Viola Davis Becomes EGOT Winner at 65th Annual Grammy Awards
"I just EGOT!"
At last night’s Grammy Awards, Viola Davis’ achieved a rare success: She became an EGOT winner. EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award; and EGOT winner is a title ascribed to those who’ve one at least one of each. Davis — who took home a Grammy for best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording for her 2022 memoir Finding Me — is now one of just 18 entertainers to be a member of this prestigious club. In her acceptance speech, she reflected on the inspiration behind the memoir, which tells the story of her upbringing in Central Falls, Rhode Island and her journey to becoming an acclaimed actress.
Viola Davis Reaches EGOT Status
“I wrote this book to honor six-year-old Viola,” Davis said in her speech. “To honor her life. Her joy. Her trauma, everything. And it has been such a journey. I just EGOT!” After thanking her book publisher HarperCollins, she acknowledged “her loves” husband, Julius Tennon, and daughter, Genesis.” See the full acceptance speech for her first Grammy win in the video below.
Davis’ decades-long career spans television, film, broadway, and narration. This list from BusinessInsider.com highlights the accolades that catapulted her to EGOT status:
- Emmy Award: Outstanding lead actress in a drama series, How to Get Away with Murder (2015)
- Grammy Award: Best audiobook, narration, and storytelling recording, Finding Me (2023)
- Academy Award: Best performance by an actress in a supporting role, Fences (2017)
- Tony Award: Best featured actress in a play, King Hedley II (2001) and best leading actress in a play, Fences (2010)
Davis is the third Black woman to become an EGOT winner, following Whoopi Goldberg (who joined the club in 2002) and Jennifer Hudson (who joined in 2022).
Davis Speaks on Recording the Audio Version of Finding Me
Following the memoir’s release, Davis detailed the “vulnerable” recording process for the audio version. “I felt I was living through those moments with every word I spoke. It made me question how I remember things. It also made me celebrate what I did remember and what I was able to express,” she explained to the New York Times. “More importantly, it brought me to a very powerful realization. And that is that the past no longer exists. It has no power to hurt me anymore.”
Finding Me not only brought Davis a sense of healing, but a chance to expand her horizons. “It’s different from my acting work because the only person I could hide behind was me. There was no other character,” she concluded. With this well-deserved achievement, Davis’ legacy as a talented and trailblazing actress is more secure than ever!
