HOLLYWOOD—For those who aren’t familiar with the name Viola Davis, it’s a name all should become familiar with.  Surprisingly Davis has been acting in movies since the early 90s and is a Broadway star who has already won two Tony Awards, one for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for “King Hedley II” and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role in “Fences” alongside Denzel Washington. 

Oddly enough, Davis has appeared in more than 20 films, has had countless appearances on the small screen in roles that audiences will recognize, but it was her breakout performance in the 2008 movie “Doubt” alongside Meryl Streep that finally made Hollywood notice this stunning actress.  While she only appears in the movie for a couple of minutes, her presence is felt during that time on the screen.  As the mother of a child that may have been molested by a priest, she infuses so much emotion into that one scene alongside Streep it explains why she earned that Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  She is a force to be reckoned with on the screen. 

It amazes me to realize that Davis has starred alongside so many powerhouse actors, George Clooney “Solaris,” Julianne Moore “Far From Heaven,” Russell Crowe “State of Play,” Jamie Foxx “Law Abiding Citizen,” Julia Roberts “Eat Pray Love” and Tom Cruise in “Knight and Day,” just to name a few flicks.  She has enjoyed a vibrant career as an actress, but most of her roles have been bit parts in cinema.  It wasn’t until 2011 that her performance in the summer blockbuster “The Help” wowed critics and audiences alike as Aibileen Clark in.

Davis’ first role as a leading lady is not only memorable, but magnificent.  Aibileen is not your typical character. She is docile, she only speaks when told, she keeps her emotions at bay, but when they are unleashed it strikes a cord with the audience.  It takes a special actress to take on such a layered character and Davis does that with eloquent control.  It explains why many are considering her as a front runner for Best Actress in this year’s Oscar race.  If that nomination does indeed happen on January 24, Davis will make history by being the ninth African-American woman nominated for Best Actress.

It may have taken awhile for people to recognize her name, but Davis is just beginning to make her imprint in the industry.  She recently co-starred with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in the drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” and will next star alongside Holly Hunter and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the 2012 flick “Learning to Fly.”   Viola Davis is a name critics and audiences will adore for years to come.

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