Meet Viola Davis, an actress who hails from Rhode Island. You’ve seen her on Broadway, TV and the silver screen. Her role as Mrs. Miller in “Doubt” has earned her an Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination. See photos, video and read a biography of Viola below.
Congratulations to Viola Davis, who today received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Miller in “Doubt”. Co-star Amy Adams received a Best Supporting Actress nod as well.
Of her nomination, she said:
“I didn’t sleep all night,” she said. “I screamed in my husband’s ear and drank some champagne. When you’re acknowledged like this, you feel confident that you’ve reached people and you’re on the right path.”
As a biography, Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965 in St. Matthews, South Carolina, so her age is 43. At a young age, her family moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island. For Davis, acting was an escape of sorts. She was discovered by Bernard Masterson, who was director of Young People’s School for the Performing Arts in Rhode Island, and he offered her a scholarship to the school. She graduated from Rhode Island College in 1988, where she majored in theatre. She would later receive an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the school. In addition to Rhode Island College, she went to the famed Julliard School for four years.
She received a Tony Award for Best Performance as an Actress for her role as Tonya in King Hedley II in 2001, and would receive a Drama Desk Award as well.
She has appeared in the Steven Soderbergh films Out of Sight, Solaris and Traffic. She is no stranger to television, having had roles on Law & Order: SVU, Traveler and Badge.
Viola’s portrayal of Mrs. Miller in the film “Doubt”, co-starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, has earned her a Golden Globe nomination and more recently a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
On a personal note, she is married to Julius Tennon, an actor, and they have two children.
More photos and video of Viola Davis are below.
Photos: Wenn.com
November 8th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Believe you have to consider all aspects in the current economic climate - personally do no think we have seen the full extent of the recesssion, so would be cautious in considering.