Davis bested her fellow nominees Naomie Harris in Moonlight, Nicole Kidman in Lion, Octavia Spencer in Hidden Figures and Michelle Williams in Manchester by the Sea.
She finally gets her due after two previous Oscar nominations in such films as Doubt (for “Best Supporting Actress”) and The Help for (“Best Actress in a Leading Role”). She was presented the award by Oscar winner Mark Rylance.
In her tear-jerking acceptance speech, Davis remarked, “Thank you to the Academy. There’s one place where all the people with the greatest potential are gathered, and that’s the graveyard.”
David continued, Thank God we are actors, since we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.” She finally thanked her “captain,” and co-star Denzel Washington.
Throughout her career in the entertainment industry, Davis has won two Tony awards, five Screens Actors Guild (SAG) awards, a Primetime Emmy award for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” in How to Get Away with Murder, as well as a Golden Globe and BAFTA for “Best Supporting Actress” for her acting work in Fences.
