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IMDbPro

Viola Davis(I)

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000317
Viola Davis at an event for Suicide Squad (2016)
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.
BornAugust 11, 1965
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornAugust 11, 1965
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000317
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 123 wins & 248 nominations total

    Viola Davis Through the Years

    Viola Davis Through the Years

    From The Help and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom to "How to Get Away with Murder" and G20, take a look back at the impressive carrer of Viola Davis.
    See the gallery
    Production art
    Photos

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    + 884
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    Known for

    Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in Fences (2016)
    Fences
    7.2
    • Rose Maxson
    • 2016
    Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, and Emma Stone in The Help (2011)
    The Help
    8.1
    • Aibileen Clark
    • 2011
    Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim, and Thuso Mbedu in The Woman King (2022)
    The Woman King
    6.9
    • Nanisca
    • 2022
    Will Smith, Jared Leto, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Adam Beach, Viola Davis, Jay Hernandez, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne, and Karen Fukuhara in Suicide Squad (2016)
    Suicide Squad
    5.9
    • Amanda Waller
    • 2016

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actress



    • Children of Blood and Bone
      • Mama Agba
      • In Production
      • 2027
    • I Almost Forgot About You
      • Pre-production
    • Untitled Harriet Tubman Project
      • Harriet Tubman
      • In Development
    • Waller
      • Amanda Waller
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series



    • Viola Davis in G20 (2025)
      G20
      5.1
      • President Danielle Sutton
      • 2025
    • Frank Grillo, Sean Gunn, Alan Tudyk, Indira Varma, David Harbour, and Zoë Chao in Creature Commandos (2024)
      Creature Commandos
      7.8
      TV Series
      • Amanda Waller (voice)
      • 2024–2025
    • Dustin Hoffman, Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Viola Davis, James Hong, Ian McShane, Cece Valentina, Lincoln Nakamura, and Awkwafina in Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
      Kung Fu Panda 4
      6.3
      • The Chameleon (voice)
      • 2024
    • Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis, Peter Dinklage, Rachel Zegler, Josh Rivera, Tom Blyth, and Hunter Schafer in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
      The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
      6.7
      • Dr. Volumnia Gaul
      • 2023
    • Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Chris Tucker, Jason Bateman, and Viola Davis in Air (2023)
      Air
      7.4
      • Deloris Jordan
      • 2023
    • Pierce Brosnan, Aldis Hodge, Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Shahi, and Noah Centineo in Black Adam (2022)
      Black Adam
      6.2
      • Amanda Waller (uncredited)
      • 2022
    • Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim, and Thuso Mbedu in The Woman King (2022)
      The Woman King
      6.9
      • Nanisca
      • 2022
    • Gillian Anderson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Viola Davis in The First Lady (2022)
      The First Lady
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Michelle Obama
      • 2022
    • John Cena in Peacemaker (2022)
      Peacemaker
      8.3
      TV Series
      • Amanda Waller (uncredited)
      • 2022
    • Sandra Bullock in The Unforgivable (2021)
      The Unforgivable
      7.1
      • Liz Ingram
      • 2021
    • Sylvester Stallone, Steve Agee, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, David Dastmalchian, Margot Robbie, and Daniela Melchior in The Suicide Squad (2021)
      The Suicide Squad
      7.2
      • Amanda Waller
      • 2021
    • Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
      Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
      6.9
      • Ma Rainey
      • 2020
    • Viola Davis in How to Get Away with Murder (2014)
      How to Get Away with Murder
      8.1
      TV Series
      • Annalise Keating
      • 2014–2020
    • Live in Front of a Studio Audience (2019)
      Live in Front of a Studio Audience
      6.8
      TV Series
      • Florida Evans
      • 2019
    • Allison Janney, Viola Davis, Mike Epps, Jim Gaffigan, Mckenna Grace, Bella Higginbotham, Charlie Shotwell, Johanna Colón, and Milan Elizabeth Ray in Troop Zero (2019)
      Troop Zero
      6.9
      • Miss Rayleen
      • 2019

    Producer



    • Black Boys Don't Sew
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
    • I'm Your Man
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
    • Rise of the Empress
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Mini Series
    • Mfinda
      • producer
      • Pre-production
    • Waller
      • executive producer
      • Pre-production
      • TV Series
    • The Color of Cola
      • executive producer
      • In Production



    • Viola Davis in G20 (2025)
      G20
      5.1
      • producer (produced by)
      • 2025
    • Whoopi Goldberg, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, Viola Davis, Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, and Dwayne Johnson in Number One on the Call Sheet (2025)
      Number One on the Call Sheet
      8.0
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer
      • 2025
    • Silver Dollar Road (2023)
      Silver Dollar Road
      6.6
      • executive producer for juvee productions
      • 2023
    • Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Sheila Atim, and Thuso Mbedu in The Woman King (2022)
      The Woman King
      6.9
      • producer (produced by, p.g.a.)
      • 2022
    • Iago: The Green Eyed Monster (2022)
      Iago: The Green Eyed Monster
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2022
    • Hungry for Answers (2022)
      Hungry for Answers
      6.0
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2022
    • Gillian Anderson, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Viola Davis in The First Lady (2022)
      The First Lady
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2022
    • Viola Davis in How to Get Away with Murder (2014)
      How to Get Away with Murder
      8.1
      TV Series
      • producer
      • 2016–2020
    • Giving Voice (2020)
      Giving Voice
      7.0
      • executive producer
      • 2020
    • Emanuel (2019)
      Emanuel
      7.6
      • executive producer
      • 2019
    • Allison Janney, Viola Davis, Mike Epps, Jim Gaffigan, Mckenna Grace, Bella Higginbotham, Charlie Shotwell, Johanna Colón, and Milan Elizabeth Ray in Troop Zero (2019)
      Troop Zero
      6.9
      • producer
      • 2019
    • The Last Defense (2018)
      The Last Defense
      7.4
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018
    • Two Sides (2018)
      Two Sides
      TV Mini Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018
    • XQ Super School Live (2017)
      XQ Super School Live
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
      • 2017
    • Elaine Kao, Cedric Sanders, Diarra Kilpatrick, and Miles Orion Feldsott in American Koko (2017)
      American Koko
      7.2
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2017

    Soundtrack



    • Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in Fences (2016)
      Fences
      7.2
      • performer: "Jesus Be A Fence Around Me"
      • 2016
    • Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story (2006)
      Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story
      5.3
      TV Movie
      • performer: "Almighty God"
      • 2006

    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Every EGOT Winner So Far

    Every EGOT Winner So Far

    Only a handful of artists have reached EGOT status, that rare achievement of winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. Here is the full list of these legends of entertainment.
    See the list
    Production art
    List

    Videos138

    Where Does DC Go From Here?
    Clip 6:38
    Where Does DC Go From Here?
    Why 'The Woman King' Stunts Had to Be 90 to 100% Real
    Clip 3:23
    Why 'The Woman King' Stunts Had to Be 90 to 100% Real
    Why 'The Woman King' Stunts Had to Be 90 to 100% Real
    Clip 3:23
    Why 'The Woman King' Stunts Had to Be 90 to 100% Real
    The Rise of Viola Davis
    Clip 4:01
    The Rise of Viola Davis
    Viola Davis | Career Retrospective
    Clip 2:02
    Viola Davis | Career Retrospective
    Viola Davis Reflects on Chadwick Boseman's Unapologetic Authenticity
    Clip 1:42
    Viola Davis Reflects on Chadwick Boseman's Unapologetic Authenticity
    Viola Davis Shares the Importance of Unfiltered Black Characters in 'Ma Rainey'
    Clip 1:54
    Viola Davis Shares the Importance of Unfiltered Black Characters in 'Ma Rainey'

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Height
      • 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
    • Born
      • August 11, 1965
      • St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA
    • Spouse
      • Julius TennonJune 23, 2003 - present (1 child)
    • Children
      • Genesis Tennon
    • Parents
        Mary Alice Logan
    • Relatives
        Deloris Davis(Sibling)
    • Other works
      Received a 1999 Obie Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway play "Everybody's Ruby".
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Print Biography
      • 4 Interviews
      • 13 Articles
      • 8 Magazine Cover Photos

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Is one of three African-American actresses (the other being Whoopi Goldberg and Angela Bassett) to be nominated for an Academy Award in both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories.
    • Quotes
      We grew up in abject poverty. Acting, writing scripts and skits were a way of escaping our environment at a very young age.
    • Trademarks
        Her natural hair

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