Viola Davis, known for her roles in The Woman King and “How to Get Away With Murder”, received her first Grammy Sunday evening for her narration and storytelling prowess in her memoir Finding Me. The emotionally charged memoir is an inspirational novel about the life of the actor, about the journey of finding herself, coming to terms with her past, and pushing through adversity to love the person she is.
Viola Davis, 57, is the 18th person to achieve EGOT status and only the third Black woman, joining Whoopi Goldberg and Jennifer Hudson in the upper echelons of the entertainment industry. Davis has won one Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy, and two Tony awards throughout her illustrious career. She is the most nominated Black actress in Hollywood for the Academy Awards. Her achievements as both an actress and -producer have earned her not only the EGOT but the Triple Crown of Acting, which she secured in 2016.
Earning both titles has granted her even more acclaim to fame as only the third person to achieve both prestigious titles. In total, the Fences actress has won 149 awards across the entertainment industry’s many recognition platforms. I expect we will see her give many more acceptance speeches in the years to come.
During her time as an actress, Davis has starred on the Broadway stage, primetime television, and the big screen in leading and supporting roles. A graduate of Julliard, she entered the entertainment industry in 1993, working on small theatre productions and minor roles on tv. Her first Tony came in 2001 for her role in King Hedley II. Davis saw a major boost to her screen career in the late 2000s / early 2010s, with roles in Doubt and The Help. Her beautifully emotional performances mark her as a class cut above the rest.
“Oh my God! I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola, to honor her life, her joy, her trauma, everything. And it has just been such a journey. I just EGOT!”
-Viola Davis, Grammy Acceptance Speech
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