Viola Davis Opens Up About Survival in New Memoir “Finding Me”

Next week, Viola Davis will be releasing her brand new memoir Finding Me. In her writing, the actress opens up about her challenging past, which included surviving poverty and facing incessant racism throughout her life.

“How you react is based on survival,” the Tony, Oscar, and Emmy winner explained in a recent interview. “The key is to survive. I did what was at my hand to do at 8 years old. I fought. And that fighting served me because I’m still on my feet.”

Growing up, Davis experienced the ongoing abuse her father inflicted on her mother for many years. As she grew older, she learned how difficult yet free forgiveness could be.

“I wanted to love my dad,” she continued, sharing that she had healed the relationship with her father before he died. “And here’s the thing: My dad loved me. I saw it. I felt it. I received it, and I took it. For me, that’s a much better gift and less of a burden than going through my entire life carrying that big, heavyweight of who he used to be and what he used to do. That’s my choice. That’s my legacy: forgiving my dad.”

Davis, who has been married to her husband, actor Julius Tennon, for almost 19 years, and has raised their daughter Genesis, is grateful for her life, the good parts and the bad.

“It’s given me an extraordinary sense of compassion,” she said. “It’s reconciling that young girl in me and healing from the past—and finding home.”

Finding Me will be released on April 26.

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Photo credit: Ga Fullner / Shutterstock.com