The more I'm pushed in a position of leadership and I know I have to be the mouthpiece for so many other people who can't speak for themselves, the more confidence I'm gaining.
Viola DavisRead
No matter what, people don't think of me for glamorous parts. I'll go to an audition or a meeting in a pretty dress, and they still think of me as depressed or embattled. Hopefully, that will change.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects Viola Davis's struggle against others' perceptions of her, emphasizing the complexity of identity beyond appearances.
Viola Davis expresses her frustration at being seen by others in a narrow light, where despite her efforts to present herself differently, like wearing a pretty dress, she is still judged based on a preconceived notion of her character. This highlights the challenges of breaking free from societal labels and the hope for a change in how people perceive her and others who face similar struggles.
Themes
IdentityPerceptionSelf-ImageChangeStruggle
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about overcoming societal stereotypes.
More from Viola Davis
All quotes βWhat excites me is just taking some time to breathe in life. The mundane is very exciting.
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I don't care if someone is new to acting or experienced in acting: you always learn something from them. It's just like people in life - whether they're young or middle-aged or old, you always learn something from someone.
Viola DavisRead
I don't see a lot of narratives written where a woman who looks like me gets to be beautiful and sexualized and upwardly mobile, middle-class, funny, quirky. They're very seldom written.
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And that's what people want to see when they go to the theater. I believe at the end of the day, they want to see themselves - parts of their lives they can recognize. And I feel if I can achieve that, it's pretty spectacular.
Viola DavisRead
There's no prerequisites to worthiness. You're born worthy, and I think that's a message a lot of women need to hear.
Viola DavisRead
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