Viola Davis on pushing for bold roles and The Woman King being her ‘magnus opus’
Her latest film is the true story of a fierce group of female warriors who protected a West African Kingdom in the 1800s, given the Hollywood treatment.
And like her latest character, Viola Davis has told Sky News she’s had to fight in order to succeed.
“If I waited for the sort of roles that come to me, then I would be coasting on two days here, one day here, pushing a paper, playing an obligatory lawyer that has a name that nobody ever uses,” she said.
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“You know, I would be relegated to those sorts of stereotypical roles.
“But because I’m in the body of a 57-year-old, dark skinned black woman with big lips and wide nose, I have had to push the button – if I don’t, I will never be the artist that I’ve always dreamed I could be.”
Only just out in cinemas here, The Woman King is already off to a very solid start at the international box office, but it wasn’t easy to get a movie about black women past those who control the purse strings.
The drama was first conceived back in 2015 and was only green-lit five years later in 2020.
Davis said it’s hard to do something new in Hollywood, but she never doubted that this film should be made.
“[A film about black women] is probably is not appealing because it hasn’t been done before, and so when it hasn’t been done before, there’s nothing tried or true, nothing to sort of pave the way to ensure them that they’re going to get their money back,” she explained.
“I think that [black women] usually have not led a global box office, especially in a film of this scope, this magnitude.”
“It’s not a mystery to me, I feel like we always were capable of doing this, I don’t see myself as having any parameters and barriers in my life, I’ve always seen myself as leading a global box office, I’ve seen [co-stars] Thuso, Sheila, Lashana, any of us being capable of doing that – it was just a matter of convincing the studios.”
Cast of The Woman King. Pic: Sony Pictures
Viola Davis. Pic: Sony Pictures
Four years since Black Panther – with its all black cast – smashed the box office, and even as Viola Davis holds the title as the most Oscar-nominated black actress, representation is still an issue in Hollywood, with only six black directors ever nominated for an Academy Award.
But the star is among those leading progress – she’s known for carefully choosing her projects, which include the August Wilson adaptations Fences and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – to give a voice to little known stories of black history.
The Woman King is her latest effort to reframe the past through a lens it’s rarely been seen through before.
Something which her co-star in the film, Thuso Mbedu, appreciates.
“I’m from South Africa originally, and I’d never heard of this,” she said about the real warrior women The Woman King is based on.
“You know, history has never been on our side, we’ve never been documented in ways that would be appealing to us.”
Davis had referred to The Woman King as her magnum opus, and by proving to the industry – and the world – that films about black women can attract cinema audiences, she has likely cemented herself as Hollywood royalty.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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Fans queue all day for Manchester homecoming gig
John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
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