“I have a career that’s probably comparable to Meryl Streep”: Viola Davis Dropped a Truth Bomb about How Even an Oscar, an Emmy and 2 Tonys Won’t Let Her Get Paid as Much as White Actors
- Viola Davis shares people call her Black Meryl Streep but still not recognize her worth in terms of roles and pay.
- Viola Davis wants to play complicated human characters on-screen.
- The actress is focusing on living her life on her own terms.
Regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 21st century, Viola Davis is without a doubt one of the most talented and respected actresses in the industry. Her work over the years, including projects like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, How to Get Away with Murder, Suicide Squad, The Woman King, and more, has earned her both the Triple Crown of Acting and the EGOT.
Viola Davis is recognized for her advocacy and support for human rights and women of color. She is indeed one of the most influential people worldwide who has always expressed her views and opinions whenever she has felt the need. A resurfaced interview of the actress shows how she takes a stand for herself in the most bossy woman way.
Viola Davis expresses her disappointment in the industry failing to recognize her worth
One of the most influential, well-respected, and talented actresses, Viola Davis, is the first Black actress to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, i.e., the Academy Award, Tony Award, and Emmy Award. She has been a part of some of the most iconic projects, including Knight and Day, Lila & Eve, The Unforgivable, Black Adam, Air, and more.
The audiences as well as the critics have appreciated Davis’ work on How to Get Away with Murder as Annalise Keating or as Michelle Obama in The First Lady. But a re-surfaced interview of the actress at Women in the World showcases how, despite having a successful career and significant roles under her rooster, she has not had the opportunities compared to her contemporaries. In the interview, she says,
I got the Oscar, I got the Emmy, I got the two Tonys, I’ve done Broadway, I’ve done off-Broadway, I’ve done TV, I’ve done film, I’ve done all of it. I have a career that’s probably comparable to Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, and Sigourney Weaver. They all came out of Yale; they all came out of Julliard; they came out of NYU. They had the same path as me, and yet I am nowhere near them, not as far as money, not as far as job opportunities, nowhere close to it.
The actress continued that she’s got a phone, and people usually say, ‘You’re a Black Meryl Streep. There is no one like you’. To which Davis replied that if there is no one like her, then maybe they could pay her what she’s worth. She explained that she’s got the best agents who are doing their job well, but she has to face this challenge.
Viola Davis mentioned during the interview that when she delves into a role, she wants to do something complicated like building the most unbelievable structure of sculpting a sculptor wants to build. The actress noted that she wants to build the most complicated human being, but what she gets is a third girl from the left.
Viola Davis celebrates a milestone, stating, ‘I came to live out loud’
The actress turned 59 on August 11, 2024, and decided to share her milestone with her fans on social media. She shared pictures from her birthday dinner, her smiling inside a car and posing in a kitchen. Davis captioned the post,
If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you; I came to live out loud. I got love. I got bravery. I got curiosity; I’m alive. Here’s to my last year in my 50s.’
The actress spoke to People back in April about how the fame took her by surprise and shared that when a person has grown up in certain circumstances, they no longer see themselves. She continued that they dream big because it’s almost like they’re forcing themselves to believe that something can happen.
She also mentioned that when she got the opportunity to play Annalise Keating on How to Get Away with Murder, she only thought to herself that things like these can happen to people like her [people of color]. She added that she had accepted that the industry had put a stamp on her, but landing that role felt like her career could transpire in a way she never imagined.
Viola Davis is now looking forward to becoming the love of her life, adding that she does not want to live a life where it is defined by everyone else but her. She is now trying to live on her terms, and even if it looks messy on the outside, she wants to belong to herself.
