How Lebron James Helped Octavia Spencer With Her 'Self Made' Netflix Series Deal

“Self Made” is among Netflix’s Top 10 most streamed in the United States, but it almost went on without its star.

Octavia Spencer spoke with Essence about how NBA star Lebron James his longtime partner, Maverick Carter helped her negotiate her role as Madam C.J. Walker in the Netflix series, admitting that they were the reason she was able to actually contract to the role.

“We were in the negotiating process and we had reached an impasse with certain things that I felt like I needed in my contract,” Spencer revealed. “I called Maverick and LeBron to let them know, you know, ‘Thanks everybody and everybody at [production company] Wonder Street, but I think we’ve reached an impasse in these negotiations.”

James and Carter, who helped the Los Angeles Laker acquire a billion-dollar contract with Nike, are the founders of SpringHill Entertainment. The production company “creates compelling stories for television, features, and digital.”

“I don’t know what was said, but I know that Maverick and LeBron made that call and intervened and the next thing I know I got what I wanted,” she explained. “The fact that they knew that they had to intervene; that they knew that they had to advocate for me and that they did, that’s important.”

And although the “Ma” actress didn’t want to take that route in the negotiation process, she’s glad she did.

“It’s sad that it had to happen, but guess what? If I didn’t get what I wanted, I was not going to be apart of the project,” Spencer said. “And I’m glad that they did advocate because Madam means a lot to me in my own personal history.”

View this post on Instagram

Welp, a few more minutes before I answer your questions about #SelfMade #Luce #TruthBeTold #Onward right __. So ask away. And if you watched #SelfMade here’s a Bts of the bike ride scene. @demanedavis and the talented grips in Toronto had my back. Also the woman who designed madam’s hair @shannonbakeman3 for all of the early styles used no irons. She set the wigs using strips of cloth as curlers and basically water bc I’m very allergic. She shot this video by the way.
A post shared by Octavia Spencer (@octaviaspencer) on Mar 23, 2020 at 11:44am PDT

Furthermore, the actress is making it very clear that she won’t be accepting anything less than what she deserves. Although she didn’t specify what exactly she felt she deserved in this case.

“If I don’t get what I feel like I deserve, I can easily walk away–and not very many people can,” Spencer said. “I grew up with nothing so I live beneath my means. I have very simple things that I need and that keeps me in check and that keeps my integrity.”

All four episodes of “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker” are available to stream on Netflix.