Octavia Spencer Reveals A Heartbreaking Loss Within Her Family

Octavia Spencer has starred in countless films, been nominated for three Oscars (of which she won one), and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Spencer's also said to be worth a whopping $14 million. However, her biggest treasure is and always will be her family — and that's why a recent loss has come as a major blow to the "Hidden Figures" actor.

Speaking to AARP back in 2017, Spencer gushed about her strong bond with her family. Growing up as one of seven children, Spencer has gone on to remain close-knit with her siblings. She's also made a point of fostering incredible bonds with their children — and she wouldn't have it any other way. After all, that's the true meaning of life. "It's not about chasing things on life's treadmill," she told the publication. "It's about the people that are sitting around my table — my family, my nieces and nephews, my friends." Spencer has also vowed that, even though life has become busy for her since becoming a movie star, there was one sacrifice she would never be willing to make. "I've always spent Christmas with my family." Further, she added that unless she started a family of her own, she had no plans of changing that. "Until I get married, I'll always spend Christmas with my family in Alabama."

However, a recent tragedy has had a devastating impact on both Spencer and her extended family unit — and she's taken to social media to share that she isn't coping well.

One week after ringing in her 52nd birthday, Octavia Spencer took to Instagram to share some devastating news with her followers. That is, one of her nephews has died. "Today was the second worst day of my life," she shared, before explaining, "my family lost the first of the next generation of us, and we're gutted." Spencer also shared that her nephew was her sister's "only son. Her only child."

For Spencer, who has often provided comic relief in her more serious roles, the sudden grief came with an added difficulty. "Grief is the most terrifying of the emotions because I can't laugh my way out of it. I have to feel." The 2017 Oscar nominee hasn't revealed the cause of her nephew's death, and instead asked for "privacy as we deal with this tremendous loss." While Spencer has spoken of her bond with her extended family to AARP, per Vanity Fair, she generally prefers to respect their privacy. That said, she has previously opened up about the passing of her mother to People, crediting her for providing "the necessary foundation to be able to do what I do."

In the wake of her nephew's passing, Spencer asked any "praying people" in her fan base to keep her sister and brother-in-law in their thoughts. We're sending all our love to them, to Spencer, and to her entire extended family.