Last Updated on February 27, 2024
Viola Davis is an American actress and film producer with scores of acting credits to her name. Davis kicked off her career in theater before later shifting to film and television.
She has won several prestigious awards and recognitions for her outstanding contribution to the cinematic industry. A notable mention is the ‘Triple Crown of Acting’ award, which implies that she has won at least one Primetime Emmy Award, one Academy Award, and one Tony Award.
Viola Davis Quick Facts
Full Name: | Viola Davis |
Popular Name: | Viola Davis |
Nicknames: | N/A |
Birth Date: | August 11, 1965 |
Age: | 57 years |
Parents: | Dan Davis and Mae Alice Logan-Davis |
Siblings: | 6 siblings, including 4 sisters (Dianne Davis-Wright, Deloris Davis-Grant, Anita Davis, and Danielle Davis) and 1 brother |
Birth Place: | St. Matthews, South Carolina, United States |
Nationality: | American |
Ethnicity: | African-American |
Religion: | Christianity |
Education: | Central Falls High School, Young People’s School for the Performing Arts, Rhode Island College, and The Juilliard School |
Marital Status: | Married to actor Julius Tennon (since June 2003) |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Children: | 1 adopted child named Genesis and two step-children from Tennon’s previous relationships |
Net Worth: | USD 30 million |
Source of Wealth: | Acting, Film Producing, and Other Ventures |
Height: | 5′ 5″ (1.65 m) |
Weight: | In kilograms: 61 kg; In pounds: 134 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Early Life
Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina, United States, to Dan Davis and Mae Alice Logan-Davis. Her father was a horse trainer whereas her mother worked as a maid and in a local factory.
Davis graduated from Central Falls High School. She also attended Young People’s School for the Performing Arts based in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
After completing her high school education, Davis pursued enrolled in a degree program at Rhode Island College, majoring in theater. She graduated from Rhode Island in 1988 and subsequently attended the Juilliard School for four years.
Career Information
Viola Davis took an interest in acting while in high school. Her acting talents were discovered by Bernard Masterson, a director at the Young People’s School for the Performing Arts.
Davis launched her acting career by performing in theaters. She had her debut professional stage role in 1992 as Denis in an off-Broadway production of the comedy ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare. Four years later, she made her Broadway debut as the Vera in an original Broadway production by August Wilson titled ‘Seven Guitars.’
Viola Davis finally made her cinematic debut in the 1996 film ‘The Substance of Fire.’ She received $518 and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in the movie. Davis also appeared in the HBO television comedy film ‘The Pentagon Wars’ as well as in episodes of ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘New York Undercover’ the same year.
In 1999, Viola Davis had a minor role in the crime comedy film ‘Out of Sight.’ Two years later, she portrayed a pro-abortion mother in a Broadway performance by August Wilson, titled ‘King Hedley II.’ Davis’ role in the play won her a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. She later received another Drama Desk Award for her performance in a 2004 off-Broadway play by Lynn Nottage, titled ‘Intimate Apparel.’
Davis continued to land major Broadway, film, and television roles throughout the 2000s. She appeared in the films Traffic (2000), Kate & Leopold (2001), Antwone Fisher (2002), Far From Heaven (2002), Solaris (2002), Syriana (2005), and Doubt (2008). Her notable television works during this period include appearances in ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,’ ‘Traveler,’ ‘Century City,’ and ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent.’
In 2010, Viola Davis had minor roles in the films ‘Knight and Day,’ ‘Eat Pray Love,’ and ‘It’s Kind of a Funny Story.’ The following year, she starred as a housemaid in ‘The Help,’ a film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s novel of the same name. Her performance in the film later won her two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
In 2014, Davis appeared in the film ‘Get on Up’ and began starring in the series ‘How to Get Away with Murder,’ the latter of which won her a Primetime Emmy Award. She later featured in the movies Blackhat (2015), Lila & Eve (2015; also as an executive producer), Custody (2016; also as an executive producer), and Suicide Squad (2016).
The following are other noteworthy films that Davis has appeared in;
• Fences (2016; for which she won an Academy Award, a Golden Glove Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award)
• Widows (2018)
• Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
• The Suicide Squad (2021)
• The Unforgivable (2021)
Viola Davis’ Net Worth
As at November 1, 2022, Viola Davis had a net worth of $30 million. Davis is currently ranked as one of the highest-paid actresses on the planet, with an average annual salary of $15 million.
Besides acting and film production, Viola Davis also earned her fortune from other personal ventures. Most notably, real estate investments.
Lessons from Viola Davis
1. Your social background doesn’t determine what you become
Viola Davis came from a dysfunctional home and experienced a deprived childhood. She has previously stated that she once lived in rat-infested apartments. To think that Davis wound up as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated personalities proves that your past doesn’t define your future.
2. Patience is a virtue
Davis kicked off her professional acting career in the early-90s. But it was not until the early-2000s that she had her breakout acting role. Not many aspiring actors would wait ten years for their big break.
3. Most successful careers trace back to humble beginnings
Viola Davis is currently one of Hollywood’s highest-earning actresses. However, she did not achieve that feat overnight. At some point, Davis earned a paltry $500 for starring in a movie.
Famous Quotes by Viola Davis
• I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.
• The predator wants your silence. It feeds their power, entitlement, and they want it to feed your shame.
• There’s got to be a voice deep within you that is untouched by definitions. And it is there that you become divinely who you are.
• There’s no prerequisites to worthiness. You’re born worthy, and I think that’s a message a lot of women need to hear.
• We grew up in abject poverty. Acting, writing scripts and skits were a way of escaping our environment at a very young age.
Final Word
Viola Davis’ is an award-winning actress who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated figures. The talented actress has earned herself a $30 million net worth as at November 1, 2022.