Viola Davis becomes the first black woman to win an Oscar, Emmy and Tony award for acting

viola davis
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Viola Davis has become the first black actor to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony award for acting.

She completed the ‘triple crown of acting’ after winning an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in Fences, during the ceremony last night (26 February).

The film follows a black family living in Pittsburgh during the 1950s and explores race relations in America during this time. Davis stars alongside Denzel Washington and Stephen Henderson and the film was nominated for four Oscar awards.

During her Oscar’s acceptance speech, Davis said, “You know, there is one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered and that’s the graveyard.”

“People ask me all the time – what kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola?”

“And I say exhume those bodies.”

“Exhume those stories – the stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition, people who fell in love and lost.”

“I became an artist and thank God I did because we are the only profession that celebrates what it mean to live a life.”

Davis went on to thank her co-stars including Denzel Washington and her family.

Davis previously won an Emmy award for the show How to Get Away with Murder and a Tony award for theatre production of Fences. She has also been a vocal champion of diversity within Hollywood and the film industry; an advocate for women within the industry and promotes the notion of body confidence.

About the author

Alison is the Digital Content Editor for WeAreTheCity. She has a BA Honours degree in Journalism and History from the University of Portsmouth. She has previously worked in the marketing sector and in a copywriting role. Alison’s other passions and hobbies include writing, blogging and travelling.
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