STYLIST: ELIZABETH STEWART
That’s true. Dreaming was something to do, as
opposed to having nothing to do.When did you start to feel it might
really happen?
When I was 14, Mr Yates, my English and
drama teacher, told me, “Viola, this could be
a possibility for you. You need more technique,
but if you get it, this could be something you
could do. You’re that good.” I was like, “Wow,
really?” Or it could have been when I was 18.
I was in my freshman year of college and I had
no money. I had to get a job so I could get an
apartment and a car. I didn’t have parents
who even had the money to send me a care
package. I didn’t have a way into acting that was
practical, so I gave it up. For myirst semester
I became an English major. I dropped into
a huge depression. It felt like a death. I had to
act in order to be happy, so I decided I had to
do it no matter what.Formanyyearsyoursuccesswasonstage.
Didyoueverhaveaneyeonfilm?
That’s like someone saying, “Did you ever
think about climbing mountains or going
to Antarctica?” When you’re from CentralBy virtue of being African American and
achieving what you have, you are put in
a position of being a figurehead. How do
you feel about that?
It’s twofold. I feel okay about the responsibility
of being the irst African American woman
to win [an Emmy for] Best Lead Actress in
a Drama. I feel okay about being a role model,
a dark-skinned woman who’s 51, who’s given
other women of colour who are a different size,
a different hue, almost permission to do what
they do. The part I have dificulty with is the
unspoken responsibility. For instance, I’m
on Facebook and I have people write to me
about anything from money to reading their
scripts to coming to their house and giving
their children advice. That’s when I have issues,
because I didn’t know that was part of the whole
game. I didn’t know that was my responsibility.
That’s too much for me. I try to the best of my
ability to give people comfort. I think I have
enough heart to want to do that, but people
will be like, “Can you talk to my dying mom,
or someone who’s going through something
traumatic? Can you just say your lines from
The Help? That would help them a lot.” That’s
hard for me. And I’m not criticising, at all. AtI want to kick somebody’s ass on ilm. I just
want to kick somebody’sass. Amanda Waller
was a chance to do a little bit of that. I loved
being a badass. And I’m wondering where people
thought I was in my career that I had the kind
of power tonotdo something likeSuicide Squad.
I don’t get seven-igure salaries. I’ve always
been the journeyman actor. OnPrisonersI did
eight days.Ender’s GameI did ive.Beautiful
CreaturesI did eight days.DoubtI did two
weeks. I could go on. Most of my jobs have been
three days here, one day there, and that’s it. It
wouldn’t be like you asking Julia Roberts or
Sandra Bullock. I’m not on that level in terms
of money or exposure. In fact,HowToGetAway
With Murderis the job that changed my life.
That andThe Help.How didThe Helpchange your life?
I was nominated for Best Actress and it made
money. It’s like Denzel says, the business part
of show business is so important that it might
as well be called ‘business show’. It’s abusiness.
I was in a big money-making, crowd-pleasing
ilm.How To Get Away With Murderwas the
highest-rated pilot in history. Now it’s in its third
season and it’s in 158 territories. It’s as simple
as that. And then I won the Emmy... I have
more opportunities now.Any time a role said “girlfriend” I knew
I wouldn’t get it. “Attractive”, I knew I wouldn’t
get it. So me playing someone’s girlfriend... Then
I went to do it and said, “Steven, so what was it?”
He said, “It was two things. It was your stillness,
and it was thathair. I couldn’t get past the hair.”
Okay! Him and me just click.You callOut Of Sightyour big break, but
most people would say it wasDoubt.You
had a single scene in that film but it
brought you an Oscar nomination and a film
career. How did you react to that?
I felt like I won the lottery. At that point I was
a journeyman actor. Someone who’s been out
there in the ield, doing character roles. Then
something pops you out that makes people
start saying your name. I couldn’t believe it.Of all the films you’ve made since then,
one stands out as unusual:Suicide Squad.
Why did that appeal?
Are you serious? Why not?! It’s an action
movie. I got to play Amanda Waller. Are you
serious? Sometimes I just want to have fun. I’m
getting a little long in the tooth now, but there
are times I wish I was 20 years younger because“Whenyou’repooryoudon’thaveachoice;youhavetodream
bigornotatall.There’snomiddleground.Youcan’tbepassive
about your future. You’ve got to be passionate and very clear.”
Falls, Rhode Island? No. I didn’t see myself
in movies. I never won any beauty contests.
I was never a cheerleader.One of the very first people to put you in
his films was Steven Soderbergh, who gave
you small roles inOut Of Sight,Traffic
andSolaris. How did that relationship
originally come about?
I don’t know. I would audition a lot for TV
and ilm and never get anything. The audition
forOut Of Sight... I remember they put me on
tape at my agency. That’s when I would do my
own hair, because I couldn’t afford to pay for
anyone to do it. I would buy hair from a shop
in California, His ’N’ Hers Beauty Supply, that
would mail me the hair and I would braid it all
in myself. I didn’t know what I was doing, I just
knew my hair couldn’t be big enough. Remember
Chaka Khan back in the day? She didn’t even
have as much hair as I had. You could not tell
me I did not look cute. My agent said I had to
audition forOut Of Sightand I said, “I’m not
going to get that. I never get these auditions.
And it’s two lines? Okay, I’m just gonna
memorise them and say them, that’s it.” That’s
what I did. And I got it! That was my irst big
break. I was shocked. “I’m playing someone’s
girlfriend? I’m playingDon Cheadle’s girlfriend?”all. I get it. But it’s dificult. I try to give them
what they want, to the best of my ability. I’ve
done a lot of videos of, “You are smart. You are
kind. You are important.” But always it makes
me feel uncomfortable, because I’m not God.
I’m just an actor.As you say, you’re 51 and you’ve worked
incredibly hard to get where you are.
What is there still to do?
There’s a lot of things I haven’t done. I’ll tell you
one thing coming up that’s scaring the crap out
of me: Steve McQueen’sWidows[an adaptation
of the Lynda La Plante drama about a group of
women who take over from their criminal
husbands after they’re killed].Whydoesitscareyou?
I can’t tell you. If I even say it I’m going to be
hitting the vodka, seriously. But I would say
it’s a role that is going to force me to do things
a little outside my comfort zone.Will you get to kick some ass?
Oh, I most deinitely will kick somebody’s ass.
And I’m going to kick ass as a 51-year-old
woman. How isthat? That isbeautiful.FENCES IS IN CINEMAS FROM 9 FEBRUARY.