Viola Davis

Born:August 11, 1965

Place of Birth:St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA

Known For:Acting

Biography

Viola Davis, born on August 11, 1965, is a powerhouse in the world of American acting and film production. With a career that spans decades, she has solidified her status as a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. Recognized for her immense talent, Davis has achieved numerous prestigious awards, including the Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT. Her influence extends beyond the screen, as she was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017.

A Juilliard graduate, Davis embarked on her acting journey in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where she honed her craft in small stage productions. Her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play "Seven Guitars" marked the beginning of a remarkable career. Davis went on to win two Tony Awards for her outstanding performances in Wilson plays, showcasing her versatility and depth as an actress.

One of Davis's most notable achievements was winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film adaptation of "Fences" in 2016. Her Oscar-nominated performances in "Doubt," "The Help," and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" further solidified her reputation as a captivating and multifaceted performer. In the realm of television, Davis made history by becoming the first black actress to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Annalise Keating in "How to Get Away with Murder."

Beyond her on-screen accomplishments, Davis is a trailblazer in advocating for human rights and women of color. Alongside her husband, she founded the production company JuVee Productions, dedicated to promoting diverse voices in the entertainment industry. Her influence extends to the realm of literature, as the audiobook narration of her memoir "Finding Me" earned her a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording in 2022.

In addition to her impressive acting career, Davis has ventured into the world of superhero films, joining the DCEU as Amanda Waller in "Suicide Squad." Her range as an actress is further showcased in projects like "Widows" and "The Woman King," where she continues to captivate audiences with her compelling performances. Recognized as a L'Oréal Paris ambassador, Davis's impact transcends the screen, making her a respected figure in both the entertainment industry and the realm of advocacy.

Images

Filmography

Acting

G20

President Danielle Sutton

2025

After the G20 Summit is overtaken by terrorists, President Danielle Sutton must bring all her statecraft and military experience to defend her family and her fellow leaders.

Kung Fu Panda 4

The Chameleon (voice)

2024

Po is gearing up to become the spiritual leader of his Valley of Peace, but also needs someone to take his place as Dragon Warrior. As such, he will train a new kung fu practitioner for the spot and will encounter a villain called the Chameleon who conjures villains from the past.

Prisoners

Nancy Birch

2013

Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Dr. Volumnia Gaul

2023

64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.

The Suicide Squad

Amanda Waller

2021

Supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

Ocean's Eleven

Parole Board Interrogator (voice) (uncredited)

2001

Less than 24 hours into his parole, charismatic thief Danny Ocean is already rolling out his next plan: In one night, Danny's hand-picked crew of specialists will attempt to steal more than $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. But to score the cash, Danny risks his chances of reconciling with ex-wife, Tess.

Black Adam

Amanda Waller (uncredited)

2022

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

Air

Deloris Jordan

2023

Discover the game-changing partnership between a then undiscovered Michael Jordan and Nike's fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and culture with the Air Jordan brand.

The Help

Aibileen Clark

2011

Aibileen Clark is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.

Suicide Squad

Amanda Waller

2016

From DC Comics comes the Suicide Squad, an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-risk black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.

Law Abiding Citizen

Mayor April Henry

2009

A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the killer but also the district attorney and others involved in the deal.

Knight and Day

CIA Director Isabel George

2010

A fugitive couple goes on a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure where nothing and no one – even themselves – are what they seem. Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth vs. trust.

Eat Pray Love

Delia Shiraz

2010

Liz Gilbert had everything a modern woman is supposed to dream of having – a husband, a house and a successful career – yet like so many others, she found herself lost, confused and searching for what she really wanted in life. Newly divorced and at a crossroads, Gilbert steps out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life, embarking on a journey around the world that becomes a quest for self-discovery. In her travels, she discovers the true pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy, the power of prayer in India and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of true love in Bali.

The Woman King

Nanisca

2022

The story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen, and General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.

Ender's Game

Major Gwen Anderson

2013

Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future.

Traffic

Social Worker

2000

An exploration of the United States of America's war on drugs from multiple perspectives. For the new head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the war becomes personal when he discovers his well-educated daughter is abusing cocaine within their comfortable suburban home. In Mexico, a flawed, but noble policeman agrees to testify against a powerful general in league with a cartel, and in San Diego, a drug kingpin's sheltered trophy wife must learn her husband's ruthless business after he is arrested, endangering her luxurious lifestyle.

Get Rich or Die Tryin'

Grandma

2005

A tale of an inner city drug dealer who turns away from crime to pursue his passion, rap music.

Solaris

Gordon

2002

A troubled psychologist is sent to investigate the crew of an isolated research station orbiting a bizarre planet.

Disturbia

Detective Parker

2007

Kale has a life most teenagers would envy. He spends his days endlessly playing video games, surfing the net, eating junk food and watching cable. He has complete free reign of the house, and a beautiful young hottie named Ashley has just moved in next door. There’s only one problem—he’s not allowed to leave the house. Kale’s under court-ordered house arrest for three months, and if he takes one step beyond a 100-foot perimeter of the house, his next confinement will be in a real prison.

State of Play

Dr. Judith Franklin

2009

When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.

Widows

Veronica Rawlings

2018

A police shootout leaves four thieves dead during an explosive armed robbery attempt in Chicago. Their widows have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses' criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, they join forces to pull off a heist.

Kate & Leopold

Policewoman

2001

When her scientist ex-boyfriend discovers a portal to travel through time -- and brings back a 19th-century nobleman named Leopold to prove it -- a skeptical Kate reluctantly takes responsibility for showing Leopold the 21st century. The more time Kate spends with Leopold, the harder she falls for him. But if he doesn't return to his own time, his absence will forever alter history.

Out of Sight

Moselle

1998

Meet Jack Foley, a smooth criminal who bends the law and is determined to make one last heist. Karen Sisco is a federal marshal who chooses all the right moves … and all the wrong guys. Now they're willing to risk it all to find out if there's more between them than just the law.

Fences

Rose Maxson

2016

In 1950s Pittsburgh, a frustrated African-American father struggles with the constraints of poverty, racism, and his own inner demons as he tries to raise a family.

Syriana

CIA Chairwoman

2005

The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.

Doubt

Mrs. Miller

2008

In 1964 Bronx, two Catholic school nuns question the new priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled African-American student.

Trust

Gail Friedman

2010

A suburban family is torn apart when fourteen-year-old Annie meets her first boyfriend online. After months of communicating via online chat and phone, Annie discovers her friend is not who he originally claimed to be. Shocked into disbelief, her parents are shattered by their daughter's actions and struggle to support her as she comes to terms with what has happened to her once innocent life.

Nights in Rodanthe

Jean

2008

Adrienne is trying to decide whether to stay in her unhappy marriage or not, and her life changes when Paul, a doctor who is travelling to reconcile with his estranged son, checks into an inn where she is staying.

The Unforgivable

Liz Ingram

2021

A woman is released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime and re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey

2020

Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.

Troop Zero

Miss Rayleen

2019

In rural 1977 Georgia, a misfit girl dreams of life in outer space. When a national competition offers her a chance at her dream, to be recorded on NASA’s Golden Record, she recruits a makeshift troupe of Birdie Scouts, forging friendships that last a lifetime and beyond.

Madea Goes to Jail

Ellen

2009

After a high-speed car chase, Madea winds up behind bars because her quick temper gets the best of her. Meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Josh Hardaway lands a case that's too personal to handle: that of a young prostitute and former drug addict named Candace, also a childhood friend. When Candace winds up in jail, Madea takes the young woman under her protective wing.

Far from Heaven

Sybil

2002

In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife's life is upended by a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in society.

It's Kind of a Funny Story

Dr. Eden Minerva

2010

A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.

World Trade Center

Mother in Hospital with Donna

2006

Two police officers struggle to survive when they become trapped beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Abby Black

2011

A year after his father's death, Oskar, a troubled young boy, discovers a mysterious key he believes was left for him by his father and embarks on a scavenger hunt to find the matching lock.

Jesse Stone: Night Passage

Officer Molly Crane

2006

A prequel to "Stone Cold", the story picks up after Jesse Stone is fired from the Los Angeles Police Department. He becomes an unlikely candidate recruited by a town council to become police chief of Paradise, MA, a small fishing town on Boston's North Shore. The board hopes his failed experience will keep him from digging too deep into the town's secrets. His first assignment is to investigate the murder of his predecessor whose death may be tied to a local domestic disturbance case, with connections to money laundering and murder involving some of the town's most affluent names as possible suspects.

Jesse Stone: Sea Change

Molly Crane

2007

Police Chief Jesse Stone's relationship with his ex-wife worsens, and he fears he's relapsing into alcoholism. To get his mind off his problems, Jesse begins working on the unsolved murder of a bank teller shot during a robbery. Also, his investigation of an alleged rape draws him into conflict with the town council — which hopes to preserve Paradise's reputation as an ideal seaside resort.

Production

G20

Producer

2025

After the G20 Summit is overtaken by terrorists, President Danielle Sutton must bring all her statecraft and military experience to defend her family and her fellow leaders.