Viola Davis to be Inducted into Television Hall of Fame

The Television Academy has announced its 27th Hall of Fame inductees, with acclaimed actress Viola Davis leading a distinguished group of stars that includes Conan O’Brien, Ryan Murphy, Henry Winkler, Don Mischer, and Mike Post. The induction ceremony will take place during the Televerse Festival on August 16, 2025, at the JW Marriott at LA LIVE.

Davis, who has become one of the most celebrated performers of her generation, brings an extraordinary legacy of groundbreaking achievements to the Television Hall of Fame.

The actress made history as the first Black woman to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her powerful portrayal of lawyer Annalise Keating in ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” from 2014 to 2020. This milestone victory broke barriers that had stood for decades in television’s most prestigious acting category.

She has also joined the exclusive ranks of EGOT winners, earning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award—a testament to her extraordinary talent and enduring impact across every corner of the entertainment industry. In 2023, she completed her EGOT status by winning the Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording for her memoir “Finding Me.”

Her journey to television excellence began after graduating from the prestigious Juilliard School and establishing herself as a formidable stage presence. Davis made her Broadway debut in August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars” in 1996, launching a theater career that would earn her two Tony Awards for her performances in Wilson’s “King Hedley II” and “Fences.”

Her transition to screen work proved equally successful, with Davis earning four Academy Award nominations throughout her career. She won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2016 for reprising her Tony-winning role as Rose Maxson in the film adaptation of “Fences.” Her other notable film nominations came for “Doubt” in 2008, “The Help” in 2011, and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” in 2020. Beyond acting, Davis has expanded into producing through her company JuVee Productions, which she founded with her husband, Julius Tennon.

The New York Times ranked her ninth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century in 2020, while Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in both 2012 and 2017.

She recently received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for acting in 2025, adding another prestigious honor to her remarkable collection of accolades. Her box office film gross also recently surpassed $15 billion worldwide, making her the highest-grossing Black film actress in Hollywood.

Davis’s influence extends far beyond entertainment, as she has become a prominent advocate for human rights and women of color. Her commitment to social causes and representation has made her a powerful voice in Hollywood’s ongoing efforts toward greater diversity and inclusion.

The Television Academy’s Hall of Fame, established in 1984, honors individuals who have made invaluable contributions to the television industry through lifetime achievements or singular accomplishments.

The 2025 inductees join more than 150 previous honorees who represent all aspects of television production—from performers and directors to executives and technical artisans.