Viola Davis has played supporting and minor roles in films and television series.
Viola Davis -LRB- born August 11 , 1965 -RRB- is an American actress and producer .. She is the only black woman to be nominated for three Academy Awards , winning one , and is the only black actor to win the Triple Crown of Acting .. Academy Awards. Academy Awards. Triple Crown of Acting. Triple Crown of Acting. In 2012 and 2017 , she was listed by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world .. Time Magazine. Time Magazine. 100 most influential people in the world. Time 100. After graduating from the Juilliard School in 1993 , Davis began her career on stage and won an Obie Award in 1999 for her performance as Ruby McCollum in Everybody 's Ruby .. Juilliard School. Juilliard School. Obie Award. Obie Award. Ruby McCollum. Ruby McCollum. She played supporting and minor roles in several films and television series in the late 1990s and early 2000s , including the films Kate & Leopold -LRB- 2001 -RRB- and Far from Heaven -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , and the television series Law & Order  : Special Victims Unit .. Kate & Leopold. Kate & Leopold. Far from Heaven. Far from Heaven. In 2001 , she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Tonya in the original production of August Wilson 's King Hedley II .. Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. King Hedley II. King Hedley II. Davis ' film breakthrough came in 2008 when her supporting role in the drama Doubt earned her several nominations , including the Golden Globe , SAG , and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress .. Doubt. Doubt ( 2008 film ). Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. SAG. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Greater success came to Davis in the 2010s .. She won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as Rose Maxson in the revival of August Wilson 's play Fences .. Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Fences. Fences ( film ). For her lead role as 1960s housemaid Aibeleen Clark in the comedy-drama The Help -LRB- 2011 -RRB- , she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress among others , and won a SAG Award .. SAG. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. The Help. The Help ( film ). Academy Award for Best Actress. Academy Award for Best Actress. SAG Award. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Since 2014 , Davis has played lawyer Annalise Keating in the ABC television drama , How to Get Away with Murder , and in 2015 she became the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series .. Annalise Keating. Annalise Keating. ABC. American Broadcasting Company. How to Get Away with Murder. How to Get Away with Murder. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Her portrayal also won her two SAG Awards in 2015 and 2016 .. SAG Awards. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. SAG. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. In 2016 , Davis played Amanda Waller in the superhero action film Suicide Squad and reprised the role of Rose Maxson in the film adaptation of Fences , for which she won the Academy Award , BAFTA Award , Critics ' Choice Award , SAG Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress .. Golden Globe. Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. SAG. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Fences. Fences ( film ). SAG Award. Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Amanda Waller. Amanda Waller. Suicide Squad. Suicide Squad ( film ). Davis and her husband , Julius Tennon , are the founders of the production company JuVee Productions .. Davis has starred in their productions Lila & Eve -LRB- 2015 -RRB- and Custody -LRB- 2016 -RRB- .. Lila & Eve. Lila & Eve. Custody. Custody ( 2016 film )