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Viola Davis

Viola Davis

48 movies on Netflix

Biography

Viola Davis is an American actress and producer who was born in St. Matthews, South Carolina, and grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island. A Juilliard graduate, she began in small stage productions before making her Broadway debut in August Wilson's Seven Guitars in 1996. She won Tony Awards for King Hedley II and for a revival of Fences, then earned an Academy Award nomination for Doubt (2008) and another for The Help (2011). She received the best supporting actress Oscar for the 2016 Fences film. On television, her portrayal of lawyer Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder made her the first black actress to take the Emmy for lead actress in a drama series. She also starred in Widows (2018), The Woman King (2022), and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), earning another Oscar nomination. Her other films include Suicide Squad (2016), The Suicide Squad (2021), and G20 (2025).

61years old

Turns 62 on August 11in 303 days

  • Born St. Matthews
  • Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22

Movie Career

Films
48
Career span
27 years1998 to 2025

Genres

First and latest

Photos

  • Viola Davis, photo 1 of 3
  • Viola Davis, photo 2 of 3
  • Viola Davis, photo 3 of 3

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  1. First role

    Davis made her first professional stage appearance in 1992 as Denis in an off Broadway production of Shakespeare's As You Like It at the Delacorte Theatre, opposite Elizabeth McGovern.

  2. Behind the award

    Davis narrated her 2022 memoir Finding Me, and the audiobook won her the Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording.

Viola Davis movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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  1. Prisoners2013 Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thrilleras Nancy Birch

    IMDb rating 8.2959K votes

  2. The Help2011 Dramaas Aibileen Clark

    IMDb rating 8.1533K votes

  3. Suicide Squad2016as Amanda Waller

    IMDb rating 5.9767K votes

  4. Fences2016as Rose Maxson

    IMDb rating 7.2127K votes

  5. Ender's Game2013as Major Gwen Anderson

    IMDb rating 6.6267K votes

  6. The Suicide Squad2021as Amanda Waller

    IMDb rating 7.2466K votes

  7. Widows2018as Veronica

    IMDb rating 6.8110K votes

  8. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom2020as Ma Rainey

    IMDb rating 6.979K votes

Most often with

Robert Harmon directed four of these films, Ned Benson three and Tate Taylor two. Seven actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Stephen McHattie, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Stephen McHattieJessica Chastain, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Jessica ChastainTom Selleck, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Tom SelleckKohl Sudduth, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Kohl SudduthJeremy Shamos, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Jeremy ShamosVito Rezza, 4 films togetherSee the 4 films with Vito RezzaRobert HarmonDirector, 4 filmsSee the 4 films by Robert HarmonNed BensonDirector, 3 filmsSee the 3 films by Ned BensonTate TaylorDirector, 2 filmsSee the 2 films by Tate Taylor

Films together

Box office

What Viola Davis's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$4.0 billion

34 of the 48 films have a worldwide figure.

Of the 48 films: 34 worldwide figure; 2 us gross only; 8 never in cinemas; 2 streaming, short cinema run; 2 figure not found.

  • 34Worldwide figure
  • 2US gross only
  • 8Never in cinemas
  • 2Streaming, short cinema run
  • 2Figure not found

Top grosser

Suicide Squad2016as Amanda Waller$749 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 65% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

  1. 1
    Suicide Squad2016as Amanda Waller
    $749M18.7% of the total
  2. 2
    Kung Fu Panda 42024as The Chameleon (voice)
    $548M13.7% of the total
  3. 3
    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes2023as Dr. Volumnia Gaul
    $337M8.4% of the total
  4. 4
    Knight and Day2010as Director George
    $262M6.5% of the total
  5. 5
    The Help2011as Aibileen Clark
    $217M5.4% of the total
  6. 6
    Eat Pray Love2010as Delia Shiraz
    $205M5.1% of the total
  7. 7
    The Suicide Squad2021as Amanda Waller
    $169M4.2% of the total
  8. 8
    Law Abiding Citizen2009as Mayor
    $128M3.2% of the total
Ender's Game (2013), $126 millionPrisoners (2013), $122 millionDisturbia (2007), $118 millionThe Woman King (2022), $97.6 millionMadea Goes to Jail (2009), $90.5 millionAir (2023), $90.1 millionState of Play (2009), $87.8 millionNights in Rodanthe (2008), $84.4 millionOut of Sight (1998), $77.7 millionWidows (2018), $76.0 millionFences (2016), $64.4 millionBeautiful Creatures (2013), $60.1 millionExtremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011), $55.2 millionDoubt (2008), $50.9 millionGet Rich or Die Tryin' (2005), $46.4 millionGet on Up (2014), $33.4 million

$1.4 billionfrom the other 26 films with a worldwide figure, 35% of the total

Awards

Twelve awards and honors from 2001 to 2025, seven of them major.

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Viola Davis's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Academy Awards
2017Best Supporting ActressFencesWon
Golden Globes
2025Cecil B. DeMille AwardWon
BAFTA
2017Best Actress in a Supporting RoleFencesWon
Emmy Awards
2015Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesHow to Get Away with MurderWon
Tony Awards
2010Best Actress in a PlayWon
2001Best Featured Actress in a PlayKing Hedley IIWon
Grammy Awards
Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling RecordingWon
Other honors
2023NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion PictureThe Woman KingWon
2021Hasty Pudding Woman of the YearWon
2021NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion PictureMa Rainey's Black BottomWon
2017Time 100Honored
2012Crystal AwardWon

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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