I would love to be remembered as a person who used her life to inspire others in any way, shape or form.
Viola DavisAnd this is what was fascinating to me about 'The Help'; they were ordinary people who did extraordinary things.
Viola DavisEven when I get the fried-chicken special of the day, I have to dig into it like it's filet mignon.
Viola DavisThe world is very good at encouraging you to go along with the status quo and at basking in your successes. But when you hit a wall in your personal life, and you screw up, people don't give you a chance to navigate your way through it and tap into what's extraordinary about you.
Viola DavisUltimately, it's not your job, as an actress, to satisfy people's expectations or image of who you should be. Even in your life, you are just who you are.
Viola DavisObviously, ["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.
Viola Davis