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Viola Davis is a scene stealerCan you imagine what it’s like to steal a scene from Meryl Streep? One of the only people on earth who can answer that question affirmatively is Oscar-contender, Viola Davis.
Davis, however, “absolutely disagree[s]” that she stole the scene, noting that Streep (or “Meryl” as she calls her) is a consummate actor’s actor, who works with her co-star to create the best possible scene. Fair enough. I’m certainly not going to suggest that Meryl Streep is not a class act. But there’s no denying that Viola Davis’ few minutes on screen in Doubt packed the greatest emotional punch of the movie.
And despite how much she enjoyed working with Streep, Davis acknowledges that she didn’t sleep the night before they filmed. I did not sleep one wink … I got up. I looked at the script. I paced, lay back down, got up, paced some more. You can't suck with Meryl Streep. If you do, she'll eat you alive. Not intentionally — she's a beautiful person — but she's going to come at the top of her game. No, you don't sleep. It shouldn’t come as any great surprise to anyone familiar with Viola Davis’ work that she owned the scene. She’s a Julliard-trained, Tony-Award-winning actress, and Doubt was adapted for the screen from the stage by the playwright. It was definitely a stage-actor’s movie. Of course, most people are probably not that familiar with her body of work. She was nominated for her first Tony Award in 1996 (Best Featured Actress in a Play — Seven Guitars), and she’s had numerous mostly below-the-radar movie and television roles since then. But it was this role that earned her the National Board of Review Award for “Best Breakthrough Performance.”
Although I’ve seen Davis in several movies, prior to Doubt I knew her best from Law & Order: SVU, where she’s had a recurring role — usually sparring with Casey Novak — as defense attorney Donna Emmett. But her performance in Doubt makes me want to go back and better appreciate her earlier performances. In those 10 minutes or so onscreen, Davis delivered a monologue that was both heart-wrenching and horrifying, as she expressed her deep love and concern for her son and the questionable or even desperate choices she was willing to make to protect him in the limited ways she could. It was a devastating scene, and the Academy, among others, has taken notice: Davis is considered by many to be the front-runner in the Oscar race for Best Supporting Actress. Adriane Lenox, the original Mrs. Miller on Broadway, won the Tony Award for her performance in Doubt, and it would certainly be nice to see Davis follow with a win at the Academy Awards. Davis admits to enjoying the attention: They're making a fuss. It feels fabulous. Mostly, it makes me feel like I did my job. I was so nervous going in, but now it's like I won the lottery. I feel blessed. I couldn't have imagined anything like this growing up. But she keeps it in perspective: Everybody wants to go to the Oscars. We'll see. Buzz is happening, but you can't touch buzz. You can't pay your bills with buzz. Do you think Viola Davis should/will win the Oscar for Doubt? What other roles of hers have you seen? Submitted by on February 3, 2009 - 10:00am. |
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cant wait to see doubt!
it looks so fantastic that im even willing to overlook those bonnets! not a huge PSH fan, but love Meryl, Amy Adams and Viola. so glad viola's up for the oscar!
oh, and speaking of blowing meryl streep away; when she and emily blunt filmed their first scene together for the devil wears prada, apparently meryl joked that emily should be given the film carbon copy rather than steal the movie... cute, huh?
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Recognizing Viola Davis = very overdue
I love Viola Davis! I admit I originally started following her career because she's from Rhode Island, but she's amazing! An incredible stage actress, a real professional. And she's been getting thankless, too small, below-the-radar parts for ages, because of Hollywood's insane prejudice against darker-skinned black actresses. I'm so glad to see her finally get some long-overdue recognition.
I went to see both Far from Heaven and the George Clooney Solaris to watch the delectable Ms. Davis. Yes, I went to see Solaris. In the theatres. Really. I'm sure there's at least one other person out there who did too. (I went with a friend.)
Viola Davis plays a scientist who's been driven mad by the crazy goings-on aboard a space station. While the movie was nowhere near as bad as its reviews made out (really, what could have been?), it was really a thankless role, and very unglamourous. The woman is gorgeous--I wish someone would give her a role that let her show off!
And she does utterly steal that scene out from under Meryl Streep.
When I saw Doubt -- which I
When I saw Doubt -- which I thought was excellent -- I kept thinking how much I wished I had seen the play. (And I have no good excuse for not seeing it. I just never got around to it.) I kept thinking that it moved like a play, and that it would be that much more powerful on stage.
As I've thought about Viola Davis's extraordinary scene, I've wondered how much that was enhanced by the fact that she's a stage actor. It's not as though she undercut Meryl Streep in any way or that there was something competitive occurring. She just owned the scene in the way that a stage actor can own the stage.
Regardless, I'm pulling for her to win the Oscar.
I'm pulling for her too.
Viola Rocks
Antwone Fisher, Far from Heaven, and especially Solaris...out bloody standing!
I am eagerly awaiting Doubt!
Would've been a problem is Viola Davis didn't command that scene
I thought 'Doubt' was amazing. All those involved (Streep, Hoffman, Adams, and Davis) blew me away.
What I find interesting about this conversation is that people say she stole the scene away from Streep (whom I adore).
But, I would be very worried if Davis didn't own that scene. It's her scene to have. Streep's character is supposed to be ancillary during that conversation.
I'm rooting for Davis to pull in the win for the Oscar.
Have you seen her in "The
she was brilliant and will
she was brilliant and will win her category easily imo.
as weird as some of the nominations (or rather the lack thereof) are this year I am glad the academy paid attention to Viola Davis and Michael Shannon.
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Great one scene performance but that's all - not award worthy.
Great actress and great performance BUT winning the best supporting actress award for her scene is ludicrous. I know Judi Dench did the same thing with 'Shakespeare in Love' but that was also completely ridiculous. If the award was for best performance in one scene by a supporting actress I'd nominate her. But it isn't. Marisa Tomei, Penelope Cruz and Amy Adams are all far more worthy winners than Davis because they were able to sustain, over the course of an entire movie, the same pitch she displayed in one scene. That isn't Davis' fault, she just didn't have a supporting actress part. What she had was a best ancillary character role - one that catches the eye and gets you work but doesn't equate to the work put in by the other women nominated. I'm sure other actors know the difference but it's so frustrating when the public don't.
Also, as Megan correctly pointed out, the scene was Davis' to dominate. That's the way it was written. She did such a great job but absolutely didn't steal the scene - it was handed to her by the playright.
If we go with sentimentality and sympathy the win will go to the smallest roles - Davis and Henson- or the flashiest one - Cruz (who deserved a win for Volver). If reality intrudes (unlikely this year) then it will be either Adams or Tomei who get the nod and my money would be on Adams (who gets extra credit for Junebug, while Tomei suffers from the subject matter).
She's amazing!
She due. Really due.
I don't know who the other
I don't know who the other nominees are for best supporting actress but I do remember being absolutely blown away by her performance in Doubt.
Thanks for doing a piece about her.