Viola Davis Interviewed About Beautiful Creatures, Enders Game
This year Viola Davis is starring in two sci-fi/fantasy films, Beautiful Creatures and  Ender’s Game, both based on young adult books. In an interview by the Telegraph, Davis says “I feel that African-Americans in any story are defined too often as housekeepers and facilitators.’” Davis explains that she grew up impoverished, and in the past has accepted roles in Hollywood because the idea of turning down work is not comfortable for her.
However she is making changes to both develop, and participate in better quality roles.
Her career started after she went to Julliard to studying acting. She had this to say of her experience:
Anyone who goes to Juilliard for four years of 13-hour days, of being scourged and beaten to within an inch of your life – to get the proper standard American speech – that is a person who wants to be an actor and doesn’t just want to be a celebrity.
Interestingly Nicole Beharie, an up and coming Black actress, revealed this month that she too studied at Julliard.
As an actress with her past, she finds it difficult to adjust to Hollywood glitz saying:
I don’t get manicures, I don’t get pedicures, I don’t shop for clothes. It’s difficult for me to look at price tags and see $150 for a pair of shoes.’I remember telling Julius that I could not spend any more than $39.99 on a pair of shoes, that was my top price.
In an attempt to find better storylines for people of color, she and her husband have created their own production company called JuVee Productions.
One upcoming project will be a film about Barbara Jordan, a leader of the civil rights movement, and the first Southern black woman elected to the United States House of Representatives.
Read more in the full interview the Telegraph. Beautiful Creatures releases Wednesday, February 13th.
