She Was Raised Without Electricity and Surrounded by Rats – Now She’s a TV Icon!

The only childhood photo she has is from kindergarten — a serious picture of a girl who, even then, understood what it meant to have less than others. Today, she is not only a well-known actress but also a voice for those who had similar struggles growing up.

Her childhood was full of hardship. With parents working in factories and stables, making just enough to survive, the family of eight had to rely on food stamps, which often ran out before the month ended. Hunger was a constant issue, and school lunches were often the only meals she could count on.

Their house had many problems: harsh winters, frozen pipes, and rats that filled their home at night. But despite these tough conditions, she refused to let them define her future. She dreamed of a better life, using education and creativity to push forward toward something brighter.

She was born 59 years ago in a one-room house on her grandmother’s farm in South Carolina, a farm that used to be a plantation. Her family later moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island, hoping for a better life, but poverty followed them.

They lived in a rundown building with no plumbing, no heat in the winter, and rats everywhere. After their food stamps ran out, she and her siblings had to search through trash for food or even steal from stores.

At the age of nine, she was caught stealing, and the shame of that moment stayed with her for years. “The store owner yelled at me to leave, looking at me like I was worthless,” she recalled. For years, school lunch was the only meal she could rely on.

Rats were another horrible part of her childhood. They chewed on toys and sometimes even jumped onto the beds at night. To protect themselves, she and her siblings tied rags around their necks while sleeping.

Despite all these challenges, she dreamed of a life where she would be seen, valued, and free from poverty. School became a place where she could imagine a future beyond her circumstances.

Even though home life was difficult, school was a place of refuge. She worked hard and found joy in extracurricular activities. She and her siblings rarely missed school and got involved in sports, drama, and music to escape their harsh reality at home.

Her love for performing started at age seven when she and her sisters entered a local talent show. They wrote their own skits, created makeshift costumes, and performed with enthusiasm. She later joined the Upward Bound program, which helped students from low-income families prepare for college.

She earned a scholarship to Rhode Island College, where she studied theater. A professor saw her great potential, saying she was “a talent that doesn’t come around often.”

After college, she auditioned for Juilliard, one of the best performing arts schools in the world. Out of 2,500 applicants, she was one of just 14 chosen. Getting into Juilliard was a huge turning point for her, opening doors to a career in the arts.

At Juilliard, she honed her acting skills and got ready for the competitive world of entertainment. After graduating, she started working in theater and quickly gained attention for her talent.

At 29, she got her first Tony Award nomination for her role in August Wilson’s play “Seven Guitars.” She remembered the opening night as a special moment: “My parents were in the audience, and my dad cried. I thought, ‘I’ve made it.'”

Her performances in film and TV also stood out. In 2008, she received her first Oscar nomination for her role in “Doubt.” A few years later, her performance in “The Help” earned her another Oscar nomination. In 2015, she made history as the first Black woman to win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in “How to Get Away with Murder.”

She later won an Oscar for her performance in “Fences” (2016), solidifying her place as one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood. But she didn’t stop there — she used her platform to make a difference.

Her success has allowed her to help shine a light on the struggles she experienced growing up. She became an advocate for fighting childhood hunger and poverty.

Through her work with the Hunger Is campaign, she helped raise over $4.5 million to make sure children had access to healthy meals. “This is the richest country in the world,” she said. “There’s no reason kids should go to school hungry.”

Viola Davis also shared the emotional scars left by her childhood in her memoir, “Finding Me.” She opened up about the shame and trauma she felt, explaining, “What I felt was a complete absence of love.” Writing the book was her way of taking back her story and refusing to hide her truth. Her efforts have made a significant impact, especially in her hometown of Central Falls.

Hugh Minor, spokesperson for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, praised her work, saying, “It is powerful for Viola Davis to say, ‘I was affected by hunger—and many people still are.’ It really motivates people to take action.”

As Davis continues to inspire change, she has achieved what seemed impossible — a life full of love, stability, and fulfillment.

Davis not only achieved professional success but also created the personal life she once dreamed of. She is now married to actor and producer Julius Tennon, and together, they adopted a daughter, Genesis.

“You could be a bad actor… but you can’t be a bad mother,” she reflected on the joys and responsibilities of motherhood. In 2020, on her 55th birthday, she bought the run-down house in South Carolina where she was born.

Sharing a photo of it on Instagram, she wrote, “This is the house where I was born August 11, 1965. It is the birthplace of my story. Today, on my 55th year of life… I own it… all of it.”

Davis often talks about the little girl she once was and how her success helps heal that child. “That’s the little girl who follows me all the time,” she said. “I always feel like I have to go back and heal her.”

From living in a house full of rats to relaxing in her jacuzzi and opening her Sub-Zero fridge, she is deeply grateful for how far she has come.