Viola Davis has made history as the most-nominated Black actress in the history of the Oscars.
The actress received the best actress nomination for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which marked her fourth Oscar nomination.
With her 2021 nod for playing Ma Rainey in the George C. Wolfe-directed drama, Davis is now the most-nominated Black actress in Oscars history.
Davis was previously tied with Octavia Spencer, who has three Academy Award nominations to her name.
Her other Academy Award nominations include best supporting actress for “Doubt,” best actress for “The Help,” and best supporting actress for “Fences.”
She won her first Oscar for her performance as Rose Maxson in “Fences” in 2017.
The actress celebrated her “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” nod and the film’s total of five nominations with an Instagram post. “Absolutely thrilled!!” she wrote. “Congratulations to the whole @MaRaineyFilm team! Deserved!?”
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Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina, to Mae Alice Davis (née Logan) and Dan Davis. She began her career in Central Falls, Rhode Island, appearing in small stage productions.
She made her Broadway debut in the August Wilson play Seven Guitars (1996), for which she earned her first Tony nomination.