Actress Viola Davis recently spoke about the importance of her character Annalise Keating in the ABC series “How to Get Away With Murder” during an interview with Tom Hanks for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series.

According to Davis, her role as an imperfect yet sexualized woman was an opportunity for her to make a statement as a dark-skinned actress in Hollywood.

“I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that is sexualized, not sexy,” said Davis.

“I saw it as an opportunity, a blank palate, or canvas, to put my mark on.”

For Davis, the role of Annalise Keating was an opportunity to be more than just a good actress.

She wanted to make a statement and push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable for dark-skinned actresses in Hollywood.

“I saw that role as an opportunity for something that was way bigger than doing good work,” she said.

“I saw it as an opportunity to make a statement about who I am and what I stand for.”

During the interview, Davis discussed how she approaches sex scenes on the show. As a person who is not a size 2, Davis is careful about how her body is portrayed in these scenes.

“If I am in a sex scene, I want to say ‘this is why I am attracted to you, this is why it has gotten to this point, this is what my body looks like,’” Davis shared.

“It’s important for me to be comfortable with my body and to know that I am being represented in a way that is true to who I am.”

Davis also talked about the difference between being sexualized and being sexy.

According to her, there is a distinction between the two, and it’s important for Hollywood to recognize that.

“I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that is sexualized, not sexy,” Davis said.

“There is a difference between sexualized and sexy.”

In addition to her role on “How to Get Away With Murder,” Davis will also star in the drama “Fences,” which will premiere this Christmas.

She explained that her goal as an actress is to create compelling characters that audiences can relate to. “As an actor, I want to create characters that are real and that people can connect with,” she said.

“I want to be able to tell stories that matter and that make a difference in people’s lives.”

During the interview, Davis and Hanks also joked about the unrealistic depictions of characters in many TV shows.

According to Hanks, the women on these shows are often in far too good of shape, and their hair and makeup are always perfect.

“If you’re working hard in the legal office, your clothes should be wrinkled and your hair should be askew,” Hanks joked.

Davis agreed, saying that it’s important for Hollywood to portray characters in a way that is true to life.

Overall, Davis sees her role on “How to Get Away With Murder” as an opportunity to make a statement about diversity and representation in Hollywood.

She hopes that her portrayal of Annalise Keating will inspire other dark-skinned actresses to take on complex and sexualized roles in the future.

“I hope that my work on this show will open doors for other actresses like me,” she said.

“I hope that it will show Hollywood that there is a demand for diverse stories and characters.”