By Crystal Olague || Contributing Writer
Last weekend, the 65th annual Grammys show took place, and one of the main events that occurred was Viola Davis reaching EGOT status. In case you don’t know who Viola Davis is somehow, she is an incredibly talented black actress, most known for her work in ABC’s hit show How to Get Away with Murder and her role in The Help. Davis has been an influential and inspiring part of society for many years. She started off booking roles in off Broadway productions, with her big debut being August Wilson’s play, Seven Guitars.
In the early 2000s, Davis made the switch to TV and film production, having numerous roles, specifically her work in Doubt (2008) which earned her first Academy Award nomination. In 2010, Davis made her return to Broadway to play Rose in August Wilson’s Fences, where her incredible performance led her to earning her second Tony award, with her original one being from another August Wilson Broadway production, King Hedley II (2001). Her next most notable work was her role in The Help where she won two Screen Actor Guild Awards, a second Academy Award nomination, a BAFTA nomination, and a Golden Globe Award.
The list goes on and on, and I could boast about every movie she was ever nominated for or in, but the main point I want to get across is that she has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and a Tony Award, achieving her EGOT status. This is so important and special to me because as a black woman who has always been interested in acting, but is too scared to do it, Davis is a role model for me. She didn’t grow up with the best life as a child, which you can read more about in her biography, but she didn’t let that stop her. She always found a way to get herself out there and achieve her dreams.
Now, I’m not saying that Davis is the only inspiration out there for young black women, but seeing someone, who had a poor childhood like so many of us out there, do something great empowers us. So many women like Angela Bassett, Keke Palmer, Zendaya, and more have made history, giving us a new space to explore and succeed in. Her award is more than just an award to me. It gives me hope for the future.
Crystal Olague is a Contributing Writer. Her email is colague@fandm.edu.