One-on-One with Viola Davis

Viola Davis has waited for her time to shine.

The veteran theater actress, who rose to Hollywood’s A-list for her Academy Award-nominated performance in 2008’s “Doubt,” is now securing top roles alongside the most bankable actors in film.

In the recently released “Law Abiding Citizen,” Davis, 44, plays the strong Philadelphia Mayor April Henry, whose city is being terrorized by a serial killer played by Gerard Butler. That role comes on the heels of a variety of acting parts in such movies as Tyler Perry’s “Madea Goes to Jail” and “State of Play” with Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck.

Davis is currently filming “Knight & Day” with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, and will have a featured role alongside Julia Roberts in “Eat, Pray, Love,” the movie adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir. She’s also been casted in a recurring role on Showtime’s “United States of Tara” series.

“I’m an actor,” Davis says. “I go for whatever roles out there. I’m doing some roles where people may see different facets of me.”

Before her break-through role in “Doubt,” in which she played the mother of boy suspected to have been molested by a priest, Davis was best known for her work on the theater circuit. In 2001, Davis won the Tony Award for “Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play” for her role in August Wilson’s “King Hedley II.” She’s also appeared on dozens of television shows in a variety of roles.

Human Nature recently caught up with Davis at the 13th Annual Urbanworld Film Festival, where she discussed juggling multiple movie roles, the challenges for black actors in Hollywood and her thoughts on playing the First Lady in a movie role.

You’ve undertaken a variety of movie roles, what do you look for when selecting parts?

I don’t know if I’m trying so much to get the public to see different facets of me as much as I’m trying to work…as just a black actress.

The challenges for African-Americans in Hollywood have been noted by black executives and actors in the industry, including the scarcity of quality roles available for black actresses. With so much competition, how do you stand out to secure such high profile roles?

I just do the work. I think that when people see talent and they’re moved by it, I think they will honor it. That’s all I can hope for as an actress. There are so few roles out there for black actresses. You have so many of us fighting for the same roles even though we’re not the same type.

Do you think Hollywood is leery of casting an African-American man with an African-American woman in the lead roles for certain movies?

Yes, and I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the black male as much as it is on Hollywood and the studios. I think they [film executives] have a perception of beauty. And male stars have to be seen as virile and sexually appealing. And so they have to be paired with a woman that Caucasians, blacks, Hispanics find desirable. I think there is a sense in our culture that people don’t find black women desirable. I think it’s too much.

A Hollywood movie about Barack Obama could one day be made. Would you like to play Michelle Obama if that movie comes to fruition?

Absolutely, I’ll be honored to play her. I’ll play anybody. There are so many stories to be told other than Barack and Michelle… stories that probably didn’t even make the headlines. They’re human stories and I’d like to be a part of any of them.