2017 -- H 5584

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING VIOLA DAVIS FOR WINNING BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING

ROLE

     Introduced By: Representatives Mattiello, Shekarchi, Morgan, McLaughlin, and
Maldonado

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2017

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Award-winning actress and producer Viola Davis was born on August 11,

1965, in South Carolina, a daughter of Mary Alice and Dan Davis. Her family moved to Central

Falls, Rhode Island, when she was two-months old and despite living in poverty as a child, she

excelled at Central Falls High School, where she developed her love and passion for the arts and

acting; and

     WHEREAS, As a teenager, Ms. Davis enrolled in the Young People's School for the

Performing Arts in West Warwick, where her immense artistic talents were first discovered.

Following graduation from high school, she enrolled at Rhode Island College, majoring in theater

and graduating in 1988. After graduating from Rhode Island College, she attended the prestigious

Juilliard School and was a member of the school's Drama Group; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Davis earned her Screen Actors Guild card in 1996, and proceeded to

act in numerous forums, including Broadway, television and motion pictures. In 2001, she won a

Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for her portrayal of a struggling mother in King Hedley II.

She won another Drama Desk Award for her performance in the 2004 Off-Broadway Production

of Intimate Apparel; and

     WHEREAS, In 2008, Ms. Davis earned a key role in the film "Doubt" alongside Meryl

Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, for which she received Golden Globe and Academy Award

Best Supporting Actress nominations. That same year, she was inducted into the Academy of

Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; and

     WHEREAS, In 2009, Ms. Davis won her second Tony Award for her performance in the

Broadway revival of the play Fences. Thanks to the universal acclaim she garnered for her stage

work, she was cast in 2011 to star in the movie "The Help", a role that saw her win unanimous

praise from the critics for her performance as well as a second Academy Award nomination and

Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; and

     WHEREAS, In 2012, Viola Davis was presented with the prestigious Women in Film's

Crystal Award from her friend Meryl Streep. That same year, she received a star on the Walk of

Fame. Her career continued to soar as she starred in the James Brown film biography, "Get on

Up", and earned a starring role as the lead character in the television show "How To Get Away

With Murder". In 2015, she became the first African-American woman to win a Primetime

Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama; and

     WHEREAS, In 2016, Ms. Davis reprised her role as Rose Maxson in the film adaptation

of Fences alongside Denzel Washington, who also directed the film. Once again, she received

rave reviews for her performance and on February 26, 2017, she won the Academy Award for

Best Supporting Actress, thereby becoming the first African-American to win the Triple Crown

of Acting, winning a Tony, Academy Award and Emmy. Her eloquent and beautiful acceptance

speech at the Oscars warmed the hearts of all in attendance and watching on television; and

     WHEREAS, Viola Davis remains a big supporter of her hometown of Central Falls. She

has raised and donated money to support Central Falls High School and the city's library, and she

attended the 2016 groundbreaking of a community health center in the city; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Viola Davis for winning the Best Supporting Actress

Academy Award in 2017. We wish her continued success in all her future endeavors and thank

her for her continued support of the Central Falls community; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Viola Davis.

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