether they want to travel, or whether they want to work less. Has this time period, because of COVID, changed your outlook as to how you want to do your projects?

Octavia Spencer: I wouldn't mind traveling. I just worked on a film here in LA, and I'm about to start my series for Apple. But I would work if we were in another country that has mitigated the virus better. Apparently New Zealand and Australia and Canada have figured it out. So I wouldn't mind working in those places.