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Gianni Paolo Says Octavia Spencer Covered His PR Costs Before 'Ma' Premiere

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Gianni Paolo says Octavia Spencer once paid for his publicist, helping launch his career before he joined ‘Power’.

Actor Gianni PaoloGianni Paolo is giving major props to Octavia Spencer for a career-changing act of kindness. Speaking on the Boyfriend Material podcast, the Ma star revealed that before the 2019 Blumhouse horror hit premiered, Spencer learned he couldn’t afford a publicist. At the time, Paolo had made just $6,000 from the film and was $20,000 in credit card debt, while PR fees ran $5,000 a month.

After hosting the cast for dinner, Spencer quietly called her own publicist, paid the bill, and set Paolo up with her team—without ever asking for repayment. Paolo says the move opened doors, eventually leading to his breakout on Starz’s Power and Power Book II: Ghost. Once he got his first Power paycheck, he wired Spencer $10,000 back.

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Now starring in the Sophie Turner thriller Trust (out Aug. 22), Paolo tells aspiring actors to focus on finding a manager first—then build the rest of the team.