Octavia Spencer’s Ma character might have been a questionable influence on the young folks around her, but the Academy Award winner herself is anything but.
Gianni Paolo, one of Spencer’s co-stars in the 2019 film, recently shared that she paid for his publicist when he was in $20,000 of debt.
Spencer paid for Paolo’s publicist to relieve his $20,000 debt after ‘Power’
As Entertainment Weekly reported, Paolo opened up about the generous gesture while appearing on Harry Jowsey’s Boyfriend Material podcast, where he explained that after appearing in four episodes of Starz’s Power, most of his paycheck went to his team.
“I didn’t have any money for a publicist because at this time, this was pre-Ma-coming-out and I was like, I just can’t spend $5,000 a month for a publicist,” he shared on the show. “I only made $6,000 on the movie. I’m in $20,000 worth of credit card debt. So, I’m like, I’m just not going to get a publicist.”
Paolo told Jowsey that Spencer invited the Ma cast to her house for dinner before the film’s promotional tour, during which Spencer became aware of Paolo’s financial situation.
“She was talking about doing press for the movie and this was my first real big thing. So, I didn’t know anything,” Paolo recounted. “And she basically was like, we’re going to do press [get a] publicist. And I told her, I don’t have the money to do that. I’m not going to get a publicist.”
Spencer’s dinner was on a Friday night, and she had stepped in by the following Monday.
“She had called her publicist, paid for it completely, and then set me up with her whole team,” Paolo shared. “And then [she] said, ‘Now you have a publicist.’ She didn’t ask for the money back. Never.”
Spencer asked Paolo not to pay her back.
Paolo paid Spencer back after shooting ‘Power Book II: Ghost’
Despite Spencer’s request, Paolo paid her back after he shot the first episode of Power Book II: Ghost, which premiered in 2020.
Spencer and Paolo may reunite in the ‘Ma’ sequel
Spencer and Paolo may reunite for a sequel to Ma, which was announced in June, Blavity’s Shadow and Act reported. Spencer is set to return as the titular character and shared the exciting news on Instagram. Though Paolo died in the first film, anything could happen.
“Giving you more MA to meme about. It’s official, @octaviaspencer returns in MA 2. Don’t make her drink alone this time,” Blumhouse, the horror movie’s production company, wrote in a post with a GIF.
“it’s going to be aMAzing 😈🔪🍻,” Spencer commented.
