SJM Viola Davis_122 - FINAL_Feature 1 / 21 / 22 1 : 33 PM Page 3 She received her fourth Oscar nomination last year for her role in another Wilson adaptation that Washington produced , Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom , also starring Glynn Turman , Taylour Paige and the late Chadwick Boseman . Poetic and filled with harrowing tales , the Netflix film follows the legendary “ Mother of the Blues ” Ma Rainey as she makes her own rules for her career in Jim Crow America . Davis was the natural choice , if not the only choice , in the eyes of Wash - ington , who says it was “ an honor for me to be able to help in a small way and find roles that give all of us the chance to see how brilliant Viola is . ” Best known for her work in films such as The Help , Doubt and Widows , as well as the TV drama How to Get Away with Murder , Davis is also remarkably versatile . She is comfortable with genres ranging from drama and romance to action and adventure , including last year’s hit The Suicide Squad , in which she reprised her role as Amanda Waller in the follow - up to the 2016 DC Films superhero movie starring Margot Robbie . Davis has used her considerable talents to make her mark in ways beyond her work on the screen . With her husband , Julius Tennon , she co - founded the production company JuVee Pro - ductions . She is also widely recognized for her advocacy and support of human rights and equal rights for women , as well as ending child hunger as a spokesperson for the nonprofit organization No Kid Hungry . As a keynote speaker at the virtual 2020 Pennsylvania Conference for Women , Davis inspired thousands of Philadel - phia - area attendees and shared her remarkable journey from frightened little girl to formidable woman . We recently spoke with Davis about her on - screen work , what she learned from Ma Rainey and how the chal - lenges of her early life continue to inform her even today . You speak candidly about your own Everyday I have to balance my life life and your humble beginnings . with what I have in my hands to give , Viola Davis Yes , I talk about my foundation and my tocreate and also to fight all of the background , and how I started . I speak thingsthat were injected in me as a my truth every chance I get , and I will child in terms of insulting and chal - Q & A continuedoing so . I always feel that I lengingmy worth and my value . At Talk about portraying Ma Rainey , the amtrying to heal my younger self ; that somepoint , I know there will be a jazz legend , a successful entrepreneur little girl who grew up in poverty , who beautifultime period where they all and a Black woman who is used to didn’thave enough to eat and who meshtogether and when I fully under - obeying no one’s rules but her own . I grewup in abuse . She follows me standthat I absolutely am worthy . understand that at first you didn’t see everywhere I go . yourself stepping into Ma’s persona . You’rea mother in addition to all the No , I hadn’t initially envisioned myself Howdoes that inform your career and workyou’re known for . What is it like in the role , but I quickly began to see your life ? spendingtime with your daughter , the complexities inherent within Ma I want to honor her with everything Genesis ? Rainey , and a deep emotional bond that I do . I’m always trying to heal that Mydaughter often feels like I don’t with this character grew . The more little girl , and she’s always with me . I haveenough fun and will try to lighten time I spent getting to know Ma seethe younger girl wanting to be mymood and say she yearns to laugh Rainey , the more I recognized just how embracedand squeal in delight about withme . So , she will tickle me . She ahead of her time she was as a singer myfuture and all my possibilities . So , doesthat often to get me out of myself , and entrepreneur . it’s about reconciliation and restora - and it works . tion . It’s about restoring the past and In what way ? whowe are going forward . Tellme your view of the future . First of all , she knew her worth and she Wehave to harness the past and honor knew how to negotiate her worth . Ma Youhave played a lot of different thewomen like Ma Rainey who had Rainey knew how valuable her music charactersthroughout your career . thecourage and guts , endured the pain was and how much her management What is the best way to get to know anddug their feet in the ground . And and record label needed her . She whoyou are as a person ? because of them the generation after understood it and she was unapolo - If youwant to know me don’t ask me themlived better for it , and they getic about it . I believe that makes her what I eat or how I comb my hair . passedthe baton . I always say , “ You very much a liberated and modern Instead , ask me what I live for . I will tell canpreach a better sermon with your n woman . youthat I live for honoring my worth . life than you can with your lips . ” 5 4 | S O U T H J E R S E Y M A G A Z I N E | V O L U M E 1 8 , I S S U E 1 0 | S O U T H J E R S E Y M A G A Z I N E . C O M