Coffee Talk: Octavia Spencer Directs Short Film on Bullying

Here’s why we’re having a plain cup of black coffee:

• Octavia Spencer is doing a little directing in between her acting gigs. The Academy Award winner has directed a short film, The Unforgiving Minute, set to debut at the SoHo International Film Festival in New York on April 13. The 10-minute feature follows a boy who grows up in an unforgiving environment and is constantly tested and bullied. It also happens to be narrated by her good friend and The Help co-star, Viola Davis. This isn’t her first time in the director’s chair, either. Spencer directed a documentary in 2008, called The Captain. [Indie Wire]

• According to the Grio, special prosecutor, Angela Corey, will not take the Trayvon Martin case before a grand jury. Corey said her decision to bypass the grand jury will not affect whether or not charges will be filed against George Zimmerman. [Grio]

• After being traded to the Dallas Mavericks last year, Lamar Odom has announced he’s “stepping away from the team.” The news came as no shock after he was downgraded at the start of the year to the D-list- league. “I’m sorry that things didn’t work out better for both of us,” he said in a statement. “But I wish the Mavs’ organization, my teammates and Dallas fans nothing but continued success in the defense of their championship.” [TMZ]

• Raven-Symoné has been forced to pull out of several Broadway shows because of the flu. The starlet plays Delores Van Cartier in Sister Act. “My Broadway debut was incredible,” she tweeted. “Disappointed I’ve missed performances because of the flu. My apologies, but I’ll be back in the habit very soon.” [EURweb]

• Jaleel White says Will Levy is his biggest competitor on Dancing with the Stars. The contestant says, “He’s such a fun guy to be around in rehearsal every day. So right now, my frontrunner would be Will Levy, but that’s just because nobody can get a female reaction the way that he can.” [Huffington Post]