Viola Davis opened up about her character in the highly-anticipated film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The 55-year-old actress revealed the challenges and the remarkable transformation she had for the character she portrayed in the movie.
The actress will play a completely different character than what the audience has seen over the decades. Davis said that she had to put on a golden set of teeth, apply really thick makeup, a period-accurate horsehair wig, and heavy body pads.
She said that it used to be unbelievably hot when she used to stand under those heavy lights for filming. The actress portrays the title character, Mother of the Blues, who was the most successful female in the 1920s for her music.
Davis explained that she was never concerned about meeting any expectations while portraying the legendary singer. She wanted to create the musician's character in her own way.
"I wanted to create a character on my own terms. I did not want to filter it through the white gaze or through any idea that people would have about someone who is larger, Black, a singer, a woman," she added.
Several actresses such as Halle Berry and Charlize Theron went one step ahead to change their physical appearance and fit in the characters. There are many stars who become unrecognizable after heavy makeup, prosthetics, drastic weight loss or gain, or even adding wigs to their character to ensure that they are perfect for the film.
However, Davis' performance takes everything to the next level as her on-screen presence reflects on the adaptation of August Wilson’s play beautifully. Davis admitted that usually, she portrayed characters that were funny, black, and big.
However, she noted that she always wanted to perform more than a funny big person on camera. This isn't the first time that the actress is adapting August Wilson's play. Previously, she worked in Fences, released in 2016, which also earned an Oscar award.
Denzel Washington is also portrayed in the movie while serving as an executive producer on Chadwick Boseman's last movie following his death due to cancer. Davis noted that the character of the legendary singer had to showcase a transformation that started from internally, and eventually, it spreads all over her personality.
The actress revealed that the legendary singer used to be dripped in sweat all the time and makeup artists helped her achieve the same.