Acclaimed actress Viola Davis has revealed she felt the need to “redefine strength” for her role in ‘Widows’.
The 53-year-old actress stars as Veronica Rawlins, the widow of an armed robber, in the new Steve McQueen-directed heist movie, and Viola has revealed how she approached her role in the film.
Speaking at the movie’s world premiere in London’s Leicester Square the American star – whose on-screen character tries to complete her husband’s failed heist – told BANG Showbiz: “I try to find out who the person is. We have to redefine strength.”
In the movie – which is based on a TV series of the same name – Viola’s character is supported in her heist attempt by three other widows.
And the iconic actress has admitted that Veronica is a particularly contradictory character to portray.
Viola – who stars in ‘Widows’ alongside the likes of Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson – explained: “Is she strong? Yes, but she’s still vulnerable, she’s still grieving, she’s still very much a woman. And that’s what makes us strong.”
Meanwhile, Viola admitted last month that she regrets the way the characters in ‘The Help’ were portrayed.
The actress – who played maid Aibileen Clark in the 2011 period drama – revealed that while she enjoyed the experience on set, she wasn’t pleased with the final film.
Responding to a fan’s question, Viola said: “The friendships that I formed are ones that I’m going to have for the rest of my life. I had a great experience with these other actresses, who are extraordinary human beings. And I could not ask for a better collaborator than Tate Taylor.
“I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard … I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie.”
Bang Showbiz