Ordinary people who are just kind of just going about their lives are transformed into heroes because they have the courage to put their voices out there. I think that’s a powerful message in this time of political strife.
VIOLA DAVISOrdinary people who are just kind of just going about their lives are transformed into heroes because they have the courage to put their voices out there. I think that’s a powerful message in this time of political strife.
VIOLA DAVISYou cannot live to please everyone else. You have to edify, educate and fulfill your own dreams and destiny.
VIOLA DAVISI am not a writer, but I feel that when our production company is successful, we’ll be able to give some young writers with fresh voices an opportunity to put their work out there.
VIOLA DAVISEven when I get the fried-chicken special of the day, I have to dig into it like it’s filet mignon.
VIOLA DAVISI love Wal-Mart. You can put that down. I love Wal-Mart. My husband and I hang out there.
VIOLA DAVISI have been given a lot of roles that are downtrodden, mammy-ish.
VIOLA DAVISI think sometimes what people miss about black people is that we’re complicated.
VIOLA DAVISWe as artists cannot be politicians. We as artists can only be truth-tellers.
VIOLA DAVISOne of the people I’ve always wanted to emulate in pursuing that dream was Meryl Streep, in terms of the different types of roles she’s been able to play and the number of different stories she’s been able to tell.
VIOLA DAVISI want my work to reflect my level of gifts and talent.
VIOLA DAVISLet me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.
VIOLA DAVISIn my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful, white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line, but I can’t seem to get there now. I can’t seem to get over that line.
VIOLA DAVISThat’s why there’s so much bad acting out there, because you could see actors watching themselves.
VIOLA DAVISKnowing the only way out is education, even if you don’t have parents that are extraordinarily wealthy. I understand that I have to be an active participant in [my daughter’s] education in order for her to thrive in the world.
VIOLA DAVISAny actor will tell you, as soon as your ego and your vanity come into the mix, it destroys your work. Completely destroys it.
VIOLA DAVISThey say the two most important days in a person’s life were the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born.
VIOLA DAVIS