Hidden Figures is a film about women who do extraordinary things in a time when they weren't even allowed to use the same part of a public bus. Now, one of the lead actresses of the movie is doing something to make sure that the film's message of strength makes it to those who need to hear it most. Octavia bought out an entire theater over the Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend so that families who could not otherwise afford to go to the movies would have a chance to see the film.
Octavia Spencer, who plays the role of Dorothy Vaughn in Hidden Figures, made the announcement via Instagram over the weekend that she had bought out an entire theater so that as many as possible could see the film fro free. She says that growing up she would not have been able to see the movie because her single mother would not have been able to afford it. Spencer is now in a position to be able to help out others in similar financial straights and so she's trying to give a little something back.
Octavia Spencer is, in her own small way, an example of how far things have come since the era of Hidden Figures. The film follows three African-American women skilled in mathematics who do their part to help ensure that the fledgling American space program is a success. As both African Americans and women, their contributions are discounted by many twice over. Still, Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monáe all play women who fight the system that's been set up against them in order to accomplish things that nobody believes they are capable of doing.
Taraji P. Henson, previously stated that had she been aware of the real life women in the movie, she might have considered an entirely different direction in her life. The story that Hidden Figures tells isn't one that's widely known, which is all the more reason that those who might not have the opportunity get a chance to learn the story. None of the families in Hidden Figures are particularly well off, living in the segregated south it's virtually impossible for them to become so. Seeing women who are able to accomplish so much while having so little could be just the inspiration that somebody needs to go on to do something great.
Many others have made a point to learn the story of Hidden Figures as well, the film won the box office other the weekend, as it did last weekend as well. While it may have taken a bit too long for this story to reach the public consciousness, it's clearly resonating with audiences now that it is here.
