8 Things You Didn’t Know About Viola Davis

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who was born on August 11, 1965. Among the select few actors to have received an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony (EGOT), Davis is the only African-American to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting and the third person to hold both positions. She is also one of the few performers to have received these honors.

 For her huge fan following, we have gathered a bunch of interesting facts that you may find fascinating. 

8 Things You Didn’t Know About Viola Davis

1. Academic Awards

Only two African American women, including Davis, have been nominated for Lead Actress and Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. The only other woman to achieve this feat is Whoopi Goldberg. ^[1]

2. Family Background

Davis was raised in a substandard rural area. Her mother, Mary Alice, was a factory worker and a maid. Her father Dan was an equine trainer.

3. About Her Daughter

Genesis was adopted by Viola and her husband in 2011, and even as a young child, Viola was already voicing her preferences for potential partners for Genesis. She said at the time, “I’d love to hook her up with Louis. ^[2]

4. Best Known For 

Although she is best recognised for her stage performances, she also enjoys playing the serial killer Terry Randolph on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 2002, Davis took on the part and gave it her own unique interpretation. ^[3]

5. Her Personal Life

During their 2003 wedding, Davis revealed to Entertainment Weekly that she and her husband Tennon spent their honeymoon at the actor’s lavish 22-room Lake Como property in Italy. Clooney, though, left town while Davis was there. ^[4]

6. Qualifications

Davis studied theater at Rhode Island. Before enrolling at the Juilliard School in New York City, She attended Island College. She had an early interest in acting, but it wasn’t until the late 1990s that she got her first break, in the movie Substance of Fire. ^[5]

7. Viola’s Other Talents

One of the first people to realize Davis’ talent was Bernard Masterson. At the Young People’s School for the Performing Arts in West Warwick, he served as the acting program’s director.

8. Role In Ocean’s Eleven

Many of you would be shocked to find that Davis had a little part in the heist movie Ocean’s Eleven’s opening scene from 2001. She speaks with Danny Ocean as the parole officer (George Clooney). ^[6]