Viola Davis to Receive Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes

Viola Davis will be honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes in 2025.

Davis earned her first Golden Globe award in the supporting actress category for her portrayal in Denzel Washington’s “Fences” (2016), going on to win the SAG Award and the Oscar. As of 2024, Davis is the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history.

First created in 1952 and honoring the eponymous director, the Cecil B. DeMille Award has been bestowed on 69 honorees drawn from Hollywood’s greatest and most iconic talents, including Denzel Washington, Walt Disney, Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand and Oprah Winfrey.

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A revered artist, activist, philanthropist and best-selling author, Davis is one of the 27 people in history to earn industry EGOT status, having won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award statuettes. In addition, she has been honored by Time 100 in 2017 as one of the world’s most influential people. In 2022, she was honored with the Public Counsel’s William O. Douglas Award for her commitment to social justice causes.

“Viola Davis is a luminary whose profound talent has continuously shifted the lens through which we see and understand film,” said Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes. “Presenting her with the 2025 Cecil B. DeMille Award is not only an honor but a reflection of our admiration for her relentless dedication to her craft and her monumental impact on the industry. Viola’s courage in portraying complex, powerful characters has broken barriers and paved new paths, making her an emblem of excellence and an ideal recipient of this prestigious award.”

In 2012, Davis and her husband Julius Tennon founded their production company, JuVee Productions, with its focus on giving a voice to the voiceless through strong, impactful narratives.

Davis, along with the still-to-be-announced 2025 Carol Burnett Award winner, which honors television achievements, will be feted at a first-ever gala dinner on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Davis will also be recognized on the 82nd Golden Globes broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Nominations for the Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.

Variety’s parent company Penske Media Corporation owns Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions, in a joint venture with Eldridge.