Viola Davis News

Samuel L. Jackson and John David Washington will reprise their Broadway performances in the upcoming film adaptation of The Piano Lesson, which is currently set for a Netflix premiere. Malcolm Washington will direct the upcoming feature, which will also include Danielle Deadwyler, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, and Ray Fisher.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to sit down for an exclusive daytime talk show interview on “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” This marks the first time an elected national leader will be featured as a guest on the freshman show. Additional upcoming guests include legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson, multi-hyphenate Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and more.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird was adapted for the stage by Aaron Sorkin and opened on Broadway at the Schubert Theatre in December of 2018. The play is set in 1930s Alabama and follows the story of Atticus Finch, a small-town lawyer in his defense trial of Tom Robinson, an African American man wrongfully accused of rape. However, Sorkin’s adaptation differs from the book by Lee, in which we see Atticus as the protagonist here, unlike the portrayal of Scout in Lee’s novel. Witnessing Atticus as the protagonist of the story we go on an emotional journey, and are able to see the change in Atticus as the show progresses. As Sorkin developed his adaptation, the production was faced with its own legal disputes. One being with the Lee estate in regards to its faithfulness to the original narrative, and the other to exclusivity rights regarding the use of the script by Christopher Sergel.

Durham's historic Hillside High School has a long history of well-known graduates of the theatre and arts programs at the school. Most notable alums of Hillside Drama include Academy Award nominee film director Kevin Wilson Jr., actress April Parker Jones, and Lauren E. Banks.

Watch an exclusive video from the season finale of Finding Your Roots, in which Billy Crudup reads the baptism record of his ancestor, Kristoff, from 1797 which reveals that Kristoff was an illegitimate child. Dr. Gates also reveals that Billy's fifth great-grandmother never married. Billy and Dr. Gates are amazed at how his family line started.

On April 25, Viola Davis will join Brooklyn Children's Theatre for a night of music and celebration to support musical theatre scholarships for hundreds of Brooklyn children.

The 2023 Audie Awards recognizes distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. Billy Porter won for Best Autobiography/Memoir for his Finding Me audiobook. Viola Davis’ Finding Me, which she wrote and narrated, and published by HarperCollins Publishers, earned two Audie Awards. Check out the full list of winners!

Experience the story of THE HUNGER GAMES — 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, and decades before Coriolanus Snow became the tyrannical President of Panem. The film stars Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, and Viola Davis. Check out the poster photo now!

In attendance was Director/Star Ben Affleck, Stars Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, Julius Tennon, Writer Alex Convery, Producers Jeff Robinov, Jason Michael Berman and Executive Producers Jordan Moldo, and Jon Weinbach. Check out photos now!

Roundabout Theatre Company will conclude the New York premiere of The Wanderers by Anna Ziegler, directed by Barry Edelstein on Sunday, April 2.

The voice cast includes: Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg, Monique Coleman (High School Musical), Ronen Rubinstein (9-1-1 Lone Star), Joy Ofodu (Mighty Express) and Lupita Pineda (activist) along with Maya Penn who is also the lead animator. Watch the video trailer for the new film now!

August Wilson's towering classic Fences will have its long-overdue Australian premiere at Sydney Theatre Company this month, featuring two of the starring performers from 2022's critically-adored production A Raisin in the Sun - Bert LaBonté and Zahra Newman. 

A Red Orchid Theatre has announced the cast for the Chicago Premiere of Is God Is by Aleshea Harris, directed by Marti Gobel. 

Following multiple sold-out performances at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas, award-winning actor and comedian, Chris Tucker, will return to the stage for his latest headlining engagement, July 14-15, 2023. The Rush Hour star is a longtime crowd favorite and one of the must-see Las Vegas performances of the summer. Tickets for both performances will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 10 a.m. PST.

Jennifer Hudson, Viola Davis, Angela Bassett, and more took home NAACP Image Awards over the weekend. Host Queen Latifah also opened the show with a performance of “I’m Gonna Live Til I Die.' Watch the performance and check out the complete list of winners below!

Last night, Jessica Chastain, Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser, Jennifer Coolidge, Jean Smart, and more took home SAG Awards. Check out the complete list of winners now!

Onyx Collective announces cast for Hulu Original Comedy series “How to Die Alone” with series regular stars Conrad Ricamora as Rory, KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Terrance and Jocko Sims as Alex, alongside Natasha Rothwell as Melissa, and recurring guest star Bashir Salahuddin as Brian.

The Audio Publishers Association has announced finalists for the 2023 Audie Awards®, the premier awards program recognizing distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment. Winners across 26 competitive categories will be revealed at the Audie Awards Gala on March 28. The ceremony will be streamed to the public from Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty in NYC. 

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced the complete cast for the world premiere of Primary Trust by playwright Eboni Booth, directed by Knud Adams. See who is starring, and how to purchase tickets!

Happy first preview to Parade, which begins previews on Broadway tonight! Top stories include photos from the National Tour of 1776, and more!