Entertainment Tonights Kevin Frazier meets up with Viola on the set of How To Get Away With Murder to talk the sex scenes, the advice she got from other TV leading ladies and more.
Its the show that everyone cant stop talking about, and only ET was on set to get you the inside scoop.
ABCs newest smash series How to Get Away with Murder has been making headlines left and right with their ultra-steamy scenes, heart pounding drama and phenomenal cast. Plus, did we mention that the freshman dramas leading lady Viola Davis absolutely slays each and every scene shes in? Long story, short: If youre not tuning in to Shonda Rhimes newest production, youre missing out on some spectacularly compelling TV.
ETs Kevin Frazier traveled deep into the heart of Shondaland for an exclusive interview with Davis about her dynamic onscreen alter ego and how staying true to herself has proved to be the best advice a girl could ever hear.
Although fans have described Davis character as strong, powerful, sexy and even a little mean the Oscar-nominated actress says it has been wonderful to embody such an authoritative and strong woman in todays TV. It has been the greatest challenge of my life, to humanize her, David explained. Its just been great.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Davis law professor character, Annalise Keating, is her ability to take charge in each and every room shes in. Whether thats the courtroom, the classroom, or the bedroom she rules them all. Its great to be a part of this imagination playground, she shared with ET. Thats where you want to be as an actor.
Davis also revealed that one of the biggest surprises she has experienced on HTGAWM is how much shes enjoying Annalises sexy flirtations and steamy scenes. I dont tell my husband that, because I love him so much, but Im enjoying surprising people, Davis admitted. I know theyre looking at it like, Is that Aibileen Clark from The Help? But thats exciting to me It shows my range.
And theres plenty of sexy range to show off. Thank God for body makeup, Davis said, laughing.
Life hasnt always been easy for the 49-year-old actress. Davis recently opened up at Varietys Power of Women event about her bleak beginnings and hungry childhood growing up in Rhode Island. I did everything to get food, she said. I have stolen for food. I have jumped in huge garbage bins with maggots for food I sacrificed a childhood for food and grew up in immense shame.
Davis told ET that after living through that hardship, there is one thing that she wishes she could tell a young Viola: Be yourself. The biggest thing I would tell her is that shes perfect, just the way she is, she said. I always tried to be someone else. I tried to be Sofia Lauren. I tried to be Cindy from The Brady Bunch. I tried to be everything I felt was accepted and [now] I think I was perfect just the way I was.
So when one reviewer wrote that, as a leading woman, Davis could be considered less classically beautiful, the actress was able to power through the criticism. I have to say that it didnt totally throw me. You hear it when youre a dark-skinned woman. Ive heard it my entire life.
When other women flocked to social media to post their support and self-portraits using the hashtag #LessClassicallyBeautiful, Davis said, It made me cry. I look at it every time I need inspiration.
For a deeper peek into tonights all-new scandalous episode of How to Get Away with Murder, take a look at our video above.
How to Get Away With Murder airs Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.
Click Continue Reading to watch the video interview.