Viola Davis gives an emotional speech for the ages at the Golden Globes’ inaugural Golden Gala

She's a lot.

Cringe

[quote]“I feel like someone just set me on fire,” Davis said. To Streep, she declared, “You’re just a great broad. You forgot that I followed you into the toilet that first day of rehearsal. I just wanted to smell you.”

MARY!

She crawled so Erivo could run.

Nah, she's a scenery-chewing species of her own.

Love her!

Poor Viola.

Notice how she went from the cosmic/sacred to the dirtiest profane in a single paragraph. She was working on this speech for a long, long time. Probably read some Cicero and Demosthenes in preparation. MLK as well, since this was more of a sermon than a speech.

Whatever happened to class?

You’re just an actor, you know.

That speech should have been private moment. I get that those words resonate for her and may for others, but it's over the top for a general audience. I get some people enjoy her, but I just can't take the melodrama both on and offscreen. There's just no shades of grey in her modulation.

I really like her - she's weird, but still cool

It does read like a skit. Like a speech Dorothy Lanier would give on Mad TV back in the day.

Also, rule number one for speeches: never go full cosmic.

If Jamie Lee had given a similar speech, she would be eviscerated. Same energy.

Honestly, she doesn’t have the range that Alfre, Angela or Halle has. Viola does somber drama really well but is out of her depth on most everything else. Look at her horrendous take on Michelle Obama.

Also the “Meryl is deity” shit has long ago run its course.

I don’t get her borderline psychopathic need to be Meryl.

I dunno... You gotta have a gimmick.

Five words that will never be spoken.

The Meryl thing was just a psychological trick, it's to humble yourself right from the get-go so people won't start rolling their eyes when you mention a Very Special Plan the cosmos has just for you.

[quote]I think I decided to be an actor because...

Ugh. I hate it when some women refer to themselves as an 'actor.'

'Actress' sounds classier, tbh.

Very "grand," isn't she? To the point of being totally insufferable.

Oh: What did Meryl Streep smell like in the Ladies? Was she menstruating, by chance?

Some performers, especially members of groups whose hunger never lets up no matter how great their feasts, need to learn not to take long flaming dumps from the stage of their triumphs every time God proves His Love by giving them an "award."

It would help them on their way to not being such self-regarding, selfish assholes.

Modesty and decorum out the window,

As things stand now, she'll be remembered for her speeches rather than her acting. Which isn't an ideal legacy for an actor.

I used to really enjoy her. Then I listened to her outside of roles

"You forgot that I followed you into the toilet that first day of rehearsal. I just wanted to smell you.”

If someone followed me into the bathroom to smell my shit or piss I would get a restraining order.

I know that is not what she was saying but, come on lady, that's how it readw.

"cosmic cart for a much higher journey"

That cart was really loud with the voice of Viola telling everyone in it that she had betta get her EGOT no matter what they have to do or everyone gets fired. I can't believe she really focused on that. FOCUS ON YOUR ACTING which leaves a lot to be desired.

[quote] If someone followed me into the bathroom to smell my shit or piss I would get a restraining order.

I'd fart in her face.

r26, great, we'd get another over the top Shakespearian speech

She really is nuts!

HAHAHAHA

She’s insufferable but I think people stopped taking her seriously during and after “The Woman King”.

She proved she wasn’t the black Meryl Streep critically or commercially.

r30 They tried to pass it off as actual when the real story was how West Africans enslaved their enemies and sold them off to Europeans for cloth and beads. She really tried to justify this movie and that caused people to find her crazy. They wanted a historically "I hate Whitey" picture, but ended up incriminating themselves even more.

Carol Burnett looks amazing for 91. She and Dick Van Dyke are going to live forever.

she takes herself too seriously

did you know, God devotes fifteen minutes a day to arrange for Viola to get all the awards.

She's our greatest living orator who occasionally also acts.

r35 She's oral alright. She certainly can't act.

R30: She needs to come to terms with the fact that she's a character actress and not a leading, sexualized lady in movies.

[quote] Davis was visibly moved by Streep’s introduction. She took the stage with tears streaming down her face.

I would expect nothing less. Viola is the greatest actress of our time.

[quote] I get that those words resonate for her and may for others, but it's over the top for a general audience.

It was not a "general audience," it was a private audience of her peers and others in the industry.

It was semi-private at best if the transcript was published by Variety.

I'm happy Ted danson got an award. I like him.

She was born a man?

R37 in Viola's mind she's the perfect black combination of Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts.

[quote]She took the stage with tears streaming down her face.

Get over yourself.

[quote] Get over yourself.

I will not!!!! I am fabulous and I WILL be seen!

Viola is so full of her bullshit when she opens her mouth she looks like a chocolate fountain.

She actually said that she wanted to smell Streep’s turds? Is she high?

What a mess.

Who's ready to apologize to me?

Sounds like a psychotic break.

Viola has never been able to understand the difference between her and Halle Berry.

You only work in a shop. You can drop the attitude.

Amazing too how Meryl has lined up "woke" points so quickly. She didn't lay eyes on a black person or mention feminism throughout the 1908s and 1990s. But it's fashionable now, and she knows that.

Um - I read the whole thing - a bit long-winded, but generally fine. Just some really weird moments.

What I don't understand is that, after graduating from Juilliard in 1993, she had a couple of years of struggling before she started getting very regular work. She worked consistently since the late 90s and her career just kept getting brighter and brighter on Broadway, TV and film.

She was more of a character actor that transitioned to main roles. There are a LOT of actors who never have even close to the success she had.

I'm sure those 2-3 years after Julliard were hard - but it's not that uncommon, is it?

She’s always too “additional” — can she ever just confine most of her acting to her work and not to her acceptance speeches??

Shes kind, she's smart

She's the premiere snot actress of our time who also excels at indignant, aggrieved delivery. Not much range beyond that, though.

Does the Hollywood Foreign Press still ban negros?

Give it a rest, Viola. You didn’t have to follow Meryl into the bathroom to “smell her.” Hell, Hollywood has smelled Meryl’s nappy pussy for years…..I was just the first one brave enough to acknowledge the open secret in my most recent cinematic masterpiece.

[quote] Shes kind, she's smart

...and she is important.

She takes up space. More than she thinks.

Interesting that she went with a wig for such an authentic speech. Should've come as ratchet as possible, with nappy hair and whatnot. Maybe with a durag, even.

I really like to go in and smellbher stable too!

The bottomless hole of need that slavery and a corrupt, hateful American government and nation created and supported over the centuries.

But that doesn't leave Viola and her lot off the hook for demonstrating they are full of need - AND shit.

Aaaaaaaaand what was a fun thread has now enshittified with racism.

R65 is the worst kind of censor.

She is the type who cannot address the issues, and the fact that there is a qualitative difference between the idiotic rambling of Charlize Theron "I am the first African....) and the more-complicated, revelatory acting-out by American black actors and actresses.

And of COURSE being black had nothing to do with what Will Smith perpetrated, while getting spiritual counsel from Denzel Washingtin and a pass from his supporters because he was "up in his feelings."

I'm biracial, by the way, and still experience the vicious racism et al. among blacks as well as white.

R54 I don’t think it’ll be ever enough for Viola to be honest. You think being the first black actor to win an EGOT strictly based on performance, plus the fact she works constantly would fulfill her. No. She wants to be another Streep, and the way the industry works it’s just not going to happen.

Viola don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining.

R62 You stankin ass white cracka bitch. Nappy can be beautiful. Nappy does not mean ratchet. Most ratchets actually prefer lace fronts.

[quote]Most ratchets actually prefer lace fronts.

Like Beyonce.

OMFG Super Cringe. Bedwetter who went to school soaked in urine? YUCK.

I knew I smelled something fishy when I had her over for brunch.

R70 Don’t ever come out your mouth to disrespect The Queen you hyperbolic troll.

I want to hear more about her childhood urinary accidents and her meaningful experiences of enjoying the smells of other famous actresses' excrement in public bathrooms.

STFU TeaFake

This was the first year they didn't include the Cecil B. de Mille Award in the regular telecast.

Poor Viola.

you play pretend for a living, it isn't some cosmic achievement. i truly hate these people.

R77 But why do you hate capital letters though? 🤔

And you bitches thought I was too much!

R78 why do you love them bitch

Horrifying.

R80 now you beef with periods. Lawd.

FFS Viola. It's tired give it a rest. You ain't all that.

Holding space while standing in your own truth is becoming tiresome.

Are you empowered or struggling, Viola? Pick a lane, hon.

R82 wait till i figure out how to do wingdings on this mf

Anyone else have problem getting their posts to show up? Mine aren't.

never mind. lol

Now in video form on the Golden Globes channel for the full effect! This definitely wasn't meant to be a private moment, like someone upthread suggested.

And wow is she engaging her whole body in this speech, like a professional storyteller.

[quote]She actually said that she wanted to smell Streep’s turds? Is she high?

I'm reminded of this scene from the Oscar-winning THE LAST EMPEROR:

😂

[quote]You forgot that I followed you into the toilet that first day of rehearsal. I just wanted to smell you.

This sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I've done it myself on occasion.