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Viola Davis
Actor, ProducerBorn August 11, 1965 (60 years)
Viola Davis (/vaɪˈoʊlə/ vy-OH-lə; born August 11, 1965) is an American actress and film producer. Her accolades include both the Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017. The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century (2020). Davis received the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2025.
A graduate of Juilliard, Davis began her career in Central Falls, Rhode Island, appearing in small stage productions. She made her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play Seven Guitars (1996) for which she earned her first Tony nomination. She would later win two Tony Awards, both for Wilson plays. Her first win was for Best Featured Actress in a Play playing the titular character Tonya, a woman grappling with trauma and loss in King Hedley II (2001), followed by her second win for Best Actress in a Play playing Rose Maxson, a working class mother in Fences (2010).
She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for reprising her role in the 2016 film adaptation of Fences. She was Oscar-nominated for playing a complex mother in Doubt (2008), a 1960s housemaid in The Help (2011) and Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). On television, she became the first black actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as lawyer Annalise Keating in the ABC legal drama series How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020). Davis joined the DCEU playing Amanda Waller starting with Suicide Squad (2016). She has also starred in the crime drama Widows(2018), and historical action film The Woman King (2022).
Davis and her husband are founders of the production company JuVee Productions, and she is also widely recognized for her advocacy and support for human rights and women of color. She became a L'Oréal Paris ambassador in 2019. The audiobook narration of her 2022 memoir Finding Me won her the Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Viola Davis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
A graduate of Juilliard, Davis began her career in Central Falls, Rhode Island, appearing in small stage productions. She made her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play Seven Guitars (1996) for which she earned her first Tony nomination. She would later win two Tony Awards, both for Wilson plays. Her first win was for Best Featured Actress in a Play playing the titular character Tonya, a woman grappling with trauma and loss in King Hedley II (2001), followed by her second win for Best Actress in a Play playing Rose Maxson, a working class mother in Fences (2010).
She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for reprising her role in the 2016 film adaptation of Fences. She was Oscar-nominated for playing a complex mother in Doubt (2008), a 1960s housemaid in The Help (2011) and Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). On television, she became the first black actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as lawyer Annalise Keating in the ABC legal drama series How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020). Davis joined the DCEU playing Amanda Waller starting with Suicide Squad (2016). She has also starred in the crime drama Widows(2018), and historical action film The Woman King (2022).
Davis and her husband are founders of the production company JuVee Productions, and she is also widely recognized for her advocacy and support for human rights and women of color. She became a L'Oréal Paris ambassador in 2019. The audiobook narration of her 2022 memoir Finding Me won her the Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Viola Davis, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Featured Videos
Viola Davis Filmography
| 2027 | Children of Blood and Bone · as Mama Agba |
| 2025 | G20 · as President Danielle Sutton |
| 2024 | Creature Commandos (TV Series) · as Amanda Waller (voice) |
| 2024 | Kung Fu Panda 4 · as The Chameleon (voice) |
| 2023 | The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes · as Dr. Volumnia Gaul |
| 2023 | Air · as Deloris Jordan |
| 2022 | Bonnie · as Carol Barrett |
| 2022 | Black Adam · as Amanda Waller (uncredited) |
| 2022 | The Woman King · as Nanisca |
| 2022 | The First Lady (2022) (TV Series) · as Michelle Obama |
| 2022 | Peacemaker (TV Series) · as Amanda Waller (uncredited) |
| 2021 | The Unforgivable · as Liz Ingram |
| 2021 | The Suicide Squad · as Amanda Waller |
| 2020 | Ma Rainey's Black Bottom · as Ma Rainey |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times' · as Florida Evans |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience (TV Series) · as Florida Evans |
| 2019 | Troop Zero · as Miss Rayleen |
| 2018 | Widows · as Veronica Rawlings |
| 2017 | American Koko (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 2016 | Fences · as Rose Maxson |
| 2016 | Suicide Squad · as Amanda Waller |
| 2016 | Custody · as Martha Schulman |
| 2015 | Lila & Eve · as Lila Walcott |
| 2015 | Blackhat · as Carol Barrett |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder (TV Series) · as Annalise Keating |
| 2014 | The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them · as Professor Lillian Friedman |
| 2014 | Get on Up · as Susie Brown |
| 2013 | The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him · as Professor Lillian Friedman |
| 2013 | The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her · as Professor Lillian Friedman |
| 2013 | Ender's Game · as Major Gwen Anderson |
| 2013 | Prisoners · as Nancy Birch |
| 2013 | Beautiful Creatures · as Amma Treadeau |
| 2012 | Sofia the First (TV Series) · as Helen Hanshaw (voice) |
| 2012 | Won't Back Down · as Nona Alberts |
| 2012 | Scandal (2012) (TV Series) · as Annalise Keating |
| 2011 | Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close · as Abby Black |
| 2011 | Touch of Evil · as The Vengeful Caretaker |
| 2011 | The Help · as Aibileen Clark |
| 2010 | It's Kind of a Funny Story · as Dr. Eden Minerva |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | Eat Pray Love · as Delia Shiraz |
| 2010 | Knight and Day · as Cia Director Isabel George |
| 2009 | Chico & Rita · as Cast |
| 2009 | Beyond All Boundaries · as Hortense Johnson |
| 2009 | Law Abiding Citizen · as Mayor April Henry |
| 2009 | State of Play · as Dr. Judith Franklin |
| 2009 | Madea Goes to Jail · as Ellen |
| 2009 | United States of Tara (TV Series) |
| 2008 | Doubt · as Mrs. Miller |
| 2008 | Nights in Rodanthe · as Jean |
| 2008 | The Andromeda Strain (TV Series) · as Dr. Charlene Barton |
| 2007 | Jesse Stone: Sea Change · as Molly Crane |
| 2007 | Traveler (TV Series) · as Agent Jan Marlow |
| 2007 | Disturbia · as Detective Parker |
| 2006 | The Architect · as Tonya Neely |
| 2006 | Brothers & Sisters (TV Series) · as Ellen Snyder |
| 2006 | Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story · as Diane Barrino |
| 2006 | World Trade Center · as Mother In Hospital |
| 2006 | Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise · as Molly Crane |
| 2006 | Jesse Stone: Night Passage · as Officer Molly Crane |
| 2005 | Syriana · as Cia Chairwoman |
| 2005 | Get Rich or Die Tryin' · as Grandma |
| 2005 | Threshold (TV Series) |
| 2005 | Jesse Stone: Stone Cold · as Molly Crane |
| 2004 | Century City (TV Series) |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher · as Eva May |
| 2002 | Far from Heaven · as Sybil |
| 2002 | Solaris · as Gordon |
| 2002 | Hack (TV Series) · as Stevie Morgan |
| 2002 | Without a Trace (TV Series) · as Audrey Williams |
| 2001 | Kate & Leopold · as Policewoman |
| 2001 | Ocean's Eleven · as Parole Board Interrogator (voice) (uncredited) |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent (TV Series) · as Terry Randolph |
| 2001 | The Guardian (TV Series) · as Suzanna Clemons' Attorney |
| 2001 | The Shrink Is In · as Robin |
| 2001 | Amy & Isabelle · as Dottie |
| 2001 | The Division (TV Series) · as Dr. Georgia Davis |
| 2000 | Traffic · as Social Worker |
| 2000 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV Series) · as Attorney Campbell |
| 2000 | City of Angels (TV Series) · as Lynnette Peeler |
| 1999 | Third Watch (TV Series) · as Margo Rodriguez |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) · as Donna Emmett |
| 1999 | Judging Amy (TV Series) · as Celeste |
| 1999 | Providence (TV Series) · as Dr. Eleanor Weiss |
| 1998 | Grace & Glorie · as Rosemary Allbright |
| 1998 | Out of Sight · as Moselle |
| 1998 | The Pentagon Wars · as Sgt. Fanning |
| 1997 | The Practice (TV Series) · as Aisha Crenshaw |
| 1996 | The Substance of Fire · as Nurse |
| 1994 | New York Undercover (TV Series) · as Mrs. Stapleton |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue (TV Series) · as Woman |
| 1989 | The Simpsons (TV Series) · as Narrator (voice) |
| 1975 | The NFL Today (TV Series) · as Narrator - Before Jackie |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Rosemary Allbright |
| 2025 | |
| 2025 | Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Women in Hollywood · as Executive Producer |
| 2025 | Number One on the Call Sheet (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2023 | Silver Dollar Road · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Hungry for Answers (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | The First Lady (2022) (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Giving Voice · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | Emanuel · as Executive Producer |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | The Last Defense (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2017 | American Koko (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 2016 | Custody · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | Lila & Eve · as Executive Producer |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder (TV Series) |
| 2025 | The Truth About Jussie Smollett? · as Self - Actress |
| 2025 | |
| 2025 | Number One on the Call Sheet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2025 | 82nd Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2024 | The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2024 | Hot Ones Versus (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2023 | The 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2023 | 2023 EE BAFTA Film Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2023 | The 65th Annual Grammy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2023 | The 28th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2023 | 80th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2022 | The Jennifer Hudson Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Penélope Cruz, les reflets de la passion · as Self |
| 2022 | Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event · as Self |
| 2021 | The Oscars · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2021 | Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist · as Self |
| 2021 | 27th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter & Winner |
| 2021 | 52nd NAACP Image Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2021 | 2021 Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2021 | C Tonight (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2020 | Giving Voice · as Self |
| 2020 | DC Fandome · as Self |
| 2020 | GMA3: What You Need to Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Dear... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Celebrity IOU (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | On Broadway · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2019 | The Kelly Clarkson Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | 50th NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2019 | And the Winners Are! · as Self |
| 2019 | 2019 EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2019 | The 24th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2018 | This Changes Everything · as Self |
| 2018 | Beyond Boundaries: The Harvey Weinstein Scandal · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | 75th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2018 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2017 | American Music Awards 2017 · as Self - Presenter |
| 2017 | The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2017 | Black Love (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | |
| 2017 | The Oscars · as Self - Winner |
| 2017 | Hollywood First Look Features (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2017 | 2017 EE British Academy Film Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2017 | The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2017 | The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2017 · as Self - Winner |
| 2016 | Suicide Squad: Chasing the Real · as Self |
| 2016 | The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | Sunday Today with Willie Geist (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | Disneyland 60th Anniversary TV Special · as Self |
| 2016 | The 47th NAACP Image Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2016 | 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2016 | Dawn of the Justice League · as Self - Amanda Waller |
| 2016 | 73rd Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 2016 | 2016 Golden Globe Arrivals Special · as Self |
| 2015 | The 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors · as Self - Presenter |
| 2015 | The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Winner & Presenter |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2015 | The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner & Presenter |
| 2015 | 72nd Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2015 | The 41st Annual People's Choice Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2014 | |
| 2014 | Variety: Actors on Actors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2014 | Good Morning Britain (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2013 | 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2012 | Love, Marilyn · as Self |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | The 84th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2012 | 43rd NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2012 | 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2012 | The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2012 | 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Oprah's Next Chapter (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2011 | Dark Girls · as Self |
| 2011 | Dish Nation (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | The 65th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2011 | 42nd NAACP Image Awards · as Self |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | The Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | The 64th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter & Winner |
| 2010 | Sky Midnight News (TV Series) · as Self - Best Actress Nominee |
| 2009 | C à Vous (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | The 81st Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2009 | 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2009 | Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2009 | The 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self |
| 2008 | Paula's Best Dishes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | DP/30: Conversations About Movies (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Morning Joe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Up Close with Carrie Keagan (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Entertainment Tonight Canada (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | The Insider (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | Storyline Online (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | The 55th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Performer & Winner |
| 2000 | Entertainers with Byron Allen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1997 | Leute heute (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | Theater Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Access Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The 50th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1995 | E! Live from the Red Carpet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | WGN Morning News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Extra (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | Inside the Actors Studio (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1989 | Sky World News (TV Series) · as Self - Best Actress Nominee |
| 1988 | Inside Edition (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1982 | Channel 4 News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | SAG Foundation Conversations (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1971 | Film (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1969 | Sesame Street (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1959 | Grammy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1956 | Tony Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 1954 | The Early Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Nominee |