Since the murder of George Floyd and the many Black Lives Matter protests that have spawned as a result, renewed attention has been placed on Tate Taylor’s Oscar-winning film, “The Help.” The discussion hasn’t been kind to the 2011 film, with critics and even actress Bryce Dallas Howard talking about how it isn’t a great example of a film that tackles racism, due to its filmmakers largely being white. And now, Viola Davis goes into more detail about why she thinks “The Help” has ultimately failed and why she took the role, to begin with.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Davis said that she was a “journeyman actor” just looking for work when she took “The Help.” Of course, for all its flaws, the film did help launch Davis’ career into superstardom, with the actress earning an Oscar nomination for her work. That being said, in hindsight, Davis is not only unhappy with the film but feels responsible for taking a role that she probably shouldn’t have.
“Not a lot of narratives are also invested in our humanity,” explained Davis. “They’re invested in the idea of what it means to be Black, but…it’s catering to the white audience. The white audience at the most can sit and get an academic lesson into how we are. Then they leave the movie theater and they talk about what it meant. They’re not moved by who we were.”
She added, “There’s no one who’s not entertained by ‘The Help.’ But there’s a part of me that feels like I betrayed myself, and my people, because I was in a movie that wasn’t ready to [tell the whole truth].”
READ MORE: Viola Davis Says She Regrets Taking Her Oscar-Nominated Role In ‘The Help’
Davis thinks “The Help” was “created in the filter and the cesspool of systemic racism.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Davis has spoken out against the 2011 film. Back in 2018, the actress talked about the film and flat out said that she “regrets” doing “The Help.” She has publicly said that she enjoyed the process of making the film, but like many people today, she sees the feature as incredibly flawed and somewhat offensive with its story.
If for no other reason, fans should at least be happy that Davis was able to show her skills in the film, which has launched her into the upper echelon of actors currently working today.