Paul Keenan
Actress Viola Davis shared the secret of her Oscar-winning success during her Academy Award acceptance speech this week: God.
Lauded for her Best Supporting Actress role in Fences, Davis sought to share her moment of glory with fellow Christian Denzel Washington, her co-star and Fences director, thanking him for “putting two entities in the driving seat: August [Wilson, screenwriter] and God…they served you well”.
Going further, the actress went on to offer thanks to God for her parents, stating “I’m so thankful that God chose you to bring me into this world”.
Poverty
Far from gushing Oscar-night platitudes, Davis has previously been open about the Christian faith that has carried her through a life of abject poverty to acting success.
Of husband Julius Tennon, Davis has revealed that she met him shortly after being encouraged to pray for a husband when she was “the loneliest woman in the world” as she worked to make it in Hollywood.
Since then, the actress’ life has moved from success to success, with awards for roles in television’s How to get away with Murder and the big-screen The Help and her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“It’s like my life flashing before my eyes and all I can say is God has blessed my life in abundance,” she has said.