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Quote by Viola Davis

“Denzel [Washington] just knows the actor. He knows the process, and you don't often get that.”

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American actress known for her exceptional performances in theater, film, and television. Her success in both the Broadway and television worlds has made her the first African American actress to win a Tony, Emmy, and Academy Award. more

“Sometimes people come in as a director, and they just want the result, and they barely want that to tell you the truth. Sometimes directors barely talk to the actors; they are so focused on the cinematic elements of the movie, getting the shot and getting the lighting right or getting the CGI effects right and all of that, and they just trust that you are just going to do what you do.”

People Want Sometimes Actors Results Effects Directors Elements Shots Focused Lighting Cinematic Cgi

Author:Viola Davis

“Obviously, ["Fences"] is a character-driven piece in every sense of the word, and Denzel [Washington] knows the actor. He gave us two weeks of rehearsal. He is a truth teller, and he is a truth seer. So he knows when something is not going in the right direction, and he will call you on it. But, he knows the word to use to unlock whatever is blocking you. So I think he's fabulous and he's a teacher.”

Thinking Knows Two Character Use Actors Teacher Pieces Week Driven Block Fence Fabulous Rehearsal Two Weeks Right Direction Seers Denzel

Author:Viola Davis

“When Denzel [Washington] first called me on the phone after we'd just done a reading of the film ["Fences"]. He said, "Oh Viola it was so good, wasn't it?! I'm gonna tell Russell [Hornsby] to lose a little bit of weight and..." I was just sitting there thinking, why is he calling me? And I told him, "Denzel don't you tell me to lose weight!" He said, "I'm not telling you to lose weight! I can't believe you would say that."”

Thinking Firsts Believe Littles Said I Can Done Film Reading Bits Loses Calling Little Bit Sitting Weight Phones Fence Lose Weight Viola Denzel

Author:Viola Davis

“[Denzel Washington] was rustling with something and when he came back it was with a word about loving myself and the body that I'm in because I was still going on and on about the weight thing. I just liked that, because what people don't understand is that so much of what blocks us as actors is so personal.”

People Stills Body Actors Weight Block Denzel Loving Myself

Author:Viola Davis

“Lloyd Richards is another director who was like that, who was a teacher.”

Teacher Directors

Author:Viola Davis

“When a director can give you a word that allows you to feel less tense about yourself, to make you feel like you indeed are good enough before you even get to the work, you can't ask for anything more than that.”

Giving Feels Enough Asks Like You Directors Good Enough About Yourself Tense

Author:Viola Davis

“I didn't want to audition the kids so much; I just wanted to talk to them because I like seeing how they are because their mothers usually mess them up with practice. So, I'd rather talk to them and see how they respond. I just throw things at them and see how they can hit the ball back, and Saniyya Sidney was good.”

Want Kids Wanted Mother Practice Seeing Balls Mess Auditions

Author:Denzel Washington

“I even asked [Saniyya Sidney] why she wanted to be an actor and she said, "I'm serious about this. These other little kids they want to play, and I don't have time for that."”

Want Littles Said Play Kids Wanted Actors Serious Little Kid

Author:Denzel Washington

“[Saniyya Sidney] was very serious about her work and her craft, and she wanted to be good, and she wanted to work on it. So I said, "Ok." It was as simple as that. She was just right. She just has it.”

Said Wanted Simple Serious Be Good Crafts

Author:Denzel Washington

“I worked with Sidney Lumet years ago, and we had a long rehearsal process, and he would tape out the entire set on the stage, so I stole that from him.”

Years Long Process Stage Years Ago Tape Rehearsal

Author:Denzel Washington

Quote by Viola Davis

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