Meryl Streep: Viola Davis Tribute

In her speech, Meryl Streep delivered an inspiring tribute to Viola Davis, reflecting on her awe-inspiring talent and powerful presence on both stage and screen. Streep shared heartfelt memories from their time working together on Doubt, offering a glimpse into the dedication and strength that Davis brings to every role. She spoke of how Davis’ raw and emotionally charged performance in a rain-soaked scene was nothing short of miraculous, highlighting the discipline and commitment required to repeatedly deliver powerful moments despite challenging circumstances.

The Rise of a Remarkable Star

Meryl Streep recounted how Viola Davis, even before *Doubt*, was known to the industry’s finest directors and playwrights like August Wilson and Tony Kushner. She praised Davis’ transformation from an acclaimed stage actor to a film star, noting that her brilliance was never a secret to those who had the privilege of seeing her perform. Streep emphasized that Davis’ emergence into wider recognition was inevitable, due to her undeniable talent and profound humanity.

Lessons from Viola Davis’ Journey

Streep reflected on key aspects of Davis’ career that offer valuable lessons for actors and audiences alike:
Unwavering Commitment: From Broadway to the big screen, Viola Davis’ dedication to her craft was unparalleled. Every performance, whether in a long shot or a close-up, was delivered with the same intensity and precision.

Resilience in the Face of Challenges: Streep detailed how Davis maintained her powerful performance through countless takes, demonstrating resilience and professionalism even under difficult circumstances.

Humanity as a Gift: Streep pointed out that beyond technique and hard work, it is Davis’ deep humanity that shines through in her performances, making her not just one of the greatest actors of her time, but one of the greatest ever.

A Legacy Rooted in Humanity and Hard Work

Meryl Streep concluded by acknowledging the influence of mentors, training, and a touch of luck in Viola Davis’ journey. However, she underscored that Davis’ real gift lies in her ability to convey the complexities of human experience. With a voice rich in emotion and authenticity, Davis has left an indelible mark on Hollywood, changing the landscape for future generations of actors.
Viola Davis’ story is one of perseverance, talent, and a profound understanding of what it means to be human—qualities that continue to make her a trailblazer in the industry.

Look at us, baby. We were so young. That was, I don’t know, maybe two and a half of the eight minutes that Viola Davis was on screen in the movie we did together, Doubt. But at the end of those eight minutes, there was no doubt that a star had been born. I should say a star had exploded into the firmament and become available to a wider audience, because Viola Davis was not a secret.

What were you, how old were you, 40? Two, maybe? But Viola was known in the world. Our greatest playwrights, the incomparable, had fallen in love with her years before…the incomparable August Wilson had her in three of his plays that premiered on Broadway. Great Tony Kushner said to me, when he asked me, “Who’s gonna play Mrs. Miller in Doubt?” and I said, “Viola Davis.” He said, “Oh, Shanley…” Shanley, that’s John Patrick Shanley, the playwright who wrote the play and the screenplay and directed Doubt. Shanley has cast my absolute favorite actress in the world. But anybody who had ever worked with her, anybody who had ever seen her on or off Broadway, was already witness to her monumental gift.

Let me tell you about this scene from Doubt. Now she writes about it in her book, and she has forgotten. This scene where she looks like it is just happening to her right then, right now…just fresh-peeled truth, just raw. That day it was raining on and off in the Bronx where we were shooting, and she would kind of…and it was a long shot, you know? I mean, it was a long walking shot, and then it ended up where we were still, and this eruption happens. And we did the master shot…John shot many, many master shots…but it kept raining. And so Viola would rev up quietly, and then he’d say, “Wait, wait, we have to cut, cut, we have to cut.” And she’d go back to zero, and we would do it again, and then the rain would come, we’d stop, start again. We did this, we did about eight or ten masters, right? Before we even got to the mid shot, to the full length. And we were tiny figures in the landscape. I knew he was only gonna use it for the very opening of the scene or the very end, but Viola went right for it every fucking time.

Then we do the two shots. Then we get to the closeup, which I know is where the scene’s gonna live. And she’s already wrung herself, and I’m thinking, oh man, then of course, she gives birth to three or four perfect closeups, and Shanley says, “Okay, we’re gonna go again.” And so I was like in high dudgeon, all flapping and big with the nun’s habit on, I went up there and I said, “What are you doing? What are you doing? You’re killing this actor. You know she has given you…I know an Academy Award when I see one. She has given you gold.” And he said, “Well, yeah, but there’s a bush behind her head that comes in and out sometimes, and I don’t know. It looks like it’s crawling up the building.” He said, “It’s my fault, it’s my fault. We’ll come back, we’ll do it another time, ’cause it’s raining.” And I said, “Oh my God, we’re not gonna do this again.” He said, “Yeah, we’ll come back next week.”

We came back next week. She did that. You’re a miracle. Oh my God. That’s why she arrives here tonight astride a reputation in the eyes of her peers that is matchless. She’s not only one of our greatest, she’s one of the greatest actors you will ever see. And she’s here because of her talent, yes, and because of her hard work and her technique, which saves her tender, beautiful gift. And she’s here because of good mentors, no question, and luck, which is the big one for all of us. But mostly it’s because of her humanity. The greatest artists have a gift for conveying what it is to be human that is just…it’s just undeniable. It can be stifled by bad training. Or a phone. This is the wrong tribute to have your phone go off. And it can be stopped by lack of opportunity, which is unfortunately rife. But it can’t be stilled. And Viola’s greatest gift is her gleaming humanity, and it’s just undeniable.

Yeah, so she got her training right here at Juilliard, and some of it was helpful, and much of it was not. And in her stunning memoir, Finding Me, which I urge you to go out and find…that book, Finding Me…it’s breathtaking. It’s great for anybody who loves acting and actors, but it’s great if you’re a human being who relishes living life meaningfully. Yeah, and get it where she reads it to you, because that’s the best way to hear it. But she talks about her frustrations with her training and her resolve to get through it, because those barriers, you know, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and that’s absolutely true with her.

But I’m gonna read you a letter that one of her teachers…she was recognized by many people. Maybe she was unaware of it, but many people saw the inexorability of Viola Davis. This is from the late Marian Seldes. She wrote about her, Viola, when she was very young:

What a teacher hopes to impart to a student…intention, concentration, love of acting and actors, love of literature…Viola arrived possessing all of these things to an astonishing degree. Her commitment to everything in class or production was terminal, deep, and unfailing. Now we can’t know if this degree of talent and dedication will find a place in the business of acting, but we could never really doubt that a path would open itself for her. Because Viola is a generous wave. She brings everyone along with her. She excludes all negative things, and she is open to making the best happen. I think we share a belief that our commitment is what saves us and makes us worthy of a place on the planet. And her devotion is maternal. She wants to act, yes, but she also wants to save people and things and ideas. It’s a big ambition, Vi, and you dig deep into it over and over and over and over again. I’m so glad I know you, and I was there when you launched into Hollywood and changed it. Man, you changed it, so respect. I love you.