July 17, 2017

Empowering Women - Viola Davis


Check out my post, Dear Slow Writers, on the IWSG site!


Every month I am highlighting an empowering woman. This month it is:


Viola Davis

Although I don’t watch How to Get Away with Murder anymore, not since Season One ended, I’ll always remember the amazing response Viola got when she took off her wig and all of her makeup on camera. It was empowering for not just African American women but all women everywhere.

Viola is 52 and is a mother and a step mother. With her husband, she adopted her daughter, Genesis.

In 2015, she won an Emmy (she was the first black woman to receive one for Best Actress in a Drama) for her role as Analise Keating (HTGAWM). She gave a powerful speech while suffering from hot flashes! And she gave another awesome speech this year when she won an Oscar for her role in Fences.

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.” (2015)

She won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award (2001) for her role as Tonya (a 35-year-old mother fighting for her right to abort a pregnancy) in King Hedley II.

Time also listed her as one of the most influential people in the world in 2012.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live, she openly talked about bullies from grade school who are all now sending her friend requests on Facebook. Surprise, surprise, right? And when she said she’s inclined to accept them to see if they’ve become failures at life, I couldn’t help but laugh. Don’t we all do that? Or secretly want to? It just goes to show that Emmy winners are susceptible to insecurity, too. And they still want revenge on old bullies. ;)


“What is there but a dream? You can’t trade in your dreams… Dream big, and dream fierce.”

INSPIRING SONG:


When Jennifer Hudson performed this song at the 2013 Oscars, she was stunning and powerful. She received a worthy standing ovation:




QUESTIONS: Have you watched HTGAWM? Do you get teary-eyed when Viola gives speeches? I do.


57 comments:

  1. Accept their friend request to see if they are failures - priceless!

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  2. I don't watch many modern, mainstream TV shows or movies, but I did see Fences towards the end of its theatrical run, at one of the two local indie theatres. I thought it was really good, even if it were more of a filmed stage play than the type of film I'm used to.

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    1. I haven't seen Fences, but I am interested in checking it out.

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  3. Sounds quite a lady Chrys. Thanks for an interesting read.

    Yvonne.

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  4. Yet to watch her TV series How to Get Away with Murder but I do have it on queue On Netflix. Did love her in the movies The Help and as Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad. She had the whole 'damn, that messed up' personality of Amanda Waller.
    And I totally understand about bullies befriending you on FB. If it was me, my first thought would be 'don't they remember how they treated me.' Then I'd overthink if I should accept or not to see if they're failures.

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    1. I loved her on The Help, too. I haven't seen Suicide Squad, but I bet she was awesome in her role.

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  5. She's so right. If writers don't create the roles, there's nothing to work with. Loved reading about this actor. Excellent.

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    1. Exactly. Script writers need to add more diversity as much as (or maybe even more so than) book writers.

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  6. Haven't watched her TV show but she's definitely inspiring. Thanks for the Monday inspiration and loved your post on the IWSG site.

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  7. lol I'd be inclined to do that too. But then hitting deny would be so much more satisfying.

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  8. I haven't seen the show or her speeches, but she sounds like an admirable woman. I'd never have guessed she was in her fifties.

    I once confronted a past bully on Facebook. They had no memory of tormenting me. Guess I was just one of many.

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    1. I often wonder if my past bullies remember tormenting me. Probably not. Such a shame. They should remember as we remember.

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  9. I find Viola Davis very empowering, too, and yes, sometimes I have tears in my eyes when she gives a speech. But sometimes I laugh, as I did when she introduced Meryl Streep, I think it was at the Golden Globes, because she received a lifetime achievement award. Viola talked about saying that she did certain things, but everything Meryl did was better. It was hilarious.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. I can't help but get teary-eyed when she speaks. She is so empowering.

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    2. Her strength and beauty come from within.

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  10. She is incredibly empowering! Thanks for sharing, Chrys!

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  11. She's empowering all right. I've never seen the show - or heard of it. But I don't watch a lot of TV anymore.

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    1. i watched it because I was a fan of Scandal and Grey's Anatomy. But...I don't watch any of them anymore. I sort of lost interest in many shows.

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  12. I don't watch that show though my daughter does. Viola is amazing though and so up front and honest. Women fight many barriers but WOC have an even tougher time of it.
    Enjoyed your 'slow writer' post.

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    1. And I love that Viola is making it known just how touch it is for them.

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  13. I haven't watch the show... not that I watch much TV except sports and news (right now there's a baseball game on)

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  14. Viola is inspiring and I love to listen to her talk. She is very intelligent and well read. I remember when she was at one awards show without a wig and I loved it and now wish she would keep doing that. She was great in Fences but I have to admit I have never watched Murder.

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    1. I too think it would be neat if she had her wig on less often. She's beautiful with or without it. :)

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  15. I don't think I've watched the show, but it does sound like my kind of thing. I enjoy these posts very much, Chrys.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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  16. I really like that actress. She hooked me in How To Get Away With Murder series. It is over the top but it is fascinating to see what they can come up with in that series. lol.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

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    1. It is over-the-top. That may be why I actually stopped watching it. lol But she was fabulous.

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  17. I haven't watched the series, but Viola does seem to be a strong, inspiring person.

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  18. I think she is a wonderful actress. She always gives such a powerful performance. She truly makes one feel. I stopped watching how to get away with murder, but I still enjoy her other work.

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    1. I enjoy her other work, too. And although I don't watch HTGAWM anymore, I love her performance on it.

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  19. amazing woman, excellent example - thanks for spotlighting her today (and jennifer hudson is one of my favorite idols, even though she didnt win)

    hope all is well with you!
    Tara Tyler Talks

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    1. Jennifer Hudson should've won. I'm glad she proved herself.

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  20. I loved her in The Help. I watched season 1 on HTGAWM. It was intriguing. I have not seen her speeches but now i will be watching and rooting for her to win an Oscar. Nice choice, Chrys!

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    1. She is a great actress to root for to win an Oscar. :)

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  21. I love Viola Davis. She's amazing. I watched the first season of HTGAWM, and that scene you reference was really quite memorable. I watched one episode in the second season (a flashback of her son's stillbirth), and she just blew me away. And I want her to win all of the awards so we can hear more of her speeches—because those are brilliant, too.

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    1. I never saw that episode with the stillbirth. I had started to get out of the show during season 2.

      So do I. :D

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  22. I love the show and get chills when I read your posts about empowered women. I need more of them. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  23. I do watch How to Get Away with Murder. Wild show. And just goes to show, successful people were bullied as kids. Gives kids something to shoot for, you know. (Not to be bullies, though ;)

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    1. It does. I was bullied, and now I'm a published author. I do know where those bullies are now...not so good. lol

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  24. We need more women like Viola, and more posts like this one.


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  25. I did watch the first episode or two, but for some reason, I didn't continue, although Viola Davis is an extraordinary actress.

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  26. Viola Davis is new to me. But I watch very little TV, so I'm really out of date. She sounds fascinating though. Thanks for a great post about her.

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    1. Although you don't know her, I appreciate that you visited and commented. :)

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  27. She is for sure empowering! I love comment about the friend request on Facebook! LOL!

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  28. Wow. That's pretty cool. I'd heard her name before but had no idea what she'd done.

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