Just a note, this episode contains explicit language that some will find offensive.

My guest viola Davis recounts a very painful personal story that contains racial slurs and hurtful language.

We think it's important that you hear the actual story. racial slurs and hurtful language.

We think it's important that you hear the actual words

that she shared with me.

Every once in a while, I walk away from an interview and I know the conversation will stay with me.

I feel it in my core. It changes me and this is one of those times. I originally sat down with Viola Davis in the spring of

2022. She was just about to release finding me the memoir about her life and all she's

overcome and if you have not read it, I encourage you to do it. It is a story of perseverance like you have never heard before.

Yes, she is arguably one of the most talented actors in the business and recently became an egot winner.

But I couldn't wait to hear from Viola, the woman, the one who survived an unthinkable childhood

the one who was bullied and chased and felt like she was running for her life

the one who witnessed abuse and endured hardship so painful few people would have survived. But Viola overcame. She

persevered and she grew. She describes life as a relay race and she is still running just trying to get the baton from

one stage of life to the next. Just talking to viola I wept in admiration in awe

and in celebration.

I'm Hoda Kottby. Welcome to my podcast, Making Space. Hi. Hi, Hoda.

I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, wait, it's highlighted it's dog-eared I bound your book the PDF and made a little book out of it so I could carry it with me

Can I just tell you something? It is so meaningful and beautiful and touching and I don't even know how to describe it, but it moved me to my very core. To my very core.

It's so incredible.

I mean, I thought I knew you and then I read this and now I'm like wow I'm so moved and I'm also kind of mad at myself because I've interviewed you so many times and I realized I must not have ever asked the right questions because

this book is just so full of you so let me ask you how it feels during this moment here you

...