Who is Viola Davis? What to know about the EGOT winner from Rhode Island

From comedians Matt Rife and Conan O’Brien to popstar Taylor Swift, it is no secret that celebrities love to live in the Ocean State.

However, Rhode Island is not only home for celebrities once they become famous, but also a producer of many famous talents, from actors to reality stars to musicians.

One of the most well-known celebrities to call the Ocean State home is critically acclaimed actress Viola Davis. Known for “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Fences” and “The Help,” Viola Davis has won hundreds of awards throughout her career, and that record-breaking career started right here in Rhode Island.

Here are six things to know about Rhode Isalnd’s own Viola Davis.

1. Viola Davis is from Central Falls

Though she was born in South Carolina, Viola Davis grew up in Central Falls. The actress has shared that her childhood in Rhode Island was full of struggles, as she grew up in a rat-infested, poverty-stricken household as the youngest of six children.

In 1983, Viola Davis graduated from Central Falls High School, the place where she began to love theater. She later returned as a member of the school’s Alumni Hall of Fame to address the graduating class of 2012. Davis is also known to give back to her alma mater, donating money to the chess team and theater department.

2. Where did Viola Davis go to college?

After graduating from high school, Viola Davis attended Rhode Island College (RIC), earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theater in 1988. She continued her studies at The Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York City, and she has since received an Honorary Doctorate degree from both RIC and Juilliard.

More: Viola Davis claps back at Elisabeth Hasselback after her ICE comment

3. Viola Davis is an EGOT winner

One of the most decorated female actresses of all time, Viola Davis is one of only 22 people to achieve EGOT status, meaning she has won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Before earning EGOT status in 2023, Davis became the first Black woman to win the “Triple Crown of Acting,” or an Emmy, a competitive Oscar and a Tony for acting, in 2017. Davis remains one of only three people ever to achieve both an EGOT and a Triple Crown.

4. Viola Davis has written 2 books

Viola Davis is the author of two books: “Finding Me,” a memoir of her life’s journey which includes a detailed recount of her impoverished childhood in Rhode Island, and “Judge Stone,” a recently released legal thriller co-authored by James Patterson.

5. Does Viola Davis have any children?

Viola Davis has one daughter, Genesis, who she adopted with her husband Julius Tennon back in 2011. Genesis is an aspiring actress herself, officially making her acting debut back in 2019 with “The Angry Birds Movie 2.” Davis is also a stepmother to two of Tennon’s previous children, Sheavonda Diana Tennon and son Duriel Dwight Tennon.

6. Viola Davis is a CEO

In her spare time from acting, writing, mothering and giving back, Viola Davis also acts as the CEO for two comparnies she co-founded with her husband: book publisher JVL Media LLC and JuVee Productions, an artist-driven production company. Both companies aim to embrace diverse voices and amplify untold stories.