Viola Davis (born August , ) is an American actress and producer.
Having won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award (Primetime), and two Tony
Awards, she is the first African-American actress to achieve the
"Triple Crown of Acting". Time magazine named her one of the most
influential people in the world in and .Born in St. Matthews, South
Carolina, Davis began her acting career in Central Falls, Rhode
Island, starring in minor theater productions. After graduating from
the Juilliard School in , she won an Obie Award in for her
performance as Ruby McCollum in Everybody's Ruby. She played minor
roles in several films and television series in the late s and early
s, before winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
for her role as Tonya in the Broadway production of August Wilson's
King Hedley II. Davis's film breakthrough came in , when her role as a
troubled mother in the film Doubt earned her a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.Greater success came to
Davis in the s. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for
playing Rose Maxson in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play
Fences. For starring as a s housemaid in the comedy-drama The Help (),
Davis received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and
won a SAG Award. In , Davis began playing lawyer Annalise Keating in
the ABC television drama series How to Get Away with Murder, and in ,
she became the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In , Davis played Amanda
Waller in the superhero film Suicide Squad and its upcoming sequel and
reprised the role of Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences, winning
the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to receive
a BAFTA nomination for starring in the heist film Widows ().
Having won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award (Primetime), and two Tony
Awards, she is the first African-American actress to achieve the
"Triple Crown of Acting". Time magazine named her one of the most
influential people in the world in and .Born in St. Matthews, South
Carolina, Davis began her acting career in Central Falls, Rhode
Island, starring in minor theater productions. After graduating from
the Juilliard School in , she won an Obie Award in for her
performance as Ruby McCollum in Everybody's Ruby. She played minor
roles in several films and television series in the late s and early
s, before winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
for her role as Tonya in the Broadway production of August Wilson's
King Hedley II. Davis's film breakthrough came in , when her role as a
troubled mother in the film Doubt earned her a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.Greater success came to
Davis in the s. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for
playing Rose Maxson in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play
Fences. For starring as a s housemaid in the comedy-drama The Help (),
Davis received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and
won a SAG Award. In , Davis began playing lawyer Annalise Keating in
the ABC television drama series How to Get Away with Murder, and in ,
she became the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In , Davis played Amanda
Waller in the superhero film Suicide Squad and its upcoming sequel and
reprised the role of Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences, winning
the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She went on to receive
a BAFTA nomination for starring in the heist film Widows ().
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