Viola Davis is living about as much of a success story as it gets. She rose above poverty to make it big on Broadway, and then in Hollywood. She was the first Black woman to win the “triple crown” of acting by winning two Tony awards, an Oscar, and an Emmy. In February 2023, she won a Grammy for the audio version of her 2022 memoir, Finding Me. That win elevated her to the coveted EGOT status; an accomplishment that only 17 other people (including Whoopi Goldberg and John Legend) have achieved.
Despite her outrageous success and busy filming schedule, Davis also has her share of typical life experiences. She raises a 12-year-old daughter, Genesis, with her husband of 19 years, Julius Tennon. They run a business together, and maybe try to keep a clean home, too. On a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Davis let the world in on her all-too-relatable secret: If you want to have a spotless home, just hide everything in your drawers. In Davis’ case, that method has served her well, and includes her late-night stash of favorite candies.
Viola Davis and Julis Tennon’s home was featured in Architectural Digest
Davis and Tennon met on the set of the CBS show City of Angels in 1999. They got married a few years later, in 2003. After a number of successful ventures for both of them, including How to Get Away With Murder for Davis, the couple bought a five-bedroom, 7,545-square-foot home in Toluca Lake, a Los Angeles neighborhood.
After living in the home for several years, the family renovated. The home includes personal touches, more color and texture, and some inspired touches from their time in South Africa when Davis was filming The Woman King. The renovation culminated in a cover feature for Architectural Digest, showing off the home’s clean lines, comfortable furniture choices, and overall spotless interiors.
Viola Davis hides candy in her underwear drawer to eat late at night
In a February interview with Jimmy Kimmel, he referenced the magazine spread. The host was in awe of the home’s clutter-free appearance. “My house is a perpetual disaster, and your house is absolutely perfect. Is it usually like this?” Kimmel asked.
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“I told you that I married George Jefferson, who had a mother who would do the white glove test,” Davis said, referring to the idea of checking for dust or grime by running a white-gloved hand across a mantle or countertop. “It is always like that. Except, no one sees my drawers.”
“I have candy in my underwear drawer,” the Suicide Squad actor admitted. She noted her favorite kinds, including “gummies” and, most notably, Werther’s caramels. “I sneak the Werther’s in my mouth late at night. I do two or three in my mouth…I have the sugar-free bag of Werther’s, I have the regular bag of Werther’s, I have the sugar-free gummies, I have the regular gummies.”
Davis’ selection impressed Kimmel. “So you’re going trick-or-treating in your closet in the middle of the night,” Kimmel laughed. “C’mon, isn’t that the most beautiful thing that you have ever heard, though?” Davis responded.
Viola Davis got in great shape for filming ‘The Woman King’
Despite her penchant for late-night sweets, Davis got into incredible shape in the months for The Woman King. Davis and Tennon’s company, JuVee Productions, produced the film, which took seven years to pull together. Besides that, Davis spent months in training to prepare physically for the role of Nanisca, the general of the all-women Agojie warrior unit who protect the African kingdom of Dahomey.
“I got it made at 56 years old doing all that training five damn hours a day for three months, 5 months of shooting,” Davis told Kimmel. “I was like, ‘This better be successful!’ And it was.” Successful is an understatement. During the film’s box office run, it grossed $94.3 million and was No. 1 on its opening weekend. It is now available to rent on most streaming sites.
