There may be no actress quite like Viola Davis. She doesn’t just play roles–she excavates them. Across film, television, and stage, she’s made a career out of roles that are lived-in, emotionally detailed, and often heartbreaking. Whether appearing in supporting roles, cameos, or leading turns, there’s something about Miss Davis that draws attention and overhauls entire movies to accommodate her. Making a list of Miss Davis’s top roles is no easy feat, but these ten roles show the scope, fearlessness, and emotional understanding that make Viola Davis one of the greatest actors of her peer set.
10. The Help (Aibileen Clark)
In the film, Viola Davis is Aibileen Clark, a quiet, graceful maid going about her business in 1960s Mississippi. She is at the emotional center of a story about Black women, whose voices have historically not been heard, and Viola Davis is quiet and reserved, not over-the-top dramatic.
While there has been much criticism of the movie’s perspective, Davis’ portrayal remains touching in its grounded and true quality. She imbues the character of Aibileen with depth and purpose based on her experiences with loss, spirituality, and conviction. Even small observations, like her interactions with the children she helps raise, take on huge emotional resonance.
This role brought Davis an Oscar nomination and more recognition for her work. Although the movie itself remains a topic of controversy, her work lives on as a testament to the amount of truth she can bring to questionable material.
9. Doubt (Mrs. Miller)
Viola Davis’s appearance in Doubt lasts only minutes, but it’s impossible to forget. Playing Mrs. Miller, the mother of a young boy caught in a moral and institutional storm, Davis enters the film like a quiet earthquake.
Her scene opposite Meryl Streep is a masterclass in controlled emotion. Davis conveys fear, pragmatism, love, and resignation all at once, making every line feel like it carries years of survival behind it. Her performance is devastating precisely because it refuses easy answers.
That brief role earned Davis her first Oscar nomination and instantly changed how the industry saw her. Doubt proved that screen time means nothing when the performance is this precise and emotionally overwhelming.
8. The Suicide Squad (Amanda Waller)
As Amanda Waller, Viola Davis brings terrifying authority to the superhero genre. In The Suicide Squad, she plays the government official pulling the strings behind the chaos, and she does so with unapologetic cruelty.
Davis leans fully into Waller’s ruthlessness, making her both chilling and fascinating. There’s no softening the character. Waller is calculated, brutal, and utterly convinced she’s right. Davis’s commanding presence gives the film a grounded sense of danger.
In a genre often defined by spectacle, Davis makes power feel real. Her performance elevates the film and proves that even comic-book roles benefit from serious, committed acting.
7. Get On Up (Susie Brown)
In Get On Up, Viola Davis portrays Susie Brown, the mother of James Brown, in a role that defies sentimental expectations. Rather than playing a nurturing archetype, Davis presents Susie as complicated, damaged, and emotionally distant. Her performance adds depth to the film’s exploration of trauma and legacy.
Davis gives Susie sharp edges and unresolved pain, suggesting how cycles of hardship shape identity across generations. Though her screen time is limited, Davis leaves a lasting impression. She turns Susie Brown into a haunting presence, reminding viewers how much impact she can have in even a handful of scenes.
6. Prisoners (Nancy Birch)
In Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners, Davis plays Nancy Birch, a mother whose child has gone missing. The film is intense and morally complex, and Davis brings quiet devastation to her role.
Rather than competing with the film’s explosive performances, Davis grounds it emotionally. She plays Nancy as someone torn between hope and despair, wrestling with the choices others make in the name of justice.
Her performance deepens the film’s emotional stakes. Davis shows how grief doesn’t always explode; it can also sit quietly, hollowing a person from the inside out.
5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Ma Rainey)
As Ma Rainey, Viola Davis delivers a bold, uncompromising performance. She embodies the legendary blues singer with physical authority, emotional fire, and unwavering confidence.
Davis’s Ma Rainey refuses to be diminished. She commands every room, challenges every slight, and makes no apologies for her demands. Opposite Chadwick Boseman, the tension crackles with history and unspoken pain.
The performance earned Davis another Oscar nomination and stands as one of her most fearless roles. It’s a reminder that Davis excels when playing women who refuse to make themselves small.
4. Fences (Rose Maxson)
In Fences, Davis revisits the role of Rose Maxson, a woman whose sacrifices and endurance define her family’s survival. Her performance is deeply rooted in emotional truth.
Davis portrays Rose as loving but not naïve, patient but not weak. When the character finally confronts betrayal, Davis unleashes years of suppressed pain in a scene that ranks among the most powerful in modern cinema.
Her work earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and deservedly so. Fences showcases Davis’s ability to turn stillness into something seismic.
3. Air (Deloris Jordan)
In Air, Davis plays Deloris Jordan, the formidable mother of Michael Jordan. Though the role isn’t expansive, Davis makes every moment count.
She imbues Deloris with intelligence, resolve, and quiet authority. Davis doesn’t oversell the role; she allows strength to emerge naturally through dialogue and presence.
Her performance anchors the film emotionally. Even with limited screen time, Davis reminds audiences why she’s so often the most compelling person in the room.
2. The Woman King (Nanisca)
Viola Davis plays one of the most physically challenging roles of her career in The Woman King, and she brings that role of General Nanisca to life in a fierce, commanding, and endearingly human role.
Balancing the strength of an action hero and emotional vulnerability, Davis plays a warrior shaped by trauma, leadership, and loss. Her physical transformation is remarkable, but her emotional depth is what makes the role truly impactful.
Although this performance was not noticed by award bodies, it is still rated among her best works. The Woman King demonstrates that Davis can do epics without losing emotional integrity.
1. Widows (Veronica)
At the top of the list is Widows, whose lead female character, Veronica Rawlings, portrayed by Viola Davis, makes a phenomenal outing as a grieving, angry, and determined woman, who is a character of few words.
Davis conveys volumes through body language, gestures, and expression, and while there is pain simmering beneath her controlled surface, each decision is fraught with consequence.
The film shines because of Viola’s performance, and what you get is a movie that changes from a heist thriller to a character role that’s emotionally powerful. It’s one of the best performances she has given to date, and it just reinforces the fact that Viola Davis performs on a level few actors can match.
The path of Viola Davis’ career is rooted in bravery, precision, and heart. She dignifies each role, regardless of subject matter or screen time, and presses for more with whatever work she undertakes. It is not merely a body of work that is solid, but it is imperative. And I think, if anything, it is a lesson from history; it is clear that Viola Davis has yet to be over.