Viola Davis

I think that enjoying the fruits of one’s labor is very different than arrogance. And when I was younger, I didn’t know the difference. I thought that if you were gracious, that meant that you somehow were getting ahead of yourself. And I felt self-deprecation kept you balanced.

Viola Davis

I was the kind of poor where I knew right away I had less than everyone around me. Our environment, our physical space reflected our income.

Viola Davis

Let 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 Davis

Motherhood is 50 million heartbreaking moments, and 100 million joyous ones.

Viola Davis

One 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 Davis

People don’t understand that when you come into any theatrical experience, you’ve got to come locked and loaded, that you’re a part of the experience, too. You can’t come with your arms crossed. Be open to it.

Viola Davis

Self-deprecation is not the answer to humility.

Viola Davis

The reason I became an actress is because I wanted my acting to reflect life as it is. I want to put truth on the screen. I want real women to see real women on the screen.

Viola Davis

We grew up in abject poverty. Acting, writing scripts and skits were a way of escaping our environment at a very young age.

Viola Davis

What excites me is just taking some time to breathe in life. The mundane is very exciting.

Viola Davis