VIOLA DAVIS

May 19, 2023

hollywood authentic, cannes dispatch, cannes film festival, greg williams, hollywood authentic
viola davis, cannes film festival, air, cannes dispatch, hollywood authentic, greg williams

CANNES DISPATCH 2
Photographs by GREG WILLIAMS


Viola Davis is no stranger to Cannes, but this is the first time she is attending as an EGOT winner.

Davis is only one of 18 people to have received the accolade – earning a recent Grammy win for the best audiobook, narration and storytelling recording for her memoir, Finding Me, follows her Emmy win for How to Get Away With Murder (2015), an Oscar for Fences (2017), and a Tony for both King Hedley II (2001) and Fences (2010).

On an unusually rainy evening on the Côte d’Azur, Viola was joined by Julius Tennon – her husband of 20 years and Air co-star – to attend Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Monster premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Viola’s latest role as Deloris Jordan, (Michael Jordan’s mother) in the newly-released Air, directed by Ben Affleck, tells the origin story of Nike’s legendary partnership with basketball legend, Michael Jordan. With Davis giving an outstanding performance as the woman who played a big part in moulding her son’s destiny.


Air is streaming now on Prime Video

Viola Davis wears a custom Valentino gown by Pier Paolo Piccioli and Chopard jewels, styled by Elizabeth Stewart, with hair by Jamika Wilson and make-up by Autumn Moultrie using L’Oréal Paris

TRENDING

Milly Alcock, David Corenswet, Eve Ridley, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Momoa

SUPERGIRL

After catching a tantalising glimpse of hungover Supergirl in DC’s universe re-boot starter Superman last year…

Margot Robbie, Wuthering Heights, Jacqueline Durran

JACQUELINE DURRAN

The award-winning British designer who has worked repeatedly with Mike Leigh and Joe Wright unpicks the fantasy element of period costumes in creating unforgettable looks

BUY

You may also like…

eddie marsan, hollywood authentic, cover story, greg williams, greg williams photography

EDDIE MARSAN

People don’t really appreciate what a crazy life it is being an actor. If I was a big film star, well, I’d do maybe two films a year

Alice Diop, Fragments of Venus, Venice Film Festival 2025, Women’s Tales

ALICE DIOP

The last time director Alice Diop presented a film in Venice with Saint Omer in 2022 she won the Grand Jury Prize

noah jupe, hollywood authentic, a little nonsense, greg williams, greg williams photography

NOAH JUPE

How important is a little bit of nonsense now and then to you?As important as sex. What, if anything, makes you believe in magic?The band Pilot. What was your last act of true cowardice?I’m afraid to say it was when I bottled singing Backstreet Boys at karaoke. What single thing do you miss most when you’re away from