You Have To Hear Viola Davis' Powerful Speech On Self-Confidence

She delivered a powerful speech at the Critics' Choice Awards Sunday.
You have to hear Viola Davis' speech on self-confidence
You have to hear Viola Davis' speech on self-confidence
Jerod Harris via Getty Images

Viola Davis sure knows how to shut down a room.

The "How To Get Away With Murder" actress was honoured with the first-ever #SeeHer award on Sunday, during the 2016 Critics' Choice Awards.

During her speech, the "The Help" star said some powerful words about self-confidence.

"I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are and I just recently embraced that at 51," she said in her speech.

Davis joked how hard it was for her to accept an award for being a role model for women, especially when she was trying to lose weight.

She added when she was introduced to the role of Annalise Keating on "How To Get Away With Murder" for the first time, she thought she had to change her image.

"I'm used to playing women where I've got to gain 40 pounds and wear an apron," she said.

"So I said, 'Oh God, I've got to lose weight. I've got to learn how to walk like Kerry Washington in heels. I gotta lose my belly.' And then I asked myself, 'Well, why do I have to do all of that?'"

During the awards ceremony, Davis also won an award for Best Supporting Actress for "Fences," according to ET.

While picking up her award, she had nothing but kind words for her "Fences" costar Denzel Washington, calling him "the leader and the captain" of the film.

And the fearless actress isn't one to shy away from body image either. Earlier this year in an interview with Elle magazine, Davis said as viewers, we've all been told "a whole slew of lies about women.

"If you are anywhere above a size 2, you're not having sex. You don't have sexual thoughts. You may not even have a vagina. And if you're of a certain age, you're off the table."

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