This cover came out a few weeks ago, but I totally missed it until now. To be fair, I think most outlets missed it, which is too bad because Viola Davis is one amazing lady and I really want her to get more press. Viola is coming to television in a big way – her Shonda Rhimes show, How to Get Away with Murder, premieres on ABC on September 25th, a Thursday (yay). I really, really hope the show does well. So, Viola covers the September issue of More Magazine to promote the show, and as we’ve seen in previous Viola interviews, she doesn’t shy away from discussing real issues, like poverty, racism, hunger and sexism. She is awesome. Some highlights from the interview:
Her family’s move to Central Falls, Rhode Island when she was a child: The only African-American family in a white working-class factory town, the Davises took up residence in a condemned dwelling. “We lived in abject poverty,” says Davis, who had so little to eat that she wasn’t above stealing food or fishing it out of garbage cans. “It was a childhood filled with the best memories of my life and some of the worst memories. It was a town filled with great friendships that I still have to this day and people who bullied me to the point that it was damaging. But I’m not ashamed of it. I embrace it as a part of who I was. I feel like if I hide it and I fight it, I’m not releasing my blessings.”
Entering a skit contest & winning as a kid: “There was a lot of name calling and ‘N—–, n—–, n—–,’ and ‘You’re not going to win,’ so we had to be great. And here’s what motivated us: When you’re poor, it infects your mind, it infects your spirit, but we all wanted to be somebody.”
Being a black woman in Hollywood: “I don’t have Angelina Jolie/Reese Witherspoon power. I can’t walk into a room and go, ‘I want a movie where I play someone sexy, and I want to be the producer on it.’ I don’t have A-list Caucasian actress choices – that’s the bottom line.”
Working with Shonda Rhimes: “Shonda (Rhimes) changed the scope of how we see black women on TV and proved that people will actually tune in, relate to it and enjoy it. In the past, I feel like people thought we didn’t sell.”
Working with the Hunger Campaign: “I don’t care if it’s embarrassing. I’m 48. I understand the grand scheme of life and what’s really important. Me saying that I grew up without food, without electricity, without running water at times? It’s a small price to pay to help kids not go hungry.”
[From More Magazine & USA Today]
Viola is so fierce and amazing, she makes me want to cry. I love that she really talks about poverty, racism and hunger from a place of deep understanding, from a place of her personal history. She doesn’t shy away from it at all. And she’s right – she doesn’t have the choices that a Reese Witherspoon or Angelina Jolie have. It’s the same reason why we were worried (and still worry) about Lupita Nyong’o and her future in Hollywood – for many directors, writers and producers, there’s an inability to “see” women of color (specifically African-American women) in many roles.
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of More.
She was the best thing about The United States of Tara
I like her a lot but I really don’t think she was that good on that show.
I agree. I barely even remember her on there to be honest.
I adore her…she looks so delicious in that cover! He skin just glowing and shit!!
I also love her interviews cause she keeps it so real..but classy!?, never giving you a whole bunch of stuff, lets you be pleasantly surprised at her next tidbit
Im not an ABC girl but I Might tune in I hope her and Octavia’s shows go Gangbusters!
She is so fierce and fantastic! I can’t wait for her new show!
Me, too. She is gorgeous, smart and brave.
+1!!
I love her so much! She has so much talent…its like I love to be manipulated by her skills. I know when I watch her perform, she will take me somewhere.
Agree. One of my favorite episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent stars Viola Davis. It is called ‘Badge,’ and is well worth looking up.
I agree with Viola and you about choices, Kaiser. Ironically, in consideration of Viola’s remarks, I also think there’s a double whammy for Lupita. What does Hollywood do with a woman who is both black AND patrician? There is, at least, a credible Hollywood narrative with poor girl done good. Lupita doesn’t have even that.
I think one of Viola’s issues is not discussed above or I missed, it is that she is old for Hollywood. If Viola was Caucasian she would still have issues because she is almost 50 and was never considered pretty. She also spent a lot of her career in theater which is great but she didn’t become Audra McDonald. Audra can do no wrong on Broadway.
I will watch Viola’s new show because I want her to do well.
Lupita will have different issues than Viola. Lupita is beautiful and not American black. Her story and her interpretation of what happens will be very different.
I was thinking the same thing. She is considered “OLD” by Hollywood standards, and I think that has a lot to do with it too. If your name isn’t Meryl Streep, your choice of scripts diminishes drastically after the age of 40… 🙁
I can’t for Viola to grace my TV screen for two amazing season of “How To Get Away With Murder” before Shonda goes all Shonda on us, and ruins with like a 5 terrible ones. Scandal and Grey’s used to be must see TV, and it’s just sooo baad.
I have the same problem with her shows- they start off great and then get really bad around season 2-3. I hope that doesn’t happen here. Ordinarily I probably just wouldn’t watch but I love Viola so much, I will.
It’s such a shame she doesn’t have that level of star power- I think she’s a better actress than both A listers mentioned. I hope leading a show gives her a higher profile- she is an amazing woman who has important things to say, and people should pay attention.
I’m still pissed off about the whole B613 thing with Scandal…..if she had kept that out, then I would LOVE it. There’s WAY too much going on–you can’t have big political upheavals/in fighting AND super secret spy crap….one or the other. And the ending of season 3…wtf? But apparently (or so Shonda says) the whole 4th season is going to be upheaved around the middle of the season, and come back together again (like season 1). I still love the show, but ugh. I think that they try and get too crafty, too quick.
And it would be AMAZING if she had that kind of power. Viola is AWESOME. I will watch her show religiously (even if it ends up sucking).
Haha! This comment is so true. There first two seasons are usually amazing. I still love watching the first 2 seasons if Grey’s on DVD.
I have been hate watching Grey’s for the last 4 season now. I don’t want to watch it anymore because it is so bad, but I just can’t seem to stop myself. I think the upcoming season is going to really suck without Yang in it…..
@Farah – I didn’t watch Grey’s so I can’t comment on that. But Scandal is killing me. Well, in particular, the Fitz & Oliva storyline. The one good thing she did was to make Fitz “hate-able” by the end of this past season. The standard guy who is all-consumed with power and wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants Millie to be devoted, but wants Olivia too. Love is crazy, but is it crazy enough to have you pass up single, smoking hot, heroic Jake Ballard, for the married kind-of-handsome Fitz… No. No, it’s not.
The complaints about these shows..lol! Whatever, I love Shonda and her shows.
I love Shonda’s shows too.
Love,love Viola! And I can’t wait to watch the show, from the promos it looks interesting !!
Viola for all the things. She is a force.
Viola is so right and she’s so amazing!
She looks amazing in that cover! Really beautiful. It’s sad but I think she’s right about the opportunities for black women in Hollywood, regardless of their talent. I’m looking forward to watch her series!
Don’t quite get Viola Davis comments. There are a lot of white actors and actress that would like to have the fans and power Brad and Angie have in Hollywood. I don’t think Viola Davis gets it Brad and Angie is liked because of their work ethic and how they relate to ordinary people of all races and the Gay community. I don’t think that has to do with being white.
I think Angelina and Brad might not have been the best comparative example of white privilege on equal ground (they are the white privilege above all white privilege), but if you compare Viola’s work to Reese’s, you do have to wonder why Reese has so much cachet and/or Hollywood pull. Regardless of her examples, her larger statement is on point, you would agree with that, wouldn’t you?
I was wondering about the Reese Witherspoon example. I don’t see her career as amazing or anything, but she survived a HUGE scandal that was recorded for all of our memories for forever (and was a huge, sarcastic a-hole afterwards, wearing that ‘Atlanta PD’ hat) and was back to being Little Miss Sunshine right away. But then I forgot she married that PR agent…….
The Reese comparison was made because she has creative power. She formed a production company, she gets to control with movies she wants to make and star in and those that she just wants to produce and make money off of.
If you look at Reese’s career not just as an actress, but also with all of the other powers she has accumulated, she is very successful.
Reese did a few cute movies, but she is no Viola Davis.
If you want to have a production money I assume you need your own capital? It’s not that some one “let” Reese do that or set it up for her is it? So she’s in that spot because of her assets, more than anything else. Am I wrong?
That’s not what she said or meant though and you know it.
She mentioned Reese Witherspoon and other white A list actresses as well and you totally dismissed it as not a ‘race issue’, even though it clearly is.
1. She’s black. 2. She’s a woman. 3. She’s over 40.
The first is already a major set back in Hollywood and even bigger if you are a woman, that’s double the discrimination because she doesn’t have male or white privilege to fall back on.
She has to deal with racism AND sexism, AND ageism.
+1000000 Observer
Applause, applause, applause!
So true.
Viola is an amazing actress, she’s telling it like it is.
Viola is an oscar nominated actress (and 2 time TONY award winner). She spoke of how she doesn’t have the same pull as these two Oscar winning leading ladies.
What’s not to get? She’s is no less talented, but she is older and a much darker hue. Hollywood is very appearance based so she is aware there are less good roles from her to choose from. She feels blessed to have a leading role in a series with successful show runner Shonda Rhimes.
Let’s not turn this into “not all white actresses are at Angelina and Reese’s level” and erase how Viola’s situation unique. Plenty of older actresses have made comments about how there are less roles for them — should they be silenced too because not all young actresses are successful?
Thank you for this great comment. The lack of roles for actresses of colour is a real thing. Despite her talent, she simply will always have less selection and that is her point.
Even when she was younger, she presumably faced similar challenges because of her looks. Dark women are not often seen as beautiful in Hollywood because they defy conventional beauty standards.
Last Year Viola was featured as part of the Hollywood actress roundtable and at one point she began discussing standards of beauty and how it impacts roles, and Charlize Theron, interrupted her to assure her she was beautiful(which she is) but clearly Charlize missed the point Viola was attempting to get across. I always remember seeing that. Viola is open about the challenges she faces in Hollywood.
Love her. She is fantastic. Can’t wait for her new show this fall! She is also great in the Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby in a small supporting role.
Whenever I read comments like yours, I reminded there’s no hope. Even after reading all of that you refuse to see it.
I need to come off the internet.
Or that they’ve been working actors since they were children. Viola started in her mid to late twenties I believe. Will Smith started young and can do what he wants, Tom Cruise also, These people also produce a lot of their own projects. It’s not fair to act like they just walk in and bat their eyelashes and projects fall at their feet. Other people have done it and if she wants to make it happen, she needs to make it happen.
Anyway she looks gorgeous on the cover and I’m looking forward to her new show.
A lot of white actors started late. Chastain was pushing 30 or even over 30 and she was in 6 films/year all of a sudden. Or Streep, she was also pushing 30 when her film career started. These ladies got parts thrown at them basically because yes, they are talented but do you think Viola and Lupita get the same treatment? JLaw is doing roles meant for women in their thirties, why aren’t they giving it to age appropriate women? Al Pacino, Bob Hoskins etc the same, once they broke out it was raining parts. Black male actors are still luckier than black females.
Do you know how long Viola has been around? She’s not a newbie and she’s a professional so clearly, it’s not her fault that she’s not getting the same parts.
Have you seen the outrage when one of the Fantastic Four was going to be black? And that was a man (Michael B Jordan). Or the outrage that a black character from the Hunger Games was *gasp* a black actress? And this was a young girl. We have all these Marvel heroes and how many women??? Don’t be so naive. It’s extremely hard for POC to have the same career as non-POC. The fact that shows/films with diversity are being positively called out for being diverse, says where we stand in society in regards to opportunities for POC. It’s getting better but we’re not there yet, lord we are not!
Also many actors actually went into blockbuster because films aren’t that lucrative when you’re in small films (see Will Smith’s early career) or when you’re not very popular/famous. That way they have the money so they can do what they want.
Ugh to your comment.
“She just needs to make it happen” is what people said about Lupita’s post Oscar career (lack of jobs).
Guess what moron? It’s not that easy! Lupita did manage to get her hands on Americanah though but it’s not as simple as just making it happen otherwise we wouldn’t be talking about this now would we? What do you know about what Viola has done to “make it happen”? She’s probably hustling like every other black actress in Hollywood.
And clearly she didn’t say anything about batting any eyelashes so what is that passive aggressive comment about?
People SO do not like being called out for their racism and sexism (misogynoir) and white privilege.
“It’s her lack of ambition”, “nono, it’s her age, she should have started younger!!”. Spare us will you.
Hollywood Bootstrap theory……
Um, Viola went to Julliard and won a Tony in 2001. She’s been doing tv since the 1990s. It isn’t as if she didn’t start out strong as a young woman in this industry.
@floretta50
Honey what alternate universe do you live in?
So tired of people who think if only they worked harder, if only they started earlier. As if somehow actresses of color didn’t do EXACTLY what Reese, Angelina, Kate, Meryl did but it’s just pure chance that they got specifically different results.
Viola is as talented and more talented than the aforementioned white actresses but Hollywood is NOT colorblind nor is it liberal. It is a microcosm of America with all the same prejudices.
Hwood is all about the money! And selling to that ‘microcosm of america’. They’ll make and sell whatever will bring in the money….I guess it’s irrelevant, but I think Hwood is capitalist first and foremost, and racist a result/secondarily. they feed what they think the demographics who pay them will want.
Also, I love Viola, though I think Cate and Meryl are definitely on par with her, acting wise. Someone said she’s better than the ‘aforementioned’. Guess it’s opinion, but they’re all equally darn great actresses, IMO. Reese and AJ, not so much. But as mentioned by others, AJ’s star power is a different thing altogether.
Hollywood is about money, but it’s also about race and when I say that I include Latino and Asian actresses, as well as African American actresses.
Viola knows of what she speaks.
I like Reese W as much as the next person but she’s so hopelessly girl-next-door, which worked for her in Election and that Dangerous Liaisons rip off (forget the name). But how in thd world did she reach the kind of star power that has her named alongside AJ as the epitome of Hollywood success?
Reese’s movies out gross Jolie’s. Angelina has always been a tabloid star. She’s had critical success but aside from Maleficent, the Laura Croft movies and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, her movies tend to under perform. Reese was America’s sweetheart, and has tons of romantic comedies, that may not be critical faves, but they made MONEY.
Exactly. If you want your movie to do well financially, Reese Witherspoon is a safer bet than Angelina. To many people, Angelina is still relatively divisive.
I know that, but I don’t understand it. There’s just nothing glamorous or larger than life with Reese. Maybe that’s the appeal, IDK.
I agree that as far as Hollywood (read: monetary) success, Reese has been vastly more successful then Jolie. I just watched Mud this weekend and I thought Reese did a very good job, small and nuanced. Also, she was fantastic in “Walk the Line”, the Johnny Cash biopic for which she earned an Oscar.
I get that Reese isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but that doesn’t negate her box office success or, frankly, her talent. For instance, I cannot stand Tom Cruise but I will acknowledge that he brings in the audience (usually) and is often in very good films.
Reese numbers ( 5 bigest movies )
Domestic – 552 m
World Wide – 794 m
Angelina numbers (5 bigest movies)
Domestic – 808 m
World Wide – 2.139 m
Reese’s movies out gross Jolie’s ? LOL that is the joke of the year. Sorry numbers are numbers
Are you all actually Looking at the box office numbers
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?id=reesewitherspoon.htm
In what universe in the last 10 years is Reese more successful box office wise. The only movie that made 2 times it’s budget Are Water for Elephants and Walk the Line. how do you know know cost $120mil and made only $48mil. angelina has been in Mr and Mrs Smith, Wanted, Salt, Tourist, Changeling, Maleficent all these movies made at least twice their budget.
Actually I just looked it up and Reese Witherspoon is a $2 billion girl – while Angelina Jolie is a $3 billion girl….site is called “the numbers”.
Angelina is a far bigger movie star than Reese when it comes to box-office and she also directs and produces,
I know it appears the other way around, it just that Reese makes more movies but Angelina’s movies though less do far better in gross.
Box Office Mojo
Reese Witherspoon
Lifetime Gross Total (26): $1,170,710,958
Average: $45,027,345
Opening Gross Average (19): $16,018,999 (Wide Releases Only)
Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation
Adjusted Total: $1,502,340,900
Average: $57,782,300
WorldWide
Total: $1,870.6 million
Angelina Jolie
Lifetime Gross Total (30): $2,033,231,623
Average: $67,774,387
Opening Gross Average (24): $24,821,625 (Wide Releases Only)
Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation
Adjusted Total: $2,469,001,200
Average: $82,300,000
WorldWide
Total: $5,460.7 million
@ All those quoting box office numbers,
Obviously, I was mistaken if all of those numbers are correct. I have no reason to believe that they are not. I suppose that that was just my perception based on how long Reese as been acting and, the fact, that Jolie hasn’t been incredibly visible (outside of Malificent) for some time. Having taken the time the think about it, I can see that Jolie’s “blockbuster” roles such as Salt, MAMS, and such would have made a huge profit. Reese isn’t very blockbuster-y. The closest she has come to those big summer tent-poles would be Sweet Home Alabama and Legally Blonde.
Reese’s movies have bombed terribly the last decade. I loved her in Walk The Line , she is a talented lady, but after the Blonde franchise and Walk The Line I don’t think she’s had many hits.
Angelina’s summer movie did monster box office. Great success.
She is divisive, but knocked it out with Salt and Maleficent!!! That is a fact and I am glad someone put up the numbers. Love Jolie’s talent and she is quality bank for the box office.
Cruel intentions
I agree. I actually like Reese, too, but I think she hasn’t done any note-worthy movies since Walk The Line. I’m not even talking about quality – she just seems to be losing her appeal.
People may say Angie’s movies tend to not perform that well, but look at what happened with Salt. A male actor rejected the role and they re-wrote the whole thing so Angie, a woman close to her 40s, could star. Angelina is a major force to be reckoned with. Reese? If Wild isn’t a big critical and (most importantly) commercial success, Hollywood might get tired of her.
Reposted above about box office
The kind of power that allows her to be mentioned alongside jolie? Lol. You sound like those beyhive on twitter.
Just googled “beyhive.” Are you sure you posted in the correct thread?
ROTFLMAO. For the most part Reese Witherspoon is NOT known outside of the United States. She’s had domestic hits but internationally she’s nobody. That’s the case with most actors who mainly do comedies because comedies generally don’t play well overseas. Look at Adam Sandler’s box office numbers. He had a string of $100 million movies domestcially that barely earned $100 million foreign – some didn’t even earn that. When you consider there are over 86 international markets – that’s obviously NOT good. It’s the same thing with Reese. Whether it’s a comedy or drama, aside from a few animated movies she’s done, her movies bomb in foreign markets. It’s been over 6 years since she even had a movie earn more than $60 million domestic. Why else do you think she married CAA uber-agent Jim Toth? Not that I’m accusing Reese of anything. Much.
Watch “Freeway” and you will never doubt Witherspoon’s abilities again. So not the girl next door in that picture!
Re: Racism – people it is real, alive and kicking. It dictates who has access to opportunity, hence capital. POC have to be 3Xs more talented, educated, beautiful, smart, funny, etc. to compete with their lesser White counterparts to even have a shot.
In college I had a biracial African and English girlfriend who was an aspiring actress and she did everything in her power to try and make it. She was all those things and more. I would say only her body type was slightly problematic at 5’1″ with a longer torso but shorter and dumpier lower body. In other words slightly disproportionate but still very attractive body type. Even in college performances there weren’t many roles available to her. And she actually had very Anglo-Saxon features and fair enough skin to pass for Hispanic. She moved to New York and did a few plays and then moved to LA. She did a few commercials, got a few print ads and moonlighted in a few low budget non recognizable Indie films.
If even a lighter skinned biracial Anglo-Saxon featured pretty talented smart witty woman has to struggle as much and only not to make it (and not for lack of effort) considering the preference for the Halle Berry look for WOC, I can just imagine what Viola had to do to break the mold!!!
Re: Viola vs Lupita. One commenter up thread mentioned how the 2 differ in looks being the Lupita is perceived as “actually beautiful”, I have to concur. When I first saw Viola, I did not perceive her as pretty. She looks good, yes. She’s grown on me and I can say she’s attractive. But pretty, no. But you have other White actresses that are also attractive but not pretty – think Felicity Huffman from Desperate Housewives and Glenn Close. Yet they land fairly substantive roles b/c of their talent.
I love that electric blue color on her! Makes her skin pop.
Viola almost always knocks it out of the park style wise, imo. She is truly beautiful and that smile is breathtaking. When you couple all of that with her true talent and amazing ability to relate her life experiences in such a heartfelt (yet, pragmatic) manner, it really is amazing that she hasn’t gotten more mainstream love.
i don’t know about all the movies that come out in the USA, because not all of them made it to my country. but the ones that made it, if they include a person of color, they are very stereotypical and narrow. by the time the opening credit is over, 5 mins into the movie, cinemagoers can guess accurately their character and roles.
Please stop lumping Lupita with all struggling American black actresses. Lupita is an African born in Mexico to privilege parents who are diplomats. She comes from wealth. As an American black who lives in NYC filled with a large population from various countries from Africa, Africans do no consider themselves to be anything like black Americans. They don’t share their history and many feel quite above and separate. Yes. Incredible as that may sound there is such a thing as classism among black skin persons. So Hollywood is patting itself on it’s back for opening for embracing a black woman ok. But Black American actresses have been struggling in that field and are still overlooked. America media doesn’t claim French actress Marion Coitillard as America and recognize the difference in her background, so don’t lump Lupita with Viola or Octavia.
I get what what you’re saying but that doesn’t mean Lupita has that attitude. She knows she’s a black woman and that’s what people see first. Most people just see a black woman, they don’t differentiate between being a black American or an African born in Mexico. As far black actresses go I don’t think Lupita is covering any new ground in Hollywood. Long before Lupita there was Cicely Tyson. Cicely Tyson didn’t look like anybody else. She was wearing her hair natural and has still managed to have a decades long career.
Lupita’s parents are not diplomats. Her father is a professor and local politician in Kenya. How you got “diplomat” out of that is beyond me.
Black audiences need to start supporting their older black actresses then, and not just half-white Halle Berry. Studios only care about money. If a black actress over 40 could open a movie the same way that Charlize Theron could, we wouldn’t have an issue. The problem is that moviegoers, regardless of race, want to see younger actors and actresses.
Not entirely true. If that was the case then Hollywood would have more Asian actors and actresses because the Asian market is huge and many Hollywood productions are financed by Chinese and Indian businessmen.
Also, as a black woman I am not going to support a movie just because it has black people in it. I personally never went to see The Help because I don’t agree with the stereotypical way it portrayed black women.
I guess it’s also a lack of options out there. I don’t watch Tyler Perry or any of that mess that is aimed at black people. It’s horrible.
And I don’t think Halle Berry’s audience have been predominately black since jungle fever.
I’d love it young black actors like Michael B. Jordan and Keke Palmer got their fair shake. And like you, I don’t go to support a movie just ’cause black people are in it. I will not support anything that perpetuates stereotypes.
Black audiences have always supported black actresses. Angela Bassett, Alfre Woodard and the late Ruby Dee have always had the support of the black audience. It’s not even about color at this point. It’s about youth. Young white people aren’t going to see Meryl Streep, Kathy Bates or Glenn Close movies either. Most of them want to see Jennifer Lawrence and Shailene Woodley in blockbusters.
…And that’s another thing. We don’t get the black starlets. The black Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Stone.
I would love to see a young black teen actress get the same opportunities white actresses like Jennifer Lawrence get. I bet millions of young black boys and girls would flock to the cinemas to see a young,black, pretty, slim actress in her teens to early twenties in a blockbuster like the hunger games.
Pretty sure Oscar-winner Lupita is a black starlet. She’ll be in the new Star Wars movies. She just started in the industry.
Lupita is 30 though…isn’t she too old to be a starlet? I was thinking more It girl starlet like Emma Stone, Emma Watson etc. A girl in her late teens to early twenties.
But to me Lupita looks much younger than her years, although 30 is still young I think Lupita can pass for early twenties.
Not that age should matter at all but it would be nice to have a young black It girl starlet for young black girls to look up to.
Can Charlize Theron really carry a movie? I can’t even think of her last big box office blockbuster. Her “biggest” movies are the ones that are most critically acclaimed, like Monster and North Country.
Theron is not able to carry a movie. She was good in young adult (I think she was basically playing herself), but that movie was not a great success in the BO. There was a very interesting industry article about her (I think it was on deadline or indiwire) not being as successful as everybody expected. as Angelina successful, that is.
Charlize theron: Facts
Gross lead in a movie – $600 million
Gross supporting in a movie – $1.1 Billion
Gross as non supporting cast in a movie – $611 million
Charlize has made severe huge blockbuster movies in the past four or five year.
Charlize movies make money.
@Pager90
Really? Because I’ve only heard/seen two of Charlize Theron’s movies–Monster and Young Adult. Other than that, I have NO IDEA what other films Charlize has been in. She’s a beautiful and good actress, but to me, her films do not stand out (especially since I have a REALLY good memory when it comes to this kind of stuff.).
IMO, it isn’t just up to black audiences to support mature black actresses. We ALL need to support mature actresses of all races, but especially minorities (and especially in quality roles). I think it is really important for studio heads to know that white audiences will watch and identify with female characters that are of different races than their own.
Just as Viola’s race doesn’t define or limit her, it also doesn’t limit the types of people that can identify with her.
Well said, Tiffany 🙂 !
Excellent point! – It has slowly begun on TV With:
Sleepy Hollow
Grey’s Anatomy
Scandal
Private Practice
Unfortunately the Comedies are lagging behind. – I personally have no interest in watching shows that are not multi-ethnic.
I loved what she said but hate that cover. She’s 48 y/o and they put her in fishnets? right.
the cover is AMAZING.
just think of how powerful she would be if she had gotten the head-start and hands-up the 2 women she name checked got.
she actually earned her place and i think that is one of the (many) reasons so many people love her.
she’s the total package.
She is still doing much better than a majority of working Americans and doesn’t have to struggle financially like so many of us. Yet that still seems to not be good enough and that’s a turn off for me. I don’t think anyone in Hollywood has much room to complain when they are working in a profession that many people wish they could get into. She is blessed and should try to look at it that way instead of worrying about what others have.
You have completely missed the point.
How dare you presume that Viola doesn’t realize that she’s already a blessed woman? She grew up poor and struggled and she’s obviously come a long way.
Ugh – your argument is insensitive, judgmental and totally off base with the larger issue, which is about lack of opportunities for WOC in Hollywood.
She looks simply gorgeous! I admire her for many things but I especially admire her for speaking up about how it was to come from a poor background and how it was to be hungry growing up. Better yet, she’s one of those who’s putting her money where her mouth is and helping with these charities.
Hats off to her for that.
I’m excited about the movie with JLo where they play moms out for revenge after their sons are murdered.
I did see this issue of More magazine, because I’m an “old chick” and like More magazine. There are so few magazines of this type for uh….lemme pull a PC term out of my ass….”women of age”. Ha! Anyway, a chick my age (50) has outgrown Cosmopolitan articles about what turns a guy on (nothing more complicated than a set of bare breasts and a 6-pack) or Glamour “Do’s and Don’ts” articles (yes, I know that showing your bra strap and your tampon string is a definite “don’t”). So I was THRILLED to see Viola Davis on the cover, who is a brilliant actress. I bugs me a bit that she mentions Angelina Jolie and Reese Witherspoon, because I have always considered Viola a serious actor – a thespian, if you will – and not like Angelina or Reese. It’s like complaining that filet mignon is not as mainstream as hamburger. I get what she’s saying – and it’s a legitimate point – but Halle Berry actually can walk into a room and get what she wants. Viola, however, is cut from a different cloth and she should celebrate that. Her character portrayals are thoughtful, wonderful and colorless. She is amazing. Yes, she is a black woman, but her talent and gift for channeling a character and bringing it to a level that speaks to humanity in a way that transcends color should not be overlooked. Viola is an ACTOR. And a damn fine one. Love her.
Love your comment in totality! Made me smile and nod 🙂
I’m in my early 20s and I DETEST Cosmopolitan. I find magazines like that much worse than Maxim and Playboy.
I’m another “woman of age” as LaurieH would say, but I agree so much about Cosmo – SO sexist – 40 ways to Turn Him On, How to Get and Keep A Man – just vomit inducing crap.
That cover is gorgeous!
Agreed. That is how you do sexy without being crude.
Love, love, love Viola. She looks amazing on that cover, fishnets and all.
always remember charlize theron telling her she was “a hot bitch” and completely missing the point about the serious topic Viola was talking about.
Charlize Theron is just a complete idiot. I do think the Viola Davis has a great point when it comes to black actors and actresses. Lupita is a very beautiful woman, unfortunately she is dark. To me, dark skinned black people are very gorgeous, and I should be be jealous because I am brown. Anyway, but just like Lupita and Viola, all black actresses don’t get our fair share of star power like Jennifer Lawrence or Shailene Woodley for that matter.
But we as all black people, should just bickering and start doing something. As my mother told me,” expect nothing and you won’t be disappointed” . So if you can’t anyone to do it for you, do it yourself.
Viola Davis, you are my idol and I hope for your sucess in your career. Lupita, you are going to alright I know it.
Lupita will be the new young black actress who gets the roles.
She’s stunning and I think she will get roles which would have gone to Halle Berry a decade ago, who is now too old for ingenue roles. I just hope. Lupita makes better choices than Halle.
Viola Davis is a terrific actress but I don’t think she should be comparing her influence with Angelina and Reese, it’s just totally different.
1 Angelina started acting when she was 7 yro – her father and mother were in show business.
2. Reese started acting when she was 15 yro – before that she was doing commercials.
3. Viola started acting when she was 31 yro – big difference in Hollywood presence and contacts
Of course these other actress will have more power and access because they have a larger filmogaphy.
I am anxiously awaiting the new Shonda Rhimes show “How to get away with murder”, with Viola Davis.
And how does this information refute the fact that there are less opportunities for actresses of color, exactly? Ever thought that there are also less opportunities for children and teens of color, too?
I think you missed my point…Thanks, G’Bye
Oh no, Gypsy, I do! 🙂 It’s jut a Straw Man argument that has nothing to do with the point Viola was trying to make.
That’s what I was saying above and was called names. You can’t discount Jolie or Witherspoon’s hard work because they’re “caucasian”. Not my choice of words either.
Vic, has anyone downplayed Jolie’s or Witherspoon’s “hard work”? Really? Did Viola say that? Did anyone even imply that?
You are talking about something no one has actually said.
I am kind of amazed at the intentional obtuseness of some of these comments refuting what Viola is saying. People really feel the need to turn logic inside-out in order to NOT make this about race! Why can’t we just take the word of all of the actresses of color, and specifically black actresses, who talk about struggling against stereotypes and for good parts over and over and over again? So what, are all of them oversensitive? Are they all lying?
Seriously, WAKE UP!!!
Thank you!
+1
I heart your comment!
those are very powerful statements. what a strong woman. not to mention, lovely.
All the love. All of it. I’m giving it to her. She is refreshingly honest and unapologetic. I love it.
Holywood is racist. Period. If you aren’t martin Freeman or Sam Jackson/Lawrence Fishbourne you struggle. Hollywood is also misogynist.
I refused to watch Scandal because I couldn’t find a redeeming quality in any character, but I’m planning to watch HTGAWM simply because I want Viola to suceed. She is lovely.
After Lainey raving about scandal I watched one episode, not interesting to me at all. Maybe I’ll watch this new show though, not that I have cable but when it’s on netflix or whatever
Do you have to redeem a character to watch a show. The show is called Scandal. I mean gross, stereotypes is one thing. Showing the corruption of different types of people is another.
No you don’t, it’s called Scandal for a reason….also, the is the age of the anti-hero TV, the successful cable shows are about flawed characters, murder and deceit., Shonda Rhimes is giving us what we want. A ringside seat to the machinations of people doing evil and deceitful things. – Otherwise known as: Reality.
Those who don’t like it should turn of f the TV and open the Bible…Just don’t complain and spoil it for the rest of us.
Well they could cast Viola in Salt and Maleficent instead of Angelina. Spend $100 millions on budget and then it would flop and get 3 millions. They could also cast some white pretty young tv actress and guess what – it would still flop.
I agree, financiers are looking at the color of money, prove to them that you can give them good returns on their film investment and they will cast that person as lead.
Viola is amazing, an inspiration as an actor and a woman. She has been nothing less than superb in every single role I’ve seen her in… she could probably make the user manual for my dishwasher sound like Shakespeare.
Plus, that periwinkle dress is gorgeous and complements her skin so beautifully.
I think some people are missing her point because she used two heavy weight Caucasian women who built up their power in Hollywood due to their film roles and now their own production companies. Before that they were struggling actresses like her but once they broke through they were given more opportunies than a young Black actress who breaks through. Just compare Lupita and the White blonde girl from Leo DiCarpio’s last film. Lupita should have as much lead roles as that lady but she doesn’t. Once that inequality starts from the beginning it’s hard for Black actresses to ever catch up and reach the same high levels with producing credit etc. as their White counterparts.
You also have to figure in the equation that while Hollywood considers Brown and dark skinned Black men as sex symbols, they view Brown and dark-skin Black WOMEN as unattractive. If there is a sexy girlfriend role needed to play against a Black man, they will hire a Biracial or racially ambigious actress instead of a fully Black woman. They will hire the Black actress to play the unattractive maid, middle-aged sexless wive, nanny, single mom etc.
You can see this on children’s programming on Nick and Disney shows. Black males and Biracial girls with the pretty hair is who the industry starts grooming from the beginning.
Excellent points, T.C.
I’m interested in why someone born in poverty, would choose a career like acting? It’s not the most stable career and seems the only people that get by, are the ones with famous relatives and connections.
Because when you have nothing, the sky is the limit.
It’s amazing how Viola’s comments turned into a dissertation on Angelina and Reese’s box office ability. Some of you are deliberately ignorant and uninformed. You are totally missing the essence of Viola’s comments. But hey, anything to avoid white people actually having to face the reality of Black people in this country, right? Deflect. Deflect. Deflect. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.
The turn that these comments have taken is living proof of why Viola faces the hardships that she does.
And while we’re talking about Shonda Rhimes, I would like you all to think about this glorious bit of dialouge that she wrote for Scandal, that proves not only to be true on late night television, but in the real world: ” We have to work twice as hard to get half”
At Zzzzz to BS. I feel your pain. I made a comment about the phenomenon of POC having to work harder to get things…but you captured it perfectly with the quote. “…work twice as hard to get half”. Drop that mike suga.
You must make sure that you hire the best web hosting company India to get the best deals and offers for web
server hosting. Dream – Host is an online hosting company that offers products like domain registration, shared website hosting, Virtual Private Server (VPS),
and public cloud services. You can be diligent about protecting your website but someone else on the same server might not be.