Wondering why the great actress, Viola Davis, took a role in this movie? I was hoping her character was going to get something to do later in the movie, but it never happened? Why did she take on a role that really any black actress could have handled?
shareIt was a wonderful character, wise, loving and seemingly all-knowing about the poor family. As far playing a maid: When Hattie McDaniel was condemned by some for taking the role of Mammy in GWTW, her famous line was "I'd rather play a maid than be one."
share^My OP had nothing to do with Viola Davis playing a maid. My point was her character had nothing to do.
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Viola Davis isn't exactly the kind of actress who can afford to turn down roles especially circa 10 years ago.
Don't try to cash in love, that check will always bounce.share
Seriously? She's one of the best working actresses today and any film she's in benefits tremendously from her presence and hard work.
shareThis may be hard for some people to understand, but actors (even big stars) may take a role for a variety of reasons. Not every role has to be a leading part in a blockbuster film.
• Sometimes you take a small part specifically because you do not want to BE the star; you do not want to carry the film.
• Maybe you want to challenge yourself by seeing what you can do with a smaller part.
• Maybe the script resonates with you and you want to be involved in the project for that reason alone.
• Sometimes you just want to work and put food on the table.
• At other times, you may want to work with someone in particular (a director, other actors, etc.) and you’ll take any part in a project in order to be able to do so.
People outside the business often project their own values onto actors and think “I’m a star and would only take starring roles in Oscar worthy films” or “I would never stoop to appearing on television or theatre” but that’s not necessarily the way everyone thinks. Maybe you have to be an actor to understand this . . .
Finally, Far From Heaven was released in 2002. Did you know who Viola Davis was at that time? Most people did not. In other words she was a relatively anonymous actress (certainly not A-list) and any role (even a small role) in a feature film meant exposure to people and audiences who otherwise may not have known her.
well i saw this movie, and at the time i saw it i cant say i knew who she was, her credits start 1996, I just noticed she was in kate and leopold which have seenmany times and did not realize this was her, so she is big now but back then not so big starting out and did alot of different roles
shareApart from, you know, earning money, a Todd Haynes film starring Julianne Moore must have been a pretty big pull for her.
But, obviously, she wouldn't have taken that role if she'd have had a big a profile as she has now.