When you grow up in abject poverty, you see people exactly the way they are. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
We grew up in abject poverty. Acting, writing scripts and skits were a way of escaping our environment at a very young… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I would love to be remembered as a person who used her life to inspire others in any way, shape or form. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Sometimes there is no sugar-coating it. Sometimes you have to challenge people's belief systems in a progressive way. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Every job I've ever gotten has transformed me in some way as an actor. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Your ability to adapt to failure, and navigate your way out of it, absolutely 100 percent makes you who you are. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Turning 50 is making me reflect on my life in a way that's more compassionate and forgiving. — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Are there women in your world now that have given you those lessons in confidence? Oh absolutely. Meryl [Streep] does it all… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Knowing the only way out is education, even if you don't have parents that are extraordinarily wealthy. I understand that I have… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
When you're really passionate, you're going to grab hold of every rope you see, and wrap them around your arms and legs… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I want to span different genres. I want to be able to transform. I want to be able to be sexy, and… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Can I just tell you, I think it's the most beautiful thing about young people today, it gives me so much hope… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
August [Wilson] elevates in us is the average man in a way that is heroic and real and human. What you do… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
At the end of the day, nobody can tell you how to tackle failure or how to handle change. The world is… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
When you shoot a scene, you remember every moment. You remember when your head went down, your head went up. You don't… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
You have two stark choices when you find yourself in a really desperate situation. You can either fold and cave-in to it… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I love young adult fantasies. While I say that, I have not seen all of the Twilight and Harry Potter movies. But… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
The world is very good at encouraging you to go along with the status quo and at basking in your successes. But… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I’m a black woman who is from Central Falls, Rhode Island. I’m dark skinned. I’m quirky. I’m shy. I’m strong. I’m guarded.… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I always talk to all the crew. I always make it pleasant. I always nurture a relationship that makes people feel like… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I just want different narratives for people of color, especially women of color. I just want something that's different. I don't want… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
There's not one woman in America who does not care about her hair, but we give it way too much value. We… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
Even when I go shopping, I don't shop as a woman. The only time I shop is when I need something, and… — Viola Davis Copy Share Image
I look back at pictures of myself and I remember thinking, "I was so fat when I was growing up. I was 165 pounds… — Viola Davis Copy Share
I was bullied at school. The black girl in Central Falls, Rhode Island, in 1973. There'd be 8 or 10 boys; I would count… — Viola Davis Copy Share
That's why there's so much bad acting out there, because you could see actors watching themselves. — Viola Davis Copy Share
I think that's why August [Wilson] named her Rose [in "Fences"]; I really do. She's a rose in her sweetness and her kindness and… — Viola Davis Copy Share
When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get… — Viola Davis Copy Share
I suffered from low self-esteem for much of my life. And now to feel like maybe something that I'm projecting or saying could mean… — Viola Davis Copy Share
I tell my daughter every morning, 'Now, what are the two most important parts of you?' And she says, 'My head and my heart.'… — Viola Davis Copy Share
I started a production company out of necessity, the need for great narratives for actors of color. — Viola Davis Copy Share
That's always the biggest surprise when people meet me: how buoyant I am and how fun and light I am. — Viola Davis Copy Share
When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get… — Viola Davis Copy Share
It was hard, that confrontation scene [in "Fences"], that was a hard one. I felt like it was relentless, I never felt like I… — Viola Davis Copy Share
![“Are there women in your world now that have given you those lessons in confidence? Oh absolutely. Meryl [Streep] does it all the time. I think she does it in a way that she doesn't even understand or think she's doing it.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/viola-davis-1174_confidence_are-there-women-in-your-world-now-that-h_1358980.png)
![“Knowing the only way out is education, even if you don't have parents that are extraordinarily wealthy. I understand that I have to be an active participant in [my daughter's] education in order for her to thrive in the world.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/032/viola-davis-1174_active_knowing-the-only-way-out-is-education-ev_1427531.jpg)
![“August [Wilson] elevates in us is the average man in a way that is heroic and real and human. What you do is you sit with our pathology, you invest in our humanity. We're not walking around like walking symbols like we mean something larger. We're just moving throughout our lives and that's the…” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42b/viola-davis-1174_august_august-wilson-elevates-in-us-is-the-aver_998884.jpg)
