Actors Quote by Viola Davis
![“Obviously, ["Fences"] is a character-driven piece in every sense of the word, and Denzel [Washington] knows the actor. He gave us two weeks of rehearsal. He is a truth teller, and he is a truth seer. So he knows when something is not going in the right direction, and he will call you on it. But…” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7da/viola-davis-1174_actors_obviously-fences-is-a-character-driven-p_2744209.jpg)
“Obviously, ["Fences"] is a character-driven piece in every sense of the word, and Denzel [Washington] knows the actor. He gave us two weeks of rehearsal. He is a truth teller, and he is a truth seer. So he knows when something is not going in the right direction, and he will call you on it. But, he knows the word to use to unlock whatever is blocking you. So I think he's fabulous and he's a teacher.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussing Denzel Washington's Method, 2020
Washington is portrayed as a candid, insightful mentor who uses precise language to guide and challenge others toward growth.
In simple terms: He is a truthful, guiding teacher.
Key Takeaway
Seek honest feedback from mentors.
Themes
mentorship
truth
communication
growth
leadership
Mood
inspirational
direct
Type
motivational
educational
When to use this quote
- acting
- career development
- personal improvement
Key Concepts
coaching
emotional intelligence
self-awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- When is honesty more harmful than helpful?
- How do you respond to tough feedback?
A Different Perspective
His approach may be too direct for some personalities.
![“Denzel [Washington] just knows the actor. He knows the process, and you don't often get that.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/266/viola-davis-1174_actor_denzel-washington-just-knows-the-actor-h_350039.jpg)
![“[Denzel Washington] was rustling with something and when he came back it was with a word about loving myself and the body that I'm in because I was still going on and on about the weight thing. I just liked that, because what people don't understand is that so much of what blocks us as actors is…” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/567/viola-davis-1174_actors_denzel-washington-was-rustling-with-some_2745558.jpg)
![“When Denzel [Washington] first called me on the phone after we'd just done a reading of the film ["Fences"]. He said, "Oh Viola it was so good, wasn't it?! I'm gonna tell Russell [Hornsby] to lose a little bit of weight and..." I was just sitting there thinking, why is he calling me? And I told…” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/519/viola-davis-1174_believe_when-denzel-washington-first-called-me-o_1751192.jpg)
![“When I hear people comparing Mike's [Jordan] work to Denzel [Washington] I think it's amazing.. Because Denzel is such an amazing, textured actor. And I think that that comes with Mike too. I'm not thinking about how they look, though; I'm thinking about what they're able to accomplish.” quote by Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6fa/michael-b-jordan-3540_able_when-i-hear-people-comparing-mike-s-jord_991656.jpg)
![“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 in everything else, even her anger towards the end.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bcf/viola-davis-1174_august_i-think-that-s-why-august-wilson-named-h_157231.jpg)
![“It was hard, that confrontation scene [in "Fences"], that was a hard one. I felt like it was relentless, I never felt like I could just drop the ball when the coverage was on him or anything else.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f36/viola-davis-1174_balls_it-was-hard-that-confrontation-scene-in_235068.jpg)
