Viola Davis entered EGOT status Sunday night after winning her first Grammy award for the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording category. She’s now the third Black woman to be an EGOT winner.
The moment happened during the 2023 Grammy Pre-Telecast ceremony. Davis won the award for her 2022 memoir, “Finding Me.”
“I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola,” Davis said in her speech. “To honor her…her life, her joy, her trauma, everything. And it has just been such a journey. I just EGOT!”
The crowd erupted into applause and cheers after the How to Get Away with Murder actress announced her significant accomplishment.
Davis continued, “…to everybody who was a part of my story and the best chapter yet—my loves. Julius, Genesis, you are my life and my joy. The best chapter in my book.”
For those who want to see Viola Davis’s #Grammys speech:
“I wrote this book to honor the 6-year-old Viola” pic.twitter.com/Mlp6loEKYo
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 5, 2023
The first award Davis received that led to her EGOT status was a 2001 Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Tonya in King Hedley II. In 2015, the Fences actress gained an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Annalise Keating in How to Get Away With Murder, being the first Black woman ever to win an Emmy in that category.
Davis won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Rose in Fences. Before her Grammy, Davis was the sole Black woman to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, when a celebrity wins an Emmy, Tony and Oscar.
The first Black woman to become an EGOT winner was Whoopi Goldberg, and the second was singer Jennifer Hudson, who took to Twitter to congratulate Davis on joining the EGOT squad.
Hold the line !!!!!!! Viola Davis just became EGOT #18 !!! Omg @violadavis U are absolutely everything ! Congratulations to a living LEGEND. Time to celebrate !!! pic.twitter.com/jwZZeY9y3a
— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) February 5, 2023
