Is acting the only profession that celebrates life?

Swinging for the Fences! Emotional Viola Davis goes overtime in a tearful and rambling speech as she accepts first Oscar

By Shyam Dodge For Dailymail.com

PUBLISHED: 22:09 EST, 26 February 2017 | UPDATED: 02:15 EST, 27 February 2017

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4262860/Oscar-winner-Viola-Davis-goes-overtime-speech.html#ixzz4ZwePUJKA
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Viola Davis most certainly swung for the fences when it came to her Oscars speech.

The actress, who won her first Academy Award on Sunday night, delivered a long and rambling speech after nabbing the Best Supporting Actress gong for Fences.

Viola, 51, broke down in tears as she opened her speech, which went overtime by over two minutes, with a metaphor about a graveyard.

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Overcome: Viola Davis most certainly swung for the fences when it came to her Oscars speech on Sunday night

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Without a script: Viola, 51, broke down in tears as she opened her speech, which went overtime, with a metaphor about a graveyard

'There's one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered " and that's the graveyard,' she began through tears.

'People ask me all the time, what kind of stories do you want to tell? And i say, "Exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories,'" she said.

'We are the only profession to celebrate what it means to live a life. So here's to [Fences playwright/screenwriter] August Wilson, who exhumed " and exalted " ordinary people.'

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'There's one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered " and that's the graveyard,' she began through tears

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The moment Viola's name was announced as winner: The actress nearly jumped out of her seat

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Viola had tears in her eyes as she said: 'I became an artist, and thank God I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.'

Viola had tears in her eyes as she said: 'I became an artist, and thank God I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.'

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She went on to thank your costar and director: 'And captain, my captain Denzel Washington. Thank you for putting two entities in the driving seat: August and God. and they served you well.'

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Just for you! Mark Rylance handed Viola her gong

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The winners' circle: Viola posed with Best Supporting Actor winner Mahershala Ali, Best Actress winner Emma Stone and Best Actor winner Casey Affleck

It was also a crowning achievement as she became the first black actor to ever receive an Oscar, Emmy, and a Tony.

The official set length of time for an Oscars speech is 45 seconds, but the actress went well over three minutes.

Viola was previously nominated for Doubt (2008) and The Help (2011).

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Nominated: Nicole Kidman, who was nominated for Lion, lost out to the Fences actress

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Giving her the moment: The official set length of time for an Oscars speech is 45 seconds, but the actress went well over three minutes

Originally posted by: Chudailpaapi

Good to know she loves her profession. She is a fantastic actor... 😃

Doctors who work in maternity ward are the most blessed.

Originally posted by: ---Betty---

Yes, love her passion for work? But don't you think that part of her speech was a little offensive and conceited?

"We are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life" Ufff

Originally posted by: Angel-likeDevil

I thought about this too..after the speech ended.. Can we imagine the world minus any profession? All professions help keep society together.

I'd say that acting is one of the few professions that connects to viewers on a personal level. It connects differently to every viewer but it does touch you personally.

As for celebrating life, i kinda get it...because it is one of the few professions that is imitation of life and solely that, solely aims to imitate life and to connect to the viewer, if not pass on a message.

it is personal for the actor too, to pursue every minute he spends in this profession, he has to put himself in someone's shoes(someone as in character, and also according to his capacity of understanding life) and it is personal affair for each actor. And not only do they derive a happiness and are passionate about the art of acting - exploring human emotions - exploring psyche of the human, but they aim to touch a viewer - everything about it is just purely personal.

I'd say one of the few professions that is totally personal on both ends, let's leave money/politics out of this :-)

And that is why what she said makes sense although it does not sound politically correct.