Viola Davis will receive the Harvard Foundation 2017 Artist of the Year Award.
The 51-year-old actress – who took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Fences’ at the Oscars last month – will receive her award at a ceremony at Harvard’s Cultural Rhythms Festival on Saturday (04.03.17).
Meanwhile, Viola recently admitted she fears that her five-year-old daughter Genesis will grow up to be "entitled".
When asked how she balances wanting Genesis to have more than she did as a child, and wanting her to appreciate what she has, Viola said: "You just listed my number one fear, which is entitlement. I never had a house; I do shop at Target, I buy all her clothes at Target or H&M. And maybe, if I’m feeling really good, Nordstrom Rack."
And Viola said her husband and actor Julius Tennon, 63, helps her keep Genesis grounded as he always "holds her accountable" for the things she does.
Viola – who has been married to Julius since 2003 – said: "Julius is really tough. He has two beautiful children and seven grandkids. I came into a relationship where he already had children and grandchildren and raised his kids on his own, so he’s tough – he toes the line, but in a very loving way.
"He holds her accountable. Me, not so much – I’m the softie. Really, entitlement. Listen, there are poor kids who are entitled. So I pray."
And Viola said she decided to have a child with her husband because she wanted her life to "mean something deeper".
She explained: "I wanted my life to mean and be something deeper. That’s when the urge came, and the urge was just very, very, very, strong. So I have a kid now and she is just the light of our lives."
Viola Davis named Harvard Foundation 2017 Artist of the Year
