Viola Davis Wins Her First Oscar, Speech Wins Hearts Everywhere
Viola Davis won her first Oscar at the Academy Awards on Sunday evening for her performance in Fences. The actress gave a moving acceptance speech that stole the show and won the hearts of people all over.
After winning her first Oscar at the Academy Awards for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category, Viola Davis said during her acceptance speech that she “exhumed” the stories of her characters and praised the playwright, according to USA News.
“People ask me all the time, what kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? And I say, exhume those bodies, exhume those stories, the stories of the people who dreamed.
I became an artist, and thank god I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life. So here’s to August Wilson, who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people.”
Davis described Fences as “a movie that is about people, words, and life, and forgiveness, and grace.”
Viola Davis played the role of Rose Maxson, a housewife who did anything she could to keep her family thriving amid endless turmoil.
Rose was the wife of Troy Maxson (played by Denzel Washington), a mid-century Pittsburgh sanitation worker who dreamt of playing professional baseball but was too old when the league began to allow African Americans to play.
After Viola Davis’ Academy Awards acceptance speech, people on Twitter immediately began to praise the actress.
Oprah Winfrey tweeted at the How To Get Away With Murder star saying, “Hallelujerrrrrrr! @violadavis! We are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life!”
@violadavis is a QUEEN! QUEEN I say!! So well deserved!!! #Oscars2017
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 27, 2017
Davis, who has previously been snubbed by the awards ceremony in the past, is receiving a ton of praise for her first Oscars win.
This win is so long overdue for @violadavis. #Oscars
— Nikia Phoenix (@NikiaPhoenix) February 27, 2017
Viola Davis’ first two nominations for an Oscar were for her roles in the films Doubt and The Help.
Davis lost the award for The Help to Meryl Streep.
Earlier this year, Viola Davis won a Golden Globe for Fences.
In 2010, Viola Davis played the same role in Fences while the play was on Broadway. The actress won a Tony Award that year.
2nd living room standing ovation of the night. Yes @ViolaDavis! Yes sister! & now the speech of life, always! This is YOUR moment! #Oscars
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) February 27, 2017
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Celebrities were tweeting left and right at the actress, congratulating her on the win and her acceptance speech.
Lisa Whelchel tweeted out saying that Viola Davis’ Academy Awards acceptance speech deserved an award all on its own!
The Huffington Post tweeted a meme of Zac Efron crying in a scene of Charlie St. Cloud, joking that that was the reaction that he had garnered from everyone.
The entire internet after Viola Davis' acceptance speech #Oscars pic.twitter.com/dJ0OaGvBOJ
— HuffPost Ent (@HuffPostEnt) February 27, 2017
What did you think of Viola Davis’ Academy Award acceptance speech? Let us know in the comment section below.
[Featured Image by Frazer Harrison/Staff/Getty Images]
