Viola Davis Biography And Net Worth

Who is Viola Davis?

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer. Viola Davis is one of the few performers to have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony (EGOT); additionally, she is the sole African-American to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting as well as the third person to achieve both statuses. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017, and in 2020, The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century.

Outside of acting, Viola Davis also has a number of credits as a producer. In addition, she is an activist who is passionate about human rights issues like child hunger. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in the world.

Bio Data

Name	Viola Davis
Date of birth	August 11, 1965
Place of birth	St. Matthews, South Carolina
Gender	Female
Nationality	American
Height	5 ft 4 (1. 651 m)
Profession	Actor, Producer
Relationship	Julius Tennon
Net Worth	$25 Million
Instagram Handle	@violadavis

Biography

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Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina, to Mae Alice Davis (née Logan) and Dan Davis. She was born on her grandmother’s farm on the Singleton Plantation. Her father was a horse trainer, and her mother was a maid, factory worker and homemaker. She is the second youngest of six children, having four sisters and a brother. Soon after she was born, her parents moved with Davis and two of her older siblings to Central Falls, Rhode Island, leaving her other siblings with her grandparents.

Her mother was also an activist during the Civil Rights Movement. When she was two years old, Davis was taken to jail with her mother after she was arrested during a civil rights protest. She has described herself as having “lived in abject poverty and dysfunction” during her childhood, recalling living in “rat-infested and condemned” apartments. Davis is a second cousin of actor Mike Colter, known for portraying the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage.

Davis attended Central Falls High School, the alma mater to which she partially credits her love of stage acting with her involvement in the arts. As a teenager, she was involved in the federal TRIO Upward Bound and TRIO Student Support Services programs. While enrolled at the Young People’s School for the Performing Arts in West Warwick, Rhode Island, Davis’s talent was recognized by a director of the program, Bernard Masterson.

After graduating from high school, Davis studied at Rhode Island College, majoring in theatre and participating in the National Student Exchange before graduating in 1988. Next, she attended the Juilliard School for four years and was a member of the school’s Drama Division “Group 22” (1989–93).

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Career

Viola’s first paid acting job was in 1996 when she played a minor role in the film “The Substance of Fire.” However, Davis would truly make her presence known when she played the role of Tonya in the Broadway play “King Hedley II.” The 2001 production earned Davis her first Tony Award, and she soon followed up with another role in the off-Broadway play “Intimate Apparel” in 2004.

During this period, she also appeared in films like “Out of Sight,” “Solaris,” “Traffic,” and “Syriana.” Some of her roles were brief, such as in “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Kate & Leopold,” and “Antwone Fisher.” Another notable role came in 2002 with the film “Far From Heaven.” She also booked recurring roles in shows like “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Traveler,” and “Century City.” In addition, she made a guest appearance in “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”

In 2008, she made a stunning impact on the film “Doubt,” gaining numerous award nominations despite appearing in just one scene. In 2010, Viola returned to the theatre world and won another Tony Award for her leading role in the play “Fences.” That year, she also played a major role in the film “It’s Kind of a Funny Story.” In 2011, she played a film role that was especially significant to her family heritage in “The Help.” As a result of her performance, she was nominated for an Academy Award and won two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

In 2014, she worked with Tate Taylor (the same director for “The Help”) on the film “Get On Up.” She also booked a lead role in the TV series “How to Get Away With Murder.” Her performance on the series eventually helped her win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – a first for a woman of colour. In 2015, she appeared in the film “Blackhat” alongside Chris Hemsworth and executive-produced the film “Lila & Eve,” in which she also starred alongside Jennifer Lopez.

In 2016 Viola Davis starred in the film adaptation of the play “Fences,” for which she would ultimately win an Academy Award. That same year she appeared in “Suicide Squad” and “Custody.” In 2017, she was given her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was a major accomplishment in her eyes. In 2018, she was directed by Steve McQueen in the film “Widows” and debuted a documentary called “Two-Sides.” She followed up in 2020 with another documentary called “Giving Voice.” During this period, it was announced that Davis would reprise her earlier role in the upcoming sequel of “Suicide Squad.” It was also announced that she’d star in an upcoming film called “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Net Worth

As of 2023, Viola Davis’s net worth sits at a staggering $25 million, a figure befitting her talent and contributions to the industry.

Personal Life

Viola Davis married fellow actor Julius Tennon in June 2003. In 2011, the couple adopted an infant daughter named Genesis. Davis is also a stepmother to Tennon’s two children from previous relationships. Viola Davis is a Christian and regularly attends services at Oasis Church in Los Angeles.