Viola Davis
Date of Birth:
Gender: Female
Place of Birth: St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA
Biography:
Viola Davis, born August 11, 1965, is an esteemed American actress and film producer who has etched her name in the annals of cinematic history. Her extraordinary talent has earned her both the prestigious Triple Crown of Acting and the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) achievement. Time magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017, while The New York Times ranked her ninth among the greatest actors of the 21st century in 2020. She was even honored with the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2025.
Davis' journey into acting began at the prestigious Juilliard School, from where she graduated. Her early career started in Central Falls, Rhode Island, appearing in small stage productions. She made her Broadway debut in August Wilson's play "Seven Guitars" in 1996, earning her first Tony nomination. This was just the beginning of a stellar career marked by numerous accolades and memorable performances.
She went on to win two Tony Awards, both for playing characters in August Wilson plays. Her first Tony win came in 2001 when she portrayed the complex character of Tonya, a woman dealing with trauma and loss, in "King Hedley II." Her second win arrived in 2010, as she played the resilient role of Rose Maxson, a hardworking mother, in "Fences."
The versatile actress won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2017 for her role in the film adaptation of "Fences," which she originally performed on Broadway. She was also nominated for Oscars for her roles as a grieving mother in "Doubt" (2008), a 1960s housemaid in "The Help" (2011), and Ma Rainey in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (2020).
On the small screen, Davis made history as the first black actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. This was for her portrayal of lawyer Annalise Keating in the ABC legal drama series "How to Get Away with Murder" (2014-2020). She further expanded her horizons by joining the DC Extended Universe, playing formidable character Amanda Waller in "Suicide Squad" (2016). Davis also starred in the crime drama "Widows" (2018) and the historical action film "The Woman King" (2022).
Besides her remarkable acting career, Viola Davis co-founded JuVee Productions, a production company focused on creating diverse content. She is also a passionate advocate for human rights and women of color. In 2019, she became a L'Oréal Paris ambassador, further promoting her message of empowerment. Her memoir "Finding Me" released as an audiobook in 2022, which earned her the Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording due to her captivating narration.
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