BAFTA/Ian Derry ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures: Viola Davis’ in partnership with Audi will take place on Sunday 15 January 2017, in partnership with Audi
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced today that BAFTA-nominated actress Viola Davis will discuss her craft and career at a special ‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ event at BAFTA’s headquarters, 195 Piccadilly in London, on Sunday 15 January. Public tickets will be available to book from 1pm on 23 December at www.bafta.org/whats-on/.
‘BAFTA A Life in Pictures’ is a long-running series of onstage interviews in which some of the film world’s leading talent share insights into the experiences that helped them hone and develop their craft. The series has hosted such figures as Kenneth Branagh, Cate Blanchett, David Fincher, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Thompson, Sam Mendes, Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet and Jeremy Irons.
Viola Davis is a critically revered, BAFTA and Oscar-nominated actress. After graduating from the Juliard School in 1993, Davis began her acting career on stage, winning a Tony Award for her performance in King Hedley II in 2001, and playing a number of supporting roles for film and television in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including Far From Heaven (2002) and Solaris (2002).
Viola Davis’ breakthrough in film came in 2008 when she starred alongside Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams in the drama Doubt. Though only appearing in one scene, her performance earned her several award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2009.
In 2012, Davis received a BAFTA nomination for Actress and an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Aibileen Clark in 2011’s The Help, as well as winning Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice awards for her performance.
Viola Davis received widespread critical acclaim for her performance in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, a collection of three films – Her (2013), Him (2013) and Them (2014). In 2014, Davis appeared in the James Brown biopic Get On Up. Her other recent feature film credits include Michael Mann’s Blackhat (2015) and Lila & Eve (2015), where she starred opposite Jennifer Lopez in the story of two mothers whose children are killed in drive-by shootings. Davis also produced Lila & Eve with her husband, Julius Tennon for their company JuVee Productions, a multi-ethnic production company committed to excellence in film, television and theatre, founded in 2012. Also produced by JuVee is Custody, which premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and in which Davis also stars. In 2016, Davis also played the character of Amanda Waller in superhero film, Suicide Squad.
In December this year, Viola Davis will star opposite Denzel Washington in Fences, also directed by Denzel Washington and based on the 1983 play of the same name. Davis and Washington will be reprising their roles from the 2010 revival of the play that garnered both actors Tony Awards.
Davis currently stars on the hit ABC drama How to Get Away with Murder as lawyer Annalise Keating, a part she has played since the show first premiered in September 2014. In 2015, she became the first black woman of any nationality to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role on the show.
Event details:
BAFTA A Life in Pictures: Viola Davis
Sunday 15 January 2017 at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London
14.45 Champagne Taittinger Reception
15.30 Event Begins
17.00 Event Ends
Recordings of previous events in the A Life in Pictures series are available on BAFTA Guru, BAFTA’s online learning channel (www.bafta.org/guru).
For further information, please contact:
Charlotte Inett at freuds
T: +44 (0)20 3003 6350
E: [email protected]
Eleanor Pickering at BAFTA
T: +44 (0) 20 7292 5863
E: [email protected]
For images, logos, accreditation, transcripts and more, visit www.bafta.org/press.
About BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round programme of learning events and initiatives – featuring workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes – in the UK, USA and Asia; it offers unique access to the world’s most inspiring talent and connects with a global audience of all ages and backgrounds. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. To access the best creative minds in film, television and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.
About Audi
Audi is one of the leading premium car brands in the UK. Its unparalleled sales success has been driven by a comprehensive portfolio of almost 50 models ranging from hatchbacks to 205 mph supercars. To sustain this lead and exemplify its philosophy of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, the brand will make a €24 billion investment by 2019 into sustainable technologies and new products.
As the Official Car for BAFTA, Audi supports all the Academy’s major events, including the EE British Academy Film Awards and the British Academy Television Awards ceremonies to ensure VIP guests arrive at the red carpet with style and elegance.
