Viola Davis

I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.

There's no prerequisites to worthiness. You're born worthy, and I think that's a message a lot of women need to hear.

I know I'm not the best, but I'm proud of myself.

Egos are an occupational hazard in acting, but I don't have much of one, and my husband doesn't have much of one, so it's good.

I didn't aspire to be just a celebrity; I aspired to be an actress... I always wanted to be respected as someone who knew their craft.

I've always felt like I was an actor for hire. And almost apologetic for being a woman of color, trying to stifle that voice. But I don't feel that way in Shondaland. I feel like I am accepted into a world where I'm a part of the narrative - I'm a part of it.

I feel at home in Shondaland. I feel a lot of things at Shondaland, but one of the things I feel that I haven't felt before is at home. I feel accepted for who I am and acknowledged for who I am. I feel like my ideas are embraced.

The big 'Aha!' moment is that the trauma never goes away.

Sometimes you see how humanity can rise above any kind of cultural ills and hate that a person's capacity to love and communicate and forgive can be bigger than anything else.

People who are alone all the time never grow. Those hermits just stay the same. It's only through relationships. Relationships change us and make us grow.

I would love to do really great work and for women who are marginalised to see me as an inspiration.

Rebel' is not a word I would describe for myself, but I feel like I was a total rebel being an actor. It made me feel like there was something in me, a passion, a love - and that I didn't just squelch it.