Viola Davis talks Chadwick Boseman's posthumous award nominations: 'He did the work'

Viola Davis recently discussed her role in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and shared some words of praise for her co-star in the film, the late Chadwick Boseman.

"A lot of times when Black actors are nominated for any award or get any accolades or get a spotlight, it is always with a caveat that it is only happening because we're Black, or it is only happening because such and such and such and such. It's never deserved," she told "Entertainment Tonight."

She said that certainly was not true with Boseman, who has racked up a number of posthumous award nominations this season: the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards and more.

"Chadwick Boseman deserves it," Davis said. "This is someone who did the work, who learned the trumpet. I mean, those long three, four-page monologues, are you kidding me?"

"He did the work, and he did an extraordinary job," she went on.

Boseman died last August at the age of 43 from cancer.

Their film, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," based on the August Wilson play of the same name, centers on an afternoon recording session for the titular blues singer in 1920s Chicago. It was released on Netflix in December 2020.

Meanwhile, Davis will next star as Michelle Obama in the Showtime series, "The First Lady." Davis, a friend of the former first lady, said preparing for the role was a humbling experience.

"Now I am in the place of ... I'm not going to lie, a lot of fear," she told "ET."

"Let me tell you something, she's dope," Davis continued. "She's everything. She's a hero. She is just one of those women and people that lives a life bigger than herself, and I hope to honor that."