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Viola Davis

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BIO

Viola Davis is a critically revered actress of film, television, and theater and has won rave reviews for her multitude of substantial and intriguingly diverse roles. Audiences across the United States and internationally have admired her for her work- including her celebrated, Oscar-nominated performances in The Help (2011), Doubt (2008), and her Oscar winning performance in Fences (2016). In 2015, Davis won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for her work in ABC's How To Get Away With Murder, making her the first black woman in history to take home the award. In addition to acting, Viola currently produces alongside her husband and producing partner, Julius Tennon, through their JuVee Productions banner. Together they have produced award-garnering productions across theater, television, and film.



In the 2010s, Davis won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance as Rose Maxson in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play Fences. For starring as a 1960s housemaid in the comedy-drama The Help (2011), she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. From 2014 to 2020, she played lawyer Annalise Keating in the television drama series How to Get Away with Murder, for which she became the first black actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2015. In 2016, she reprised the role of Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2016, she made her debut as Amanda Waller in the DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad and has reprised the role in subsequent DCEU media. In 2020, she portrayed Ma Rainey in the biopic Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, for which she received a fourth Academy Award nomination, becoming the most-nominated black actress in Oscar history.

She released her memoir, Finding Me (2022), which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording nomination for its accompanying audiobook.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

Fences Fences
[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2010
Rose
Doubt Doubt
[]
Original Motion Picture, 2008
Mrs. Muller
Intimate Apparel
[Off-Broadway]
2004
Esther
King Hedley II
[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2001
Tonya
The Vagina Monologues
[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1999
Performer [Replacement]
[Replacement]
Everybody's Ruby
[Off-Broadway]
1999
Ruby McCollum
Pericles
[Off-Broadway]
1998
2nd Fisherman/Lychorida/Bawd
God's Heart
[Off-Broadway]
1997
Eleanor
Seven Guitars
[Broadway]
1996
Vera

Awards and Nominations


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2010 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Viola Davis, Fences


winner
New York Drama Critics Circle Awards - 2010 - Special Citations

Viola Davis


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2010 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Viola Davis , Fences


winner
Tony Awards - 2010 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play

Viola Davis, Fences

The Lortels - 2005 - Outstanding Lead Actress

Viola Davis, Intimate Apparel


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2004 - Outstanding Actress - Play

Viola Davis, Intimate Apparel


winner
Obie Awards - 2004 - Performance

Viola Davis, Intimate Apparel

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2004 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Viola Davis, Intimate Apparel


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 2001 - Outstanding Featured Actress - Play

Viola Davis, King Hedley II


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2001 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Viola Davis, King Hedley II


winner
Tony Awards - 2001 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Viola Davis, King Hedley II


winner
Obie Awards - 1999 - Performance

Viola Davis, Everybody's Ruby


winner
Theatre World Awards - 1996 - Performance

Viola Davis, Seven Guitars

Tony Awards - 1996 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Viola Davis, Seven Guitars

Videos

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Viola Davis been in?

Viola Davis has appeared on Broadway in 3 shows.

How many West End shows has Viola Davis been in?

Viola Davis has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Viola Davis been nominated for?

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Fences, Special Citations (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for , Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Fences, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Fences, Outstanding Lead Actress (The Lortels) for Intimate Apparel, Outstanding Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Intimate Apparel, Performance (Obie Awards) for Intimate Apparel, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Intimate Apparel , Outstanding Featured Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for King Hedley II, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for King Hedley II, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for King Hedley II, Performance (Obie Awards) for Everybody's Ruby, Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Seven Guitars and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Seven Guitars.

What awards has Viola Davis won?

Viola Davis has won multiple awards for her outstanding performances in theater. She received the Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for Fences and the Special Citations from the New York Drama Critics Circle Awards. Additionally, she was honored with the Outstanding Actress in a Play award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Fences. Viola won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for Fences. For Intimate Apparel, she earned the Outstanding Actress - Play award from the Drama Desk Awards and a Performance award from the Obie Awards. She also received the Outstanding Featured Actress - Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for King Hedley II, along with the Outstanding Actress in a Play from the Outer Critics Circle Awards and the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play at the Tony Awards for the same production. Viola Davis earned a Performance award from the Obie Awards for Everybody's Ruby and a Performance award from The Theatre World Awards for Seven Guitars.

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