ABCAs if we weren't already sold on How to Get Away With Murder being the surest hit this fall (no, really, we already named it that!), Viola Davis had to go ahead and be more awesome in a sit-down chat last night with fellow Shondaland leading ladies, Kerry Washington and Ellen Pompeo.
Ugh. We get it, Murder. Everything about you is apparently mind-blowingly kick ass.
The ageless 49-year-old actress (we need new night cream!) was asked some tough questions during the Buzzfeed Brews event, but she attacked each one with gusto and a complete lack of filter. And, duh, you already know Kerry and Ellen are the cat's meow.
Here are the highlights:
Oh, but first, check out our exclusive first look at How to Get Away With Murder's new cast shot, which is pretty great...
Viola Davis on Always Believing in Herself—and Believing That She Deserved More: We should all do that! "In film, you get a lot of supporting roles," Davis said. "And I feel like now, I want the flash! I think that when you go thru your life you expect to get the best of anything, whatever profession you're in. You expect the world to see you. Especially when you spend 10 years of your life in acting school, which I did. But then you go out there and you see all these walls that are put up there because you are a woman or a certain age or a certain hue, and then it's shocking that people don't see you. I would say. ‘I am good!' People would say to me, "It's a small part, but you're going to be playing opposite so-and-so.' And I would say, ‘I don't care about me playing opposite so-and-so. I want so-and-so's role!'
Ellen Pompeo on How Shonda Has Helped to Tear Down Race Barriers on TV: "It's been incredible to be a part of the change. Thank god for Shonda Rhimes…As a white person, I'm so embarrassed for — I get really emotional about this stuff — but we have a lot to be shameful for. We can only hope and do everything we can to continue to make strides because we've done a tremendous amount of damage to people. And I've seen it first hand. We're going to be paying this debt off forever as far as I'm concerned. There's no amount of retribution that's enough in my eyes. And that goes for everything: Asian, Latino, everything. Still Asians aren't represented the way they should be. Indian people aren't represented. You go to Cedars (Medical Center), there's a ton of Pakistani and Indian doctors and they're not represented still. There are other groups that we need to represent. We're not finished by any means."
Kerry Washington on Whether Olivia's Steamy Sex Scenes Are "Freeing": "It's freeing to play a character who is messy and fully human, who has big feelings and a big life. So the fact that my character has such a sense of passion is exciting as an actor. It's thrilling to figure that stuff out and take those kinds of risks."
Viola on Whether Annalise's Sex Scenes Are "Freeing": "At first it's like, ‘Nobody sees me as a sexual, romantic character!' And then you get it and it's like, ‘Oh my god.' It has been freeing because it's terrifying. Whoever we are in our sexual lives, which is very private, has to be public. But I will tell you. With Annalise. It's also very freeing to play they why she is that sexual. Which I've come up with some stuff. …I feel like Shonda sees me. She really sees me. I feel like Shonda gets me."
Kerry on Working for Shonda and Her Very Specific Scripts: "I spent a year learning to respect every single word…I do really like working for a woman…Not all people wear their power so gracefully."
Ellen on What's Ahead for Grey's Anatomy This Season (Which Kerry Adorably Grilled Her About Like a Fangirl): "We can't move to DC because Meredith would find out her mother is alive and she would be pissed!" Pompeo said. She also hinted (with a little help from Kerry) that there will be some flashbacks that go back to before season one started. "We are doing a lot of flashback stuff. Very challenging….A lot of people say how can you stay on a show 11 years. After 11 seasons you have to stay so alive and present. You can't disappoint the audience. You have to bring it."
Kerry's Advice to Olivia Pope: "Go to therapy! If she was my girlfriend, I would be like, ‘Girl, there is this guy you should call…'"
Ellen's Advice to Meredith: "Mind your own business! She's always in other people's business!"
And in case you missed it, here's what Ellen said about wanting to quit acting after Grey's Anatomy: ""I definitely don't have a strong desire to act after Grey's," the 44-year-old actress said at a panel tonight with Kerry Washington and Viola Davis, presented by Buzzfeed. "I definitely feel myself transitioning. I don't find acting terribly empowering. For the place I am in my life, I think my age, once I hit 40, I feel differently. I don't necessarily want to work for other people." Get that full story.
Shonda's "Thank God It's Thursday" night launches on Sept. 25, with the premieres of Grey's, Scandal and Murder on ABC.