Octavia Spencer’s Lost Women franchise returns to Investigation Discovery with Lost Women of Alaska, shining a spotlight on the cases of two murdered Alaska native women. The Oscar-winning actress exclusively tells Us Weekly why it’s so important for her to amplify the stories of missing women.
Spencer, 55, tells Us Weekly that “being a citizen of the world and being cognizant of the fact that those most vulnerable in our society are preyed upon” is the reason why she worked to bring these shows to life.
“I just wanted to be a part of amplifying their stories and bringing some sort of resolution of closure to their families,” Spencer explained, which is “the most rewarding aspect of producing both of these shows” as well as “perhaps re-energizing cases that might have gone cold, but also keeping those who are victimized, their names and legacies present in society and their legacies.”
Lost Women of Alaska looks back at the brutal 2018 murder of Veronica Abouchuk as well as the horrific killing of Kathleen Jo Henry in 2019. Veronica and Kathleen Jo are just two of the scores of Indigenous women who have disappeared in the remote Alaskan landscape. The probes into their murders exposed their sadistic killer, Brian Steven Smith, who authorities believe could have additional victims.
First Look at Octavia Spencer’s ID Shows ‘Lost Women of Alaska’ and ‘Feds’
In Us Weekly’s exclusive clip, a witness discusses safekeeping a phone that had a video of the victims, and how she knew letting it go would rob their families of justice.
Cases involving missing women of color generally receive significantly less media attention than the disappearances of white women do, and Spencer is mindful of this.
“I think as a Black woman, the next cases should be a collection of the Lost Women of Color,” Spencer told Us. “Black women whose stories haven’t been told. There are so many. These are stories we hadn’t heard.”
Lost Women of Alaska is an expansion of Spencer’s Emmy-winning Lost Women franchise, which has been provoking important conversations around society’s treatment of women.
Feds, meanwhile, offers viewers unprecedented access to the FBI, featuring exclusive interviews with FBI agents, informants, undercover operatives and victims as they reveal previously untold details about stories about some of the agency’s most dangerous and unusual cases.
Jason Sarlanis, the President of ID, previously praised Spencer for bringing “a level of care to every story she touches.”
Sarlanis said that “Lost Women of Alaska helps expose a crisis impacting Indigenous women with sensitivity and cinematic power. And with Feds, we are bringing viewers unprecedented access to the FBI’s most compelling investigations. We’re proud to continue building prestige true-crime storytelling together.”
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Along with Spencer, Lost Women of Alaska is also executive produced by Brian Clisham and Stephanie Kluft of Orit Entertainment, Matt Robins, Jos Cushing and Amy Lee-Jones of October Films, and Christina Douglas of Momentum Content.
Feds is executive produced by Spencer, Clisham, Kluft, Robins and October Films’ Mike Warner.
Lost Women of Alaska premieres on Investigation Discovery Wednesday, February 25, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes will also be available to stream on HBO Max.
Season 2 of Spencer’s Feds premieres on ID Wednesday, March 4 at 9 p.m. ET, with new episodes airing weekly. Episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max.
