Viola Davis Explained How Juilliard Trained Her To Be A 'Perfect White Actress'

In a recent interview Davis discussed a range of topics, including the specific challenges Black actors face — and how she learned to pivot.

Viola Davis reflected on how The Juilliard School shaped her as an actor, even as she navigated a space where whiteness was the unspoken standard.

In an April 27 interview on the podcast Talk Easy With Sam Fragoso, Davis discussed a range of topics, including the specific challenges Black actors face — and how she learned to pivot.

“At Juilliard, what was the objective of their training? Were they shaping you into a good actress or a perfect white actress?” Fragoso asked.

The EGOT winner, without missing a beat, said, “Definitely a perfect white actress” — a response that prompted Fragoso to ask what, exactly, that meant for her.

“What it looks like, it’s technical training in order to deal with the classics — in order to deal with the Strindbergs, and the O’Neills, and the Chekhovs, and the Shakespeares. I totally understand that, to get your voice… but what it denies is the human being behind all of that,” she explained.