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TOP 210 Performances of the 21st Century: Viola Davis as Rose Maxson in "Fences" (#10)

Few actresses can bring the authenticity of inner strenght to a performance so beautifully as Viola Davis - and she achieves her best performance (yet) at the hands of Denzel Washington's direction and August Wilson's words. Davis has one of the best written characters of the last decade and she makes the most of it with two key scenes for me: the "18 years of my life" argument scene and the scene where she holds the baby in her arms. In those scenes, we see a broken woman who tries to keep her whole dignity when she's hurt and bleeding inside. Yet, in those scenes she frees herself, she finally raises her voice and she finally raises herself.
It's a powerful performance and Davis is able to outshine Denzel Washington wheter when they're sharing a scene or simply when she isn't on-screen but you wish she was. It's a role that seems meant for her and she delivers a performance that makes you feel that no one could top her work. It's an acting turn that's mesmerizing and impossible to forget once you watch Fences. Viola Davis' performance is one for the ages!
For her performance as Rose Maxon in Fences, Viola Davis got some award recognition from some of the biggest associations/organizations in the movie industry (in fact, it was a n awards sweep):
    • Academy Awards - Best Supporting Actress (win)
    • British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards - Best Actress in a Supporting Role (win)
    • Golden Globe Awards - Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (win)
    • Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture (win)
    • Critics' Choice Awards - Best Supporting Actress (win)
    • Black Reel Awards - Best Supporting Actress (win)
    • Critics associations/groups awards - 25 wins out of 38 nominations

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