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Viola Davis

Actor

Viola Davis

  • Born: 11 August 1965, St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA
  • Estimated net worth: $25 million

Viola Davis is an acclaimed American actress known for her powerful performances in film, television, and theater. She gained widespread recognition for her roles in 'Fences,' 'The Help,' and 'How to Get Away with Murder.' Renowned for her emotional depth and…

About Viola Davis

Viola Davis is an acclaimed American actress known for her powerful performances in film, television, and theater. She gained widespread recognition for her roles in 'Fences,' 'The Help,' and 'How to Get Away with Murder.' Renowned for her emotional depth and distinctive voice, Davis has become a defining figure in contemporary acting, earning numerous awards for her work.

Born
11 August 1965, St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA
Height
5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Spouses
Julius Tennon (2003-present)
Children
1, Genesis Tennon
Parents
Mary Alice Davis, Dan Davis
Estimated net worth
$25 million

Fun facts about Viola Davis

  • Viola Davis is the first African American actress to win an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.
  • She has a passion for storytelling and often speaks about the importance of representation in Hollywood.

Famous Viola Davis quotes

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity.”
The Help, 2011
“I became an artist, and thank God I did, because we are the only people who can tell the truth.”
Fences, 2016
“You cannot be afraid to speak up and speak out for what you believe in.”
How to Get Away with Murder, 2014

Viola Davis filmography

Cast (145)

YearTitleCharacterRating
2027Children of Blood and Bone MovieMama Agba
2026Portrait of an Artist: Stephen Curry MovieSelf
2026W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause MovieNarrator (voice)6.0
2025G20 MoviePresident Danielle Sutton6.3
2025Number One on the Call Sheet TVSelf3.9
2025Good Hang with Amy Poehler TVSelf - Guest5.5
2025The Ebony Canal: A Story of Black Infant Mortality MovieNarration1.0
2024Creature Commandos TVAmanda Waller (voice)7.8
2024Hollywood Black TVSelf (archive footage)3.0
2024Kung Fu Panda 4 MovieThe Chameleon (voice)7.0
Show 135 more credits
YearTitleCharacterRating
2024Predator or Prey: Making The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes MovieSelf (Dr. Volumnia Gaul)7.5
2024Hot Ones Versus TVSelf8.8
2023The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes MovieDr. Volumnia Gaul7.0
2023Air MovieDeloris Jordan7.3
2022Food 2050 MovieSelf - Narrator (voice)10.0
2022Black Adam MovieAmanda Waller (uncredited)6.8
2022The Woman King MovieNanisca7.6
2022The Jennifer Hudson Show TVSelf5.6
2022Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event MovieSelf6.4
2022The First Lady TVMichelle Obama5.7
2022Peacemaker TVAmanda Waller (uncredited)8.2
2021The Unforgivable MovieLiz Ingram7.4
2021The Suicide Squad MovieAmanda Waller7.4
2021C ce soir TVSelf - Guest2.0
2020Ma Rainey's Black Bottom MovieMa Rainey6.6
2020Dear... TVSelf5.0
2020Celebrity IOU TVSelf6.7
2020Giving Voice MovieSelf6.4
2019Live in Front of a Studio Audience: "All in the Family" and "Good Times" MovieFlorida Evans6.1
2019On Broadway MovieSelf (archive footage)8.7
2019The Kelly Clarkson Show TVSelf6.2
2019A Touch of Sugar MovieNarrator1.0
2019Troop Zero MovieMiss Rayleen7.0
2018Widows MovieVeronica Rawlings6.5
2018Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal MovieSelf (archive footage)5.4
2016Fences MovieRose Maxson6.9
2016Suicide Squad MovieAmanda Waller5.9
2016Custody MovieMartha Schulman6.9
2015The Late Show with Stephen Colbert TVSelf - Guest6.1
2015The Late Show with Stephen Colbert TVSelf6.1
2015Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter TVSelf6.2
2015Lila & Eve MovieLila Walcott6.2
2015Hot Ones TVSelf7.1
2015August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand MovieSelf
2015Blackhat MovieCarol Barrett5.5
2014Variety Studio: Actors on Actors TVSelf4.2
2014The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her MovieProfessor Lillian Friedman6.7
2014The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him MovieProfessor Lillian Friedman6.7
2014How to Get Away with Murder TVAnnalise Keating7.8
2014Get On Up MovieSusie Brown6.8
2014The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them MovieProfessor Lillian Friedman6.2
2014Late Night with Seth Meyers TVSelf - Guest5.1
2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon TVSelf - Guest5.8
2014The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon TVSelf5.8
2013Ender's Game MovieMajor Gwen Anderson6.6
2013Prisoners MovieNancy Birch8.1
2013Love, Marilyn MovieSelf6.5
2013Beautiful Creatures MovieAmma Treadeau6.1
2013Sofia the First TVHelen Hanshaw (voice)7.2
2012Won't Back Down MovieNona Alberts6.2
2012Scandal TVAnnalise Keating7.2
2011Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close MovieAbby Black7.0
2011Dark Girls MovieSelf6.8
2011The Help MovieAibileen Clark8.2
2010It's Kind of a Funny Story MovieEden Minerva6.9
2010Trust MovieGail Friedman6.6
2010Eat Pray Love MovieDelia Shiraz6.2
2010Knight and Day MovieCIA Director Isabel George6.2
2009Beyond All Boundaries MovieHortense Johnson6.7
2009Law Abiding Citizen MovieMayor April Henry7.4
2009Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen TVSelf - Guest4.9
2009State of Play MovieDr. Judith Franklin6.8
2009Doubt: Stage to Screen MovieSelf6.5
2009Madea Goes to Jail MovieEllen6.5
2009United States of Tara TVUnknown character7.1
2008Doubt MovieMrs. Miller7.2
2008Nights in Rodanthe MovieJean6.3
2008The Andromeda Strain TVDr. Charlene Barton6.2
2007Jesse Stone: Sea Change MovieMolly Crane7.0
2007Traveler TVAgent Jan Marlow6.6
2007Disturbia MovieDetective Parker6.7
2007The Graham Norton Show TVSelf7.2
2006The Architect MovieTonya Neely5.7
2006Brothers and Sisters TVEllen Snyder7.1
2006Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story MovieDiane Barrino6.2
2006World Trade Center MovieMother in Hospital6.1
2006The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays MovieTonya (segment "King Hedley II")
2006Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise MovieMolly Crane6.9
2006Jesse Stone: Night Passage MovieOfficer Molly Crane6.9
2005Syriana MovieCIA Chairwoman6.4
2005Get Rich or Die Tryin' MovieGrandma6.8
2005Threshold TVUnknown character7.0
2005Stone Cold MovieMolly Crane6.8
2004Century City TVHannah Crane6.0
2003The Ellen DeGeneres Show TVSelf5.6
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live! TVSelf5.3
2003Jimmy Kimmel Live! TVSelf - Guest5.3
2002Antwone Fisher MovieEva May6.9
2002Solaris MovieGordon6.0
2002Far from Heaven MovieSybil7.1
2002Hack TVStevie Morgan7.7
2002Without a Trace TVAudrey Williams7.2
2002Live from E! TVSelf3.7
2001Kate & Leopold MoviePolicewoman6.4
2001Ocean's Eleven MovieParole Board Interrogator (voice) (uncredited)7.5
2001Law & Order: Criminal Intent TVTerry Randolph7.6
2001The Guardian TVSuzanna Clemons' Attorney7.0
2001The Shrink Is In MovieRobin4.8
2001Amy & Isabelle MovieDottie5.6
2001The Division TVDr. Georgia Davis7.1
2000Traffic MovieSocial Worker7.1
2000CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TVAttorney Campbell7.6
2000City of Angels TVLynnette Peeler9.0
1999Third Watch TVMargo Rodriguez7.9
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unit TVDonna Emmett8.0
1999Judging Amy TVCeleste7.5
1999Providence TVDr. Eleanor Weiss6.7
1998Grace & Glorie MovieRosemary Allbright6.3
1998Out of Sight MovieMoselle6.7
1998The Pentagon Wars MovieSgt. Fanning6.9
1998Miss Apprehension and Squirt MovieSharon Hughes
1997The View TVSelf4.3
1997The View TVSelf - Guest4.3
1997The Practice TVAisha Crenshaw7.6
1996The Substance of Fire MovieNurse6.4
1995The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA TVSelf6.0
1993NYPD Blue TVWoman7.1
1992The Tonight Show with Jay Leno TVSelf - Guest5.3
1989The Simpsons TVNarrator (voice)8.0
1979CBS News Sunday Morning TVSelf6.8
196860 Minutes TVSelf6.5
1959The Grammys TVSelf8.6
1956Tony Awards TVSelf - Presenter
1953The Oscars TVSelf7.1
1951Hallmark Hall of Fame TVRosemary Allbright8.8
1944Golden Globe Awards TVSelf - Nominee7.0
1944Golden Globe Awards TVSelf - Presenter7.0
TBAThe Personal History of Rachel DuPree MovieRachel Dupree
TBAAscent TVCatriona Vail
TBAOperation Othello MovieNarrator
TBASmall Great Things MovieUnknown character
TBAAlly Clark MovieAlly Clark
TBAI Almost Forgot About You MovieDr. Georgia Young
TBATwo Butterflies MovieUnknown character
TBAHouse of Games MovieUnknown character

Crew (22)

YearTitleRoleRating
2026The Color of Cola MovieExecutive Producer · Production
2025ASALI: Power of the Pollinators MovieExecutive Producer · Production8.0
2025G20 MovieProducer · Production6.3
2025Number One on the Call Sheet TVExecutive Producer · Production3.9
2023Silver Dollar Road MovieExecutive Producer · Production7.2
Show 17 more credits
YearTitleRoleRating
2022The Woman King MovieProducer · Production7.6
2022The First Lady TVExecutive Producer · Production5.7
2019In a Man's World TVCreator · Creator
2019In a Man's World TVExecutive Producer · Production
2019Emanuel MovieExecutive Producer · Production6.1
2019Troop Zero MovieProducer · Production7.0
2018The Last Defense TVExecutive Producer · Production5.5
2017Night Shift MovieExecutive Producer · Production
2014How to Get Away with Murder TVProducer · Production7.8
TBARise of the Empress TVExecutive Producer · Production
TBAOperation Othello MovieExecutive Producer · Production
TBABlack Boys Don't Sew MovieExecutive Producer · Production
TBAA Menina Que Voa MovieProduction Accountant · Production
TBAThe Untamed: A Sinner's Prayer MovieProducer · Production
TBAAlly Clark MovieProducer · Production
TBAMfinda MovieExecutive Producer · Production
TBAHouse of Games MovieProducer · Production

Latest releases

Questions about Viola Davis

What are some of Viola Davis's most famous films?

Viola Davis is known for her roles in 'The Help,' 'Fences,' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' which showcase her incredible range and talent.

Has Viola Davis won any major awards?

Yes, Viola Davis has won an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Tony Awards, making her one of the most awarded actresses in history.

What was Viola Davis's first film role?

Viola Davis's first film role was in 'The Substance of Fire' (1996), where she played a supporting character, marking the beginning of her film career.

How many children does Viola Davis have?

Viola Davis has one daughter, Genesis Tennon, whom she adopted with her husband, Julius Tennon.

What is Viola Davis's estimated net worth?

Viola Davis's estimated net worth is $25 million, reflecting her successful career in acting and producing.

What notable TV series did Viola Davis star in?

Viola Davis starred in the critically acclaimed television series 'How to Get Away with Murder,' where she portrayed Annalise Keating, a law professor and defense attorney.

When did Viola Davis start her acting career?

Viola Davis began her acting career in theater, performing in various productions before transitioning to film and television in the late 1990s.

What is a defining characteristic of Viola Davis's acting style?

Viola Davis is known for her emotionally charged performances and her ability to convey deep vulnerability, often bringing complex characters to life.