Viola Davis on Leadership, Change and Fear: "My Big Word This Year is Legacy"

Hollywood Journal

"It's through the collective people sharing their stories and having the courage that brings people out of the shadows. That's what causes the ripples of change."

Transcript

00:00My big word this year is a legacy.

00:10I want to be sort of the conduit for change.

00:13I want to be the giver of jobs.

00:15I want to be the kind of giver of emerging artists

00:18coming from the periphery of this business

00:21and being able to share their imagination and ideas

00:26and bring a different vision of the world to Hollywood.

00:33Good leadership looks selfless.

00:36It looks courageous and it looks vulnerable.

00:39And any good leader also has to understand fear.

00:45Some of my best moments have been when I've worked with people

00:48who have been in the business and gone before me,

00:51Gloria Foster, Barbara Meek,

00:53who have sat me down and give me such sound advice

00:57that woke me up and I carried it throughout my career.

01:01And some moments also with Miss Tyson

01:04have really schooled me as to, yeah, life.

01:10The Me Too movement could be more effective

01:12when you look past the outskirts of Hollywood

01:15and look into the grander scheme

01:17of what is the needs of women who have been sexually assaulted.

01:21The needs of that girl in Lawndale, Chicago,

01:24in Madison, Mississippi,

01:26in Washington, D.C.,

01:27in Compton, L.A.,

01:28as well as the actress who was assaulted

01:31by a big executive in Hollywood.

01:36I think we bring about change through being authentic,

01:39really sharing our stories and owning it

01:41because then it gives people permission to do the same.

01:43My biggest challenge now is honoring my authentic self,

01:47honoring that voice within me,

01:49listening to that,

01:50and not just going with the masses,

01:52not just going along to just fit in.

01:55And it's through the collective people sharing their stories

01:58and having the courage

02:00that brings people out of the shadows.

02:03That's what causes the ripples of change.

02:05.

02:06.

02:07.

02:08.

02:09.

02:10You

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