+
upworthy

viola davis

Rosie White, as Viola Davis, as Annalise Keating.

One mommy-daughter duo is winning hearts by taking dress-up to a whole new level.

Six-year-old Rosie White is going viral and making headlines for sharing the inspiring stories of Black entertainers, leaders and history makers—using spot-on costumes made by her mother Kenya White, along with her own special dash of Black girl magic.

You might have recently seen Rosie (@go_rosie_grow) boldly channeling multiaward-winning actress Viola Davis, complete with that meme-worthy “grabbing of the purse stare down” we all know and love from “How to Get Away With Murder.”

I mean, where does Davis end and White begin?! Someone give this child an Emmy!

Even Davis saw the video and reposted it. So I’m sure that’s award enough for now.


As Kenya recalls in a Scary Mommy interview, the idea behind this treasure trove of uncanny impressions came when Rosie was just 3 years old. After her daughter was given a printout about Rosa Parks in preschool, Kenya discovered that little Rosie completely memorized all of the information and could recite back what she had just read.

Inspired, Kenya grabbed a makeshift Rosa Parks costume and grabbed her phone, telling her daughter to “do it again!” And from there, a blend of history, creativity and pure joy ensued.

Since then, Rosie has created hundreds (yes, hundreds) of videos featuring prominent Black figures, and received lots of love for her fun personality and God-given talent. Scary Mommy reported that Whoopi Goldberg sent a box of books and Erykah Badu started following her.

Some of my personal favorites are when Rosie pretends to be male figures. Cause, well … little kids in fake mustaches. That’s a level of adorable that can’t be beat.

Her pop star and diva ones are quite amazing too.

*standing ovation*

For Black History Month, Rosie and Kenya are doubling down and releasing a video every Monday and Thursday. Thursdays honor Black inventors, like Sarah Boone, who improved the ironing board, George Crum, creator of the potato chip, Garret Morgan, inventor of the traffic light.

Seriously, if this child doesn’t become an actress, I hope she becomes a history teacher because I am learning so much. And having fun while doing so.

A lot of inspiration also comes from current events, like track star Sha’Carri Richardson following her unfair disqualification from the Olympic Games.

Her tiny tattoos! I can't even...

And though occasionally Rosie will delve into more serious stories, like Breonna Taylor, Kenya says that the tone is consciously celebratory.

“When I was six years old I learned about the negativity of Black history,” Kenya told Scary Mommy. “I didn’t want to teach her such darkness about Black history. Right now it’s all positivity.”

Positivity, yes. But also inspiration. Especially to young Black girls. Kenya told Good Morning America, the message behind these videos is that “you can do anything you want. You can be Kamala Harris, you can be Michelle Obama, you can be beyond those ladies. Whatever your heart desires, whatever you want to do, whether you're an artist or dancer, into politics, just be the best you you can be."

That includes GMA co-anchor Robin Robertson, who now has a “mini-me,” thanks to Rosie.

Next month is Women’s History Month, and we are all very excited to see what Rosie and Kenya come up with. Perhaps Biden’s Supreme Court nominee? We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, sifting through these videos is more than enough to make you, to quote The Lovin' Spoonful, “believe in magic in a young girl’s heart.”

Way to go Rosie. Following your bliss reminds us all to do the same.

The 2,597th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is going to Viola Davis.

The ceremony for Davis, who Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez described as an actress "who always mesmerizes fans with her talent," is set for Jan. 5, 2017.

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.


Davis rose to stardom after 2008's "Doubt," then snagged an Academy Award nomination for her performance in 2011's "The Help," and is currently starring on ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder" ("HTGAWM"). There's also Oscar buzz surrounding her performance in the Denzel Washington-directed "Fences." She's certainly deserving of the honor on merit alone.

Powerhouse performances aside, the news about Davis' Hollywood star feels especially right at this time given that she's often been the empowering, important breath of fresh air Hollywood so desperately needs.

Here are seven reasons to be excited about Davis' star on the Walk of Fame:

1. Davis was the first woman of color ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2015.

"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she said on stage during her historic victory. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there." She's got a point: Leading roles for black women are few and far between.

Photo by Mark Davis/Getty Images.

2. Davis currently stars on ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder" as Annalise Keating, a queer woman of color — a type of character we don't see nearly enough.

Along with the lack of opportunity for actors and actresses of color, there's also a lack of on-screen positive representation of certain groups within the LGBTQ community. Keating, a successful lawyer, isn't defined by her bisexuality nor does the character fall into the damaging tropes we often associate with bisexual people.

"I loved the relationship," Davis told AfterEllen of Keating's on-screen romance with a woman. "There was something so natural about it. And I just thought it made sense because I think in Annalise’s life, she just migrates toward anyone who shows her love."

3. Davis demanded she not wear a wig, weave, or makeup during a powerful scene in order to better reflect underrepresented women.

"I was so adamant about it," Davis said of fighting to be wig and makeup-free in the scene on "How to Get Away With Murder." "I said, 'Listen, she can’t go to bed with her wig on. She cannot be in that bedroom with her wig on because women don’t go to bed with their wigs on.' And I said, ‘A whole portion of women out there are marginalized. I want to be a real woman. Let’s go for it.'"

GIF via "How to Get Away With Murder."

There's a long history of black women being told their natural hair is unprofessional, ugly, and distracting. Because of these (super racist) perceptions, it's not every day we see black actresses rocking their natural looks on TV. While there's of course nothing wrong with any woman wearing wigs or styling their hair whichever way they please, Davis' decision to go au naturel meant a lot to many women watching.

4. Davis has become a body-positivity champion in an industry that could use a lot of work on the topic.

At the Critics Choice Awards earlier this month, Davis accepted the first-ever #SeeHer Award, which was created by a campaign aimed at ending bias against women in the media. Her acceptance speech, focused on staying true to yourself and discovering the privilege of being who you are, instantly went viral:

"You know, when I was handed Annalise Keating, I said, 'She’s sexy, she’s mysterious, you know?' I’m used to playing women who gotta gain 40 pounds and have to wear an apron. So I said, 'Oh God, I gotta to lose weight, I gotta learn how to walk like Kerry Washington in heels, you know, I gotta lose my belly.' And then I asked myself, 'Well, why do I have to do all that?' I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are, and I just recently embraced that at 51."

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for The Critics' Choice Awards.

5. Davis has spoken out about the absurdity of women — especially woman of color — getting paid less than men for doing equal work.

Actresses — even the most accomplished, successful ones — routinely get paid less than their male counterparts. It doesn't sit well with Davis.

"I’m sorry, if a woman does the same job as a man, she should be paid the same amount of money, she just should," Davis told Mashable in February 2016. "But at the same time, with me as an actress of color, I have to say to probably contradict myself, that’s not something I think about on a daily basis. Because the struggle for us as women of color is just to be seen the same as our white female counterparts."

6. Davis won't accept the unfair ways Hollywood portrays women of certain ages and body sizes when it comes to their sexuality.

"We've been fed a whole slew of lies about women," she told Elle in January 2016. "[On TV], if you are anywhere above a size two, you're not having sex. You don't have sexual thoughts. You may not even have a vagina. And if you're of a certain age, you're off the table."

7. Davis understands that life is too short to give any credence to the haters. Instead, focus on the people who love you just the way you are.  

"When my father was passing — it was really a short period of time — I think that started the ball rolling," Davis told Oprah in 2012. "You don’t have time. You’re on this earth for a dash of time, really, and then that’s it. ... Knowing that, it just changed everything. I felt like I don’t have any time to stay up all night, worrying about what someone who doesn’t love me has to say about me."

Davis' acting chops are more than enough to land her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, period. But the icing on the cake tastes so much sweeter knowing the star's going to an actress making this world a better place off-screen, too.

Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images.

Family

Viola Davis on the moment she realized she didn't have to lose weight for a role.

"You come into my world and you sit with me, my size, my hue, my age, and you ... you sit, and you experience."

Viola Davis delivered a show-stopping speech when she received the first- ever #SeeHer Award at the Critics' Choice Awards.

The award was created by the #SeeHer campaign, which strives to eliminate bias against women in the media.

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images.


As the first black actress to ever win an Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama, Davis is no stranger to bias. However, that's not quite what she chose to focus on Sunday evening.

She spoke of another major limiting factor that most women in the entertainment industry (and around the world) grapple with every day: body image and body-shaming.  

GIF via A&E/YouTube.

Many actresses find themselves typecast based on their size or asked to lose weight for roles, and Davis' experience has been no different. This mentality of always needing to be thinner is one that has, unfortunately, become ingrained in society at large.

When Davis got the part of Annalise Keating on "How to Get Away With Murder," a role she said was somewhat outside her "type," her knee-jerk reaction was "I need to lose weight." She didn't feel like she was glamorous enough, pretty enough, or thin enough be the lead of a TV series.

Then, in a triumphant moment of her speech, she said she realized just how wrong she was:

GIF via A&E/YouTube.

It's not surprising, considering the pressure of taking on the starring role of a drama series. But the fact that her first thought was about losing weight shows just how much things still need to change. Thankfully, Davis, in all her powerhouse glory, is leading the way.

Her speech articulated the importance of embracing yourself, no matter your size, shape, age, or color.

It was humble, inspiring, and exactly what women everywhere need to hear.

GIF via A&E/YouTube.

Here it is in its entirety (emphasis added):

“Thank you. It’s hard to accept being a role model for women when you’re trying to lose weight. But, it’s true. I’ve always discovered the heart of my characters, I guess, by asking, ‘Why?’

You know, when I was handed Annalise Keating, I said, ‘She’s sexy, she’s mysterious, you know?’ I’m used to playing women who gotta gain 40 pounds and have to wear an apron. So I said, ‘Oh God, I gotta to lose weight, I gotta learn how to walk like Kerry Washington in heels, you know, I gotta lose my belly.’ And then I asked myself, ‘Well, why do I have to do all that?’

I truly believe that the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are, and I just recently embraced that at 51. I think my strongest power is that at 10 o’clock every Thursday night, I want you to come into my world. I am not going to come into yours. You come into my world and you sit with me, my size, my hue, my age, and you ... you sit, and you experience. And I think that’s the only power I have as an artist, so I thank you for this award. And I do see her, just like I see me.”



Davis is definitely not the only celebrity standing up for body positivity in the face of professional scrutiny.

Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images.

In August, Alicia Keys showed up to the MTV Video Music Awards wearing no makeup, something she has committed to doing regularly to show the world she's done with judgment and confirming beauty standards.

Kate Winslet, another award-winning actress, still struggles with body image issues but repeats this mantra to herself and daughter regularly: "We are so lucky we have a shape. We’re so lucky we’re curvy. We’re so lucky that we’ve got good bums."

Pop star Adele, actress Melissa McCarthy, and model Ashley Graham were voted most influential body-positive celebrities of 2016 by clothing company Gwynnie Bee for their consistent, no-nonsense body-positive advocacy.

Women are making major strides to fight fat-shaming in Hollywood, but the battle's far from over.

With stunning female forces like Davis constantly pushing for change, things are looking up. There's a major spotlight on the issue, which will make it much harder for future scrutiny to go unobserved. While Davis admits to occasionally feeling like she has to lose weight (body issues are complicated, and often ongoing even when you recognize the social pressures behind them), she's not letting those insecurities rule her life or limit what she believes she can do.

So the next time you find yourself feeling like you have to change to fit someone else's expectations — even if they're your own — take a note from Davis, and honestly ask yourself: "Why?"

Watch Davis' whole acceptance speech here:

In Showtime's "Shameless," Fiona is the feisty oldest daughter of the Gallagher family — the level-headed one, the one who seems to keep everyone else in check.

Judging by new reports about Emmy Rossum, the actress who brings Fiona to life each season, it appears reality is starting to mirror fiction.

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images.


Before she commits to returning for the show's eighth season, Rossum is demanding equal pay for her role. And that's not all.

According to Variety, Rossum has already been offered the same pay as her male co-star, William H. Macy, who plays her dad in the show. But she's also seeking some retroactive equal-pay justice, so to speak.

As Variety reports (emphasis added):

"Rossum is demanding equal pay with Macy, after seven seasons of being paid less than him, according to a report published earlier today by the Hollywood Reporter. A source tells Variety she has in fact been offered equal pay. Butshe is holding out for a bigger salary than Macy to make up for the previous seasons where she was making significantly less than him."

While Rossum's demands may come across as excessive to some, they really ... aren't. Just look at her value to the show.

Rossum — whose critically acclaimed performance as Fiona has snagged two Critics' Choice Awards — plays such an integral role in the series that the network hasn't even considered the option of moving on without her. Rossum even directed episodes of the series this past season.

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for CDG.

While Macy was arguably the bigger star when the series began in 2011, "Shameless" wasn't Rossum's first big break — she'd already appeared in "Mystic River," starred in 2004's blockbuster "The Day After Tomorrow" alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and garnered rave reviews for 2004's "Phantom of the Opera."

Rossum's request to be back-paid equally for her performance in earlier seasons would set a significant precedent in helping to close the gender pay gap in Hollywood.

A-listers like Jennifer Lawrence, Robin Wright, and Patricia Arquette have helped elevate the conversation in Hollywood — an extension of broader pay inequality that exists between men and women across virtually all industries, a gap that's even more stark when you're a person of color.

Viola Davis, currently starring in ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder," has spoken out about how women of color are further affected by systemic sexism in Tinseltown (again, reflecting an injustice felt far beyond Hollywood).

Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Variety.

Speaking to Mashable, Davis explained how she's personally affected by the issue (emphasis added):

"I believe in equal pay, first of all. I’m sorry, if a woman does the same job as a man, she should be paid the same amount of money. She just should. ... But at the same time, with me as an actress of color, I have to say to probably contradict myself, that’s not something I think about on a daily basis. Because the struggle for us as women of color is just to be seen the same as our white female counterparts."

Hollywood's certainly got its work cut out.

Closing Hollywood's pay gap may seem unimportant to everyday people, seeing as we're debating how many millions these celebs make. But it's not.

Dollar signs aside, any kind of inequality is indicative of a broader issue. If Hollywood's A-listers can help push this conversation forward, its ripple effect will affect all of us.

When Jennifer Lawrence spoke out last year on the discrimination she faced, for instance, it touched on a much bigger point, as Alicia Adamczyk noted in Time:

"If one of the biggest celebrities of the moment, of either sex, can’t pull down as much as her male co-stars for the same job," she asked, "what does it say about how we value any woman’s work?"