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Octavia Spencer talks playing opposite Sally Hawkins in 'The Shape of Water'

Octavia Spencer plays a cleaning lady in a 1960's secret government lab in 'The Shape of Water.'

In "The Shape of Water," Zelda Fuller (Octavia Spencer) and Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins) are cleaning ladies in a secret government lab where agents poke and prod at a mythical amphibious man that may remind you of the creature from "The Black Lagoon."

When Elisa --who is mute-- meets the creature, something magical happens. The horror movie becomes... a romance.

Surprisingly, Spencer, who plays opposite Hawkins, found no challenge in playing across a mute character.

"I know this very well. My brother is mute. So it has an even deeper meaning for me. It's more beautiful because I understand the beauty of not being able to say words but still convey feelings," Spencer said.

Spencer won an Oscar for her role as Minny Jackson in "The Help," and sent astronauts to the moon in "Hidden Figures." Here, she returns to the 1960's. Spencer reveals she's figured out a trick to staying immersed despite having played so many characters from this era.

"I don't really venture into the real world, because you know it is hard to play a woman from this era and then have all of these things you're able to do now. So it is kind of like living in a bubble. So I spent a lot of time with Sally (Hawkins)."

Spencer helped Hawkins learn sign language and gets excited when people praise Hawkins for her role.

"Well, here's something people don't know about Sally. She is painfully shy. I have never met anyone as shy as she is. When she becomes Elisa, it is a different person so to see her at work and to know how she really doesn't like the spotlight at all. It's just so beautiful and humbling, and I love her. Just love her."

Travel and accommodation provided by Fox Searchlight Pictures.

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