Viola Davis' Most Iconic Roles
On her 58th birthday, L'OFFICIEL looks back at Viola Davis' best roles from The Help to How to Get Away with Murder.
Viola Davis has been acting for over two decades and her filmography is one of the most impressive in Hollywood. From her Oscar-winning role in Fences to her Emmy-winning portrayal of Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, it's easy to see why she's one of the best actresses of our time.
Davis' love of acting started in high school and she continued mastering her craft in college when she studied at Julliard. She began her professional acting career on Broadway, before transitioning to taking minor roles in movies and TV shows. With an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony, Davis was only missing a Grammy before she could claim the coveted title of EGOT winner. In 2023 she reached that status, securing a Grammy win for narrating the audiobook of her memoir Finding Me. In honor of her 58th birthday, let's take a look at her best and most iconic roles.
Davis' first role in a major film came from Denzel Washington's directorial debut, Antwone Fisher. The role is small, and Davis hardly says anything, but her performance was so incredible it earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
In Doubt, Davis plays the mother of the only Black student at a Catholic school. Again, though her role isn't huge, she received praise from critics and even got her first Oscar nomination.
This book-to-film adaptation is one of Davis's most well-known roles. Playing a maid during the civil rights movement, Davis earned herself a Best Actress Oscar nomination, though she has expressed regrets about being a part of the movie.
Once again proving that no role is too small, Davis plays the mother of a missing daughter in the thriller Prisoners. Even though her scenes are limited, her range is not.
In a James Brown biopic, Davis plays the singer's mother. Starring alongside the late Chadwick Boseman, she shines in another emotional role.
In her first leading role on TV, Davis takes on the character of Annalise Keating, a criminal defense attorney and professor who finds herself in the center of a murder plot. The thriller series earned her an Emmy, making her the first Black woman to win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Earning Davis her third Oscar nomination and first win, Fences is arguably her best role. The raw emotion and intensity she pours into this character fully cemented her as one of the best actors of our time.
Following four Chicago women who attempt a heist, Widows has a star-studded cast and Davis is a force to be reckoned with.
Playing the titular character, Ma Rainey, Davis expertly draws from history and still manages to make the role her own, earning her another Oscar nomination.
For one of her more recent roles, Davis takes on Michelle Obama in The First Lady. While she received criticism for her portrayal, many were stunned by her ability to make bold choices and take on such a beloved figure.
