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nytimes.com/
newsletters/magazine6 5.1.22 Illustrations by Giacomo Gambineri
Photograph by Ruven AfanadorThe Thread
I loved reading about Viola Davis. But I
also just loved reading the beautiful and
powerful writing of Jazmine Hughes. I
relished every sentence. What a writer.
BFG, Boston
Thanks, Jazmine Hughes, for this won-
derful article on a powerful role model
(and to Ruven Afanador for these awe-
some pictures). Viola is amazing and a
great actress to watch. I am a little sad-
dened when Denzel Washington tells his
daughter that the screen will only accept
her as the sidekick (no surprise there from
Hollywood). But kudos to him for telling
her to be like Viola: prepared, persistent
and strong — refusing to be unnoticed!
Niya
This superb article beautifully captures
the arc of Viola Davis’s life and her acting
opportunities and experiences. I love how
it begins, sharing that Davis struggled
with how to open her memoir but then
recalled an earlier conversation with Will
Smith, ‘‘Who are you, really?’’ This is one
of the most fascinating and captivating
pieces I’ve read recently. Thank you.
Mary, Seattle
Thank you for such a deep dive into one
of the best actresses I have ever seen (and
I am 75).
I vividly remember the fi rst time I saw
her; it was on ‘‘Law & Order: Criminal
Intent,’’ 20 years ago. I had no idea who
a hard life instills certain instincts and
emotions that you might not otherwise
have. Couple that with a huge talent, and
you have this wonderful actress. I love
Viola Davis’s work. And I am eager to
read more pieces written by Hughes.
Pam, Long Beach, N.Y.I really am speechless. I have always
enjoyed Viola Davis: her acting, her
laughter, her spirit, her generosity (just
follow her on social media, she celebrates
everyone, sincerely and dearly) and her
deeply moving honesty and humanity. I
cried reading this. Thank you for sharing
this glimpse into her life with us.
Christina, OregonRE: OPENAI
Steven Johnson wrote about an artifi cial
intelligence that can write original prose
— and the profound implications this could
have for the future.The most fascinating, exciting and
unsettling article I’ve read in a long time.
One of my biggest fears is that this points
toward a future in which humans are
relegated to a humiliating second place
with respect to cognitive and creative
abilities. Will we lose the will to create
and achieve? We’re like John Henry rac-
ing the steam-powered drill. No one
today would aspire to compete with
heavy machinery of course, but when-
ever we’ve been displaced, we’ve always
had somewhere else to turn. What hap-
pens when every domain of human
endeavor is populated by machines that
can outperform us?
C, R.I.Send your thoughts to [email protected].‘She was a
bully, a loving
mother, a sweet
daughter and
terrifying all at
the same time.’Readers respond to the 4.17.2022 issue.
RE: VIOLA DAVIS
Jazmine Hughes profi led the actor and wrote
about how Davis drew on a life of private
hardship to become one of the greatest actors
of her generation.
she was, but I could not take my eyes off
her. She was a bully, a loving mother, a
sweet daughter and terrifying all at the
same time. The next time I saw her, she
was on ‘‘Law & Order: Special Victims
Unit,’’ I believe, playing an attorney. She
seemed to me as powerful and beautiful
as the amazing Lorraine Toussaint, but in
a much diff erent way. Any time I see Davis
in anything, she informs her character in
so many ways.
I shall continue to root for her, and I
hope, through her acting, she is able to
shed the demons of the past that have
helped shape such a beautiful human
being and giving actress.
Dana ScottLike Hughes, I felt compelled to watch
‘‘How to Get Away With Murder’’
because I was mesmerized by Viola
Davis’s performance as Annalise Keat-
ing. I am a white, middle-aged woman
with not a lot of biographical similari-
ty to the character other than being a
lawyer, but as a working woman I felt
more seen by that character than by any
other on TV — my favorite detail was the
way in which her beautiful clothes pro-
jected such strength but were also just
a little bit tight and confi ning. I did not
watch any other Shonda Rhimes shows
because the melodrama was too much
for me, but Viola Davis is reason enough
to watch anything. She is defi nitely the
greatest actress of her generation.
Tracy, SacramentoWhat a lovely, beautifully written piece
about Viola Davis. This article was a fi ne
tapestry of her life. This writer, Jazmine
Hughes, did a marvelous job of really
encapsulating her humanity and her
gifts. Well done. It is so true that having