One of the most celebrated and admired actresses of our time, Viola Davis is one again lending her face on the cover of the latest edition o
One of the most celebrated and admired actresses of our time, Viola Davis is one again lending her face on the cover of the latest edition of Porter magazine. The Academy Award, Emmy and Tony award winner in a candid interview with the magazine lends her opinion about the #MeToo movement, typecasting women of colour in Hollywood, about sexual harassment experiences and many more. On typecasting in Hollywood, the 52 year old says, “I’m darker than a paper bag. Women who look like me are [usually] relegated to…auditioning for crackheads and mammas and the person who is always described as ‘sassy’.”
When asked about the several nominations awarded to non-white artists this year, following 2017’s #OscarsSoWhite campaign, Viola Davis says she isn’t impressed. “Here’s the thing: it’s not about the Oscars,” she starts, “it’s about how we’re included in every aspect of the movie-making business. When you look at a role as a director or producer that is not ethnically specific, can you consider an actor of color, to invest in that talent? The problem is, if it’s not an urban or civil rights drama, they don’t see you in the story. People need to understand that they shouldn’t see people of color one way. We don’t always have to be slaves or in the ’hood or fighting the KKK. I could be in a romantic comedy. I could be in Gone Girl. Or Wild. I could be seen the same way as Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore. I actually came from the same sort of background; I went to Juilliard, I’ve done Broadway. I’ve worked with the Steven Spielbergs. I should be seen the same way. That’s what I think is missing: imagination.”
On bridging the gender gap in terms of pay cheque for the woman of colour, she had this to say,
“If Caucasian women are getting 50% of what men are getting paid, we’re not even getting a quarter of what white women are getting paid. We don’t even get the magazine covers white women get. And that is not speaking in a way that is angry. They deserve everything they get paid. Nicole Kidman deserves it. Reese Witherspoon deserves it. Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Frances McDormand… But guess what – I Viola Davis deserve it too. So does Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, Halle Berry. We’ve put the work in too.”
“I don’t want to tell anyone what to do,” she says, “but I think Jessica Chastain did a really boss move with Octavia Spencer on their latest, as yet untitled project by saying Octavia’s got to be paid the same as her. She actually upped Octavia’s quote for that movie because she took a salary cut. I think Caucasian women have to stand in solidarity with us. And they have to understand we are not in the same boat. Even a lot of female-driven events in Hollywood, like power luncheons – which I’ve been to, and are awesome by the way – there will be 3,000 women in that room and five of them are women of color. And it’s by invite! So, you’re not even inviting us.”
For the full interview, click here to read.
