Viola Davis has just won her first Oscar for 'Best Supporting Actress' for her role in Fences, directed by her co-star Denzel Washington.
Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance introduced the three-time nominated actress, championing women's roles in film.
He said: 'The most supportive thing is to oppose. The thing these films remind me about –something that women seem to be better at than men – is opposing without hatred.'
On accepting her award, the Help actress said: 'Thank you to the Academy. There's one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered. One place. And, thats the graveyard.
'People ask me all the time: 'What kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? And I say, exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories. The stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition. People who fell in love and lost.
'I became an artist and thank god I did because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.
'Here is to August Wilson who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people,' she added, referring to the American playwright who wrote the adapted film.
'Movies are about people and words, life, forgiveness and grace,' she concluded.
Congratulations, Viola.
Watch it here:
And the Twitter reactions have started to roll in:
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
