About
Viola Davis (/vaɪˈoʊlə/ vy-OH-lə; born August 11, 1965) is an American actress and film producer. Her accolades include both the Triple Crown of Acting and EGOT. Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2017. The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century (2020). Davis received the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2025. A graduate of Juilliard, Davis began her career in Central Falls, Rhode Island, appearing in small stage productions. She made her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play Seven Guitars (1996) for which she earned her first Tony nomination. She would later win two Tony Awards, both for Wilson plays. Her first win was for Best Featured Actress in a Play playing the titular character Tonya, a woman grappling with trauma and loss in King Hedley II (2001), followed by her second win for Best Actress...
Known for
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries • 1999
The SimpsonsSeries • 1989
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSeries • 2000
Law & Order: Criminal IntentSeries • 2001
Without a TraceSeries • 2002
NYPD BlueSeries • 1993
How to Get Away with MurderSeries • 2014
ScandalSeries • 2012
Third WatchSeries • 1999
Judging AmySeries • 1999
The PracticeSeries • 1997
Brothers and SistersSeries • 2006
PeacemakerSeries • 2022
Sofia the FirstSeries • 2013
The DivisionSeries • 2001
The GuardianSeries • 2001
The Suicide SquadMovie • 2021
ProvidenceSeries • 1999
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & SnakesMovie • 2023
Ocean's ElevenMovie • 2001
Black AdamMovie • 2022
Kung Fu Panda 4Movie • 2024
The HelpMovie • 2011
Creature CommandosSeries • 2024