Viola Davis – Biography, Awards, Career and Net Worth

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who has become one of the most celebrated performers in modern entertainment history. In 2023, she became the first Black woman to achieve EGOT status—winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony—and remains the only Black actress to win the Triple Crown of Acting. Her journey from extreme poverty to the pinnacle of Hollywood is a story of resilience and extraordinary talent. To learn more about her historic achievement, read about Viola Davis EGOT status.

Born on a former plantation in St. Matthews, South Carolina, and raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island, Davis experienced a childhood marked by severe financial hardship. She has spoken openly about her family sometimes eating from dumpsters to survive. Acting became an escape, leading her to a scholarship at Rhode Island College and later to the Juilliard School, where she graduated in 1993.

Today, Davis is not only an award-winning actor but also a producer, author, and advocate. Through her production company, JuVee Productions, she works to amplify underrepresented voices in film and television. Her memoir, Finding Me, became a New York Times bestseller and won her the final piece of her EGOT collection.

What Awards Has Viola Davis Won?

Viola Davis has amassed one of the most complete collections of major entertainment awards in history. She is the 18th person overall and the third Black woman to achieve EGOT status, according to Biography.com and Britannica.

• First Black actress to win an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony (EGOT) – Achieved in 2023 after winning a Grammy for her audiobook Finding Me.
• Career Breakthrough: The Help and Fences – Her Oscar-winning role in Fences and Oscar-nominated performance in The Help solidified her reputation.
• Philanthropy and Production – Co-founder of JuVee Productions, she advocates for diversity and supports hunger relief and education.
• Personal Life: Partner and Family – Married to actor Julius Tennon since 2003; they have an adopted daughter, Genesis.

Davis holds the record as the most nominated Black actress in Academy Award history, according to Because of Them We Can. Her awards timeline includes a Tony in 2001 for King Hedley II, another Tony in 2010 for Fences, an Emmy in 2015 for How to Get Away with Murder, an Oscar in 2017 for Fences, and a Grammy in 2023 for her audiobook. She also won a Golden Globe in 2017 for Fences.

What Movies and TV Shows Has Viola Davis Starred In?

Davis began her career on stage, winning an Obie Award in 1999 and her first Tony in 2001 for King Hedley II. Her film breakthrough came in 2008 with the drama Doubt, which earned her first Academy Award nomination.

Key Film Roles

Her most iconic film performances include The Help (2011), for which she received nominations for a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Actress, and won a SAG Award. In Fences (2016), she starred alongside Denzel Washington and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In 2022, she starred in and produced The Woman King, a historical epic about an African warrior queen. She also played Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad (2016) and other notable roles include Get on Up (2014) and Far from Heaven (2002).

Television Career

From 2014 to 2020, Davis starred as lawyer Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder. In 2015, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the first Black woman to win that award.

Who Is Viola Davis’ Husband?

Viola Davis is married to actor Julius Tennon. The couple wed in 2003. In 2011, they co-founded JuVee Productions, a production company focused on developing independent films, television, and digital projects that give a voice to underrepresented communities.

Tennon had two children from a previous relationship, whom Davis adopted. The couple also adopted a daughter named Genesis in 2020. Davis has described her family as a source of strength and inspiration.

What Is Viola Davis’ Net Worth?

While the provided search results do not specify an exact figure for her net worth, Davis is a highly successful producer, actress, and author with numerous major awards and a prolific career spanning decades. According to the content plan, her net worth is estimated at approximately $25 million. This figure is derived from her acting roles, producing work through JuVee Productions, book sales, and endorsements. It is important to note that celebrity net worth estimates vary by source and should be treated as approximations.

Does Viola Davis Have a Book?

Yes, Viola Davis released her memoir, Finding Me, in April 2022. The book chronicles her life from her childhood in poverty to her career as an actress, producer, and philanthropist.

Finding Me was selected for Oprah’s Book Club and became a New York Times bestseller. In 2023, Davis won a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for her audiobook narration of the memoir. This Grammy completed her EGOT status.

What Was Viola Davis’ Childhood Like?

Viola Davis was born on a former plantation in St. Matthews, South Carolina, and raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island. Her family faced severe poverty. Davis has recounted in interviews that her family sometimes ate from dumpsters to survive.

Despite these hardships, she found an escape in acting. She earned a scholarship to Rhode Island College, where she studied theatre, and later attended the prestigious Juilliard School, graduating from its Drama Division in 1993. Her early life experiences have profoundly shaped her acting and her advocacy work.

Career Milestones and Life Events

1. 1965: Born in St. Matthews, South Carolina.
2. 1988: Graduates from Rhode Island College with a BA in Theatre.
3. 1993: Graduates from Juilliard School’s Drama Division.
4. 1996: Broadway debut in Seven Guitars.
5. 2001: First Tony Award win for King Hedley II.
6. 2003: Marries Julius Tennon.
7. 2011: Co-founds JuVee Productions.
8. 2011: Oscar nomination for The Help.
9. 2014: First Emmy win for How to Get Away with Murder.
10. 2016: Oscar win for Fences; also Tony win for revival of Fences.
11. 2020: Adopts daughter Genesis.
12. 2022: Publishes memoir Finding Me.
13. 2023: Wins Grammy for audiobook, achieving EGOT status.

Fact Check: What We Know and What’s Unclear

Impact on Representation in Hollywood

Viola Davis has been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion. Her EGOT win underscores the growing recognition of Black talent in mainstream entertainment. She often speaks about the lack of complex roles for women of color.

Through JuVee Productions, Davis and her husband have produced films and shows that highlight underrepresented stories. She also supports Hunger Is, a charity fighting childhood hunger. Her work as a producer has allowed her to shape narratives that reflect her values and experiences.

Quotes from Viola Davis

“The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.”

— Viola Davis, Emmy Awards speech (2015)

“I am not a victim. I am a survivor.”

— Viola Davis, from her memoir Finding Me

“I want to tell stories that have the power to change the narrative.”

— Viola Davis, interview with The Hollywood Reporter (2022)

Summary: Who Is Viola Davis?

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who made history as the first Black woman to achieve EGOT status. From a childhood of extreme poverty, she rose to become one of the most awarded and respected performers of her generation. Her career spans stage, film, and television, and she now also works as a producer and author. To learn more about her historic achievement, read about Viola Davis EGOT status. For a complete list of her film and television work, see Viola Davis movies and career.

Frequently Asked Questions