Viola Davis Delivers Stirring Speech at ASC Awards: ‘I Am Very Committed to Bringing Black Women to the Forefront’
variety.comJazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Newly minted EGOT Viola Davis was bestowed with the ASC Board of Governors Award at Sunday night’s American Society of Cinematographers ceremony.
Speaking to a room filled with artisans, Davis told the audience, “If you want to know me, don’t ask me how I do my hair or where I live, ask me what I live for.
On hand to present was “The Woman King” director Gina Prince-Bythewood, who awards-hopped from the ACE Eddies. Davis was met with rapturous applause and said, “Sometimes you have to look at your life backward, and suddenly everything is in perspective.” In a nearly 10-minute speech, Davis talked about growing up in poverty and around domestic violence “and not seeing any way out.” She said, “What happens is you pray to be able to bust a hole through this wall with something.
That’s what you imagine, ‘I gotta make a difference,’ but for me, I wanted to heal.” Davis said that meant looking at moments of joy, heartache and mess: “If I can encapsulate that in a character, then what I could get is purpose because I can help people feel less alone.
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