Viola Davis on 'HTGAWM' and Her Mom's Oscars Excitement

The "HTGAWM" star dishes on "Fences" and what's next for her character.

ByABC News
January 23, 2017, 8:43 AM

— -- Viola Davis is already off to a successful 2017.

The "How To Get Away With Murder" star was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her role opposite Denzel Washington in "Fences," and the movie has been building quite the Oscar buzz.

Davis sat down for an interview with "Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan and said that while she hasn't given the Academy Awards much thought yet -- aside from fitting in a potential dress -- it's her mother, to her surprise, who is already making plans.

"It would be a sweet moment because my mom called me today and my mom is very modest," Davis said. "She said she wanted to go to the Oscars. I thought that was shocking. If you knew her you'd know how shocking that is. Most of the time she just wants to go to the track to play the slot machines."

Among the list of accolades Davis has garnered thus far, she said that receiving the Hollywood star in front of family and friends was "pretty spectacular."

"That was pretty spectacular to look at my family in the audience and my friends and to have Meryl Streep introduce me and those words were so emotional," she said.

Davis' passionate performance in the heart wrenching American-working class film, "Fences," shows off Davis' talents, as well as the story of everyday black men, like her own father.

"I feel that that's what's missing in general with films about people of color is that is kind of exalting that everyday man. And he groomed horses at the race track they were some of the famous most famous horses now, and he was a janitor at McDonald's. And this is a man who didn't know how to read and write until he was 15."

Davis stars on ABC’s hit show, "How To Get Away With Murder," as Annalise Keating -- a passionate and unpredictable law professor and defense attorney entangled in a web of lies, deceit and broken relationships. Despite her tumultuous relationships, one of her strongest bonds was with Wes, Keating’s student and practically surrogate son who died in an explosion at her home in the show's winter finale.

Now, without that family dynamic for Davis’ role, the question is -- will it change her character?

"I have my fantasy that that's going to catapult her into kind of wanting the best for the rest of the Keating five and needing -- really needing -- them all to stay alive,” Davis explained. "I'm waiting for it to get better. I'm like when does it gonna get better? ... I want maybe a nice house you know ... I want her to just do better, maybe go to therapy."

Keating has been arrested, her house was destroyed and one of her students and greatest confidants is dead, but Davis revealed things may not look up just yet.

"Let me tell you something, it's gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better," she said, "That's what I can tell you.”

"How To Get Away With Murder" returns to ABC on Thursday at 10/9c.

Related Topics