Top 10 Best Viola Davis Performances
#10: Susie Brown
“Get on Up” (2014)
In a biopic dedicated to one of music's most charismatic and soulful personalities, Viola Davis still manages to steal the spotlight a handful of times. Drenched in makeup and purposefully absent for large chunks of the story, Davis portrays the singer's estranged mother, who only starts to acknowledge her son after Brown finds fame and riches. In a thoroughly heart-breaking reunion during the third act, Davis and Boseman share arguably the most emotionally charged exchange in the entire movie. Davis is so good that Susie Brown's declaration of love almost comes across as genuine.
#9: Nona Alberts
“Won't Back Down” (2012)
A great performer can be the difference between an unwatchable or a passable film. A bit too simplistic for its own good, "Won't Back Down" sees Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis waging war on a corrupt public school in an attempt to reform the administrative system. As the only faculty member with a conscience, Davis adds some much-needed depth and humanity to what could have been an idealized character who merely exists to spout life lessons. Along with Gyllenhaal, Davis is really the only reason to seek out this 2012 drama.
#8: Dr. Gordon
“Solaris” (2002)
Based on Stanislaw Lem's science fiction novel, Steven Soderbergh's "Solaris" faced the arduous task of following up Andrei Tarkovsky's highly regarded 1972 adaptation. Luckily, the fantastic cast proved more than up to the challenge. While George Clooney and Natascha McElhone took center stage, Viola Davis' cold doctor played a prominent role in the ambitious art film and showcased the still relatively unknown actress' incredible range. As her fourth collaboration with Soderbergh and arguably meatiest film role up to that point, "Solaris" helped push Davis into the limelight.
#7: Tonya Neely
“The Architect” (2006)
Sitting just north of 10% on "Rotten Tomatoes," "The Architect" garnered near wide-spread hate from critics. However, Viola Davis came out of the project looking rather golden. If nothing else, this drama about disgruntled residents who want to demolish a drug-soaked housing complex granted a leading role to the actress. Representing the angry neighborhood, Davis brought an incredible weight to the performance, which required carefully balancing raw emotion with a strong mentality. "The Architect" might not be particularly great, but Viola Davis is nothing short of brilliant.
#6: Nancy Birch
“Prisoners” (2013)
Directed by "Blade Runner 2049"’s Denis Villeneuve, this 2013 thriller is jam-packed with three-dimensional characters portrayed by an A-list cast who all deliver thoroughly engaging performances. Centering around two abducted children and the lengths a father and a detective are willing to go to find the perpetrator, Viola Davis portrays the mother of one of the missing children. While the role hits some of the typical tropes associated with a grieving parent, "Prisoners" and Davis herself subvert expectations along the way. Understandably, Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal hog most of the attention, but the supporting cast consisting of Davis and Terrence Howard also brought down the house.
#5: Eva May
“Antwone Fisher” (2002)
Despite amounting to barely five minutes of screen-time, Davis' first standout performance arguably occurred during Denzel Washington's hard-hitting 2002 biopic. Based on the life of "Antwone Fisher," the film goes through the director's entire life, launching with Davis giving birth while in prison, resulting in the boy being put into a foster home. While the actress does not appear again until the end of the film, "Antwone Fisher's" emotional crux hinges on the protagonist's reunion with his mother. Largely silent, Davis pens an entire novel with just her facial expressions!
#4: Aibileen Clark
“The Help” (2011)
Earning Davis an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, 2011's good-intentioned period drama is set during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in Jackson, Mississippi. Portraying an experienced but somewhat jaded maid, Davis turned in a performance that strayed away from some of the clichés and stereotypes that crop up during the rest of the film. Even if "The Help" garnered some criticism for its handling of the subject matter, Davis' performance received nearly universal acclaim, and the story's best moments belong to the exceptional actress.
#3: Rose Lee Maxson
“Fences” (2016)
Premiering in 1985, August Wilson's Pulitzer winning play earned a 2010 Broadway revival starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis as a married couple. Earning both performers a Tony Award, "Fences" reunited the cast for the film adaptation and, unsurprisingly, the duo created magic once again. A powerful drama that deals with race relations, regret, and alcoholism, Davis and Washington brought to life Wilson's visceral dialogue, and few scenes in cinema compare to the couple's final blowout. An emotionally draining experience, Davis is more than capable of standing toe-to-toe and even outshining Denzel Washington.
#2: Annalise Keating
“How to Get Away with Murder” (2014-)
When not stealing the show on the big screen, the talented actress has been raking in the accolades for her performance as Annalise Keating, a law professor who ends up entangled in an array of highly entertaining murder mysteries. As the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, "How to Get Away with Murder" and Davis herself have barely set a foot wrong since debuting in 2014. A multi-faceted character that requires an actress capable of encompassing the entire gamut of human emotion, Davis' magnetic performance is impossible to ignore.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Amanda Waller
“Suicide Squad” (2016)
Detective Parker
“Disturbia” (2007)
Major Gwen Anderson
“Ender's Game” (2013)
#1: Mrs. Miller
“Doubt” (2008)
In a film renowned for phenomenal acting, Viola Davis' single scene is the stuff of legend. Focusing on two nuns who are investigating rumors that the parish priest is abusing a child, "Doubt" refuses to provide any comfortable answers, and this mentality extends to the boy's mother. Sharing the screen with Meryl Streep, Davis initially comes across as almost flippant about the situation, but gradually the parent's love for her child becomes apparent. Unforgettable enough to warrant the actress' first Oscar nomination, this seven-minute scene contains more depth than most movies.
