Viola Davis, born on Aug. 11, 1965, is an American actress.

Known primarily as a stage actress, Davis won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play and a Drama Desk Award for her role in "King Hedley II" (2001). She won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in the 2010 production of" Fences". She won a second Drama Desk Award for "Intimate Apparel" (2004). She recently acted as Aibileen Clark in the film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's book, The Help. Her powerful performance is gaining her much critical acclaim as a dramatic actress.

Some of her notable films include "Traffic" (2000), "Antwone Fisher" (2002), "Solaris" (2002) and "The Help" (2011). Her eight-minute-long performance in the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt" (2008) garnered several honors, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her work in "The Help".