Viola Davis explains why she wanted to play Amanda Waller in 'Suicide Squad'

February 28, 2015

Viola Davis currently stars on ABC's hit new TV show How to Get Away With Murder, but she'll be heading to the Suicide Squad set as Amanda Waller in April. The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Davis and asked what drew her to the role. Spoiler alert: she's a big DC Comics fan!

How has How to Get Away With Murder helped change the kinds of roles you are being offered now? What was it about DC's Suicide Squad and Amanda Waller that appealed to you?
As a comic book and Wonder Woman fan, I love the whole DC Comics universe. I traded comic books as a kid so all of that appeals to me. When you dream about being an actor as a kid, that's what you dream about. That's like play acting: being the superhero, getting the gun; it plays into that fantasy. How to Get Away with Murder changed my exposure. I don't know if it changed the quality of roles as much as it changed the exposure. I mean certainly Amanda Waller is a fabulous character.

SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter

Suicide Squad

Amanda Waller, Viola Davis

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Capitão Marvel
February 28, 2015
Amazing actress.
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1. TheOtherDarkKnight
  February 28, 2015
  No!!!!!! just no!!!!!!!
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  1. i'm the arrow
    February 28, 2015
    that's so mean lol
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Shawn J.
February 28, 2015
Viola Davis: "I wanted to play Amanda Waller because I knew 'How to Get Away With Murder'.
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1. TheMacJew
  February 28, 2015
  ...
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Diego!
February 28, 2015
She'll be an amazing Amanda Waller! David Ayer is tweeting and posting pics of Suicide Squad sets!
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Chris Terrio
February 28, 2015
Did anybody hear the news of the CW Justice League show? I'm extremely unhappy with this because Arrow and The Flash are perhaps the worst and overrated shows I've ever seen and it has all the things for an abomination (terrible acting, a horrible script, cheap special effects, very crappy costumes and bad directing)
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1. BatmanIsLoveBatmanIsLife
  February 28, 2015
  It's not a Justice League, it's just a "superhero team-up" that so far casted Sarah Lance, The Atom, Captain Cold, Martin Stein, etc. from Arrow and Flash.
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  1. Vi$h Gau§§
    February 28, 2015
    Wow hope Firestorm's powers aren't low budget bad CGI. Should be at least at par with Human Torch from the FF movies.
    Also Blue Beetle, Firebrand, Superboy; even Uncle Sam, Human Bomb, Phantom Lady etc. need to be added.
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    1. Vi$h Gau§§
      February 28, 2015
      No. How is he ? I haven't seen Flash. Still catching up on Gotham. Very busy lately.
      Haven't seen Arrow lately except for that Raycity sex scene.
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  2. Phil
    February 28, 2015
    That's easy to say behind a computer screen isn't it? If you think you can do better why don't you audition?
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2. Shawn J.
  February 28, 2015
  "An abomination"? Going to the deep end huh.
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3. MIGN
  February 28, 2015
  No one is forcing you to watch it.
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4. ßαby J
  February 28, 2015
  Plus the shifty eyes when talking to someone.
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5. i'm the arrow
  February 28, 2015
  go awwwaaaaayyy
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6. Vi$h Gau§§
  February 28, 2015
  You have failed this thread.
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7. Jax Teller
  February 28, 2015
  It's obvious that the WB TV people have a plan for Justice League tv series at some point... Gotham/Metropolis are off limits for Berlanti and all other DC shows right now outside of "Gotham" obviously.
  That's why Gotham/Krypton will be prequel series.
  If they do eventually do a Justice League show it'll be with a big budget network not like what Smallville did on CW. HBO would be my first guess but WB TV is developing an AMC series now. Preacher
  Obviously you don't know anything about TV shows because you clearly don't know how well the fights are choreographed in Arrow and The Flash. Kids today...
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  1. Vi$h Gau§§
    February 28, 2015
    Kids today... are a superstitious and cowardly lot.
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8. Phil
  February 28, 2015
  You are a butthurt whiney fanboy.
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9. Patrick "Arthur" Bateman
  March 1, 2015
  k.
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MIGN
February 28, 2015
The minute the Suicide Squad movie was announced, when I thought who should play Waller, she was the first person who came to mind. She's just perfect for the role!
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TheOtherDarkKnight
February 28, 2015
I can totally see this in the Backround while teams be esamabled
https://worldofblackheroes....
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1. TheOtherDarkKnight
  February 28, 2015
  Though I don't know enough about Waller to make a judgement I think this casting makes more sense then Oprah becuse of that fact they seem to be going the 52 root which means they would not go for a uhhh *adjust collar* "fatter" Waller
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Alex Vidal
February 28, 2015
She is perfect for the role. She can provide the intensity and command presence that Waller requires. This Suicide Squad movie is just unreal. I swear, this movie will soon replace Warcraft as my 2nd most anticipated film of 2016 if it keeps throwing these amazing comments/teases at me!!
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1. Alex Vidal
  February 28, 2015
  I know.. but at the same time.. I kinda want her to cower in fear when she realizes just how crazy and smart The Joker is. That would be awesome. Even Waller fears the Clown Prince of Crime.
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TheOtherDarkKnight
February 28, 2015
Mmmm or Pizza House in Ann Arbor or Lancinng Mi can't go wrong!!
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Tron Vin
February 28, 2015
I rather see Checkmate than A.R.G.U.S.
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1. Harish
  February 28, 2015
  Checkmate is fine for coix book readers but that's a complicated stuff for regular audiences and may sound corny also, white king and queen, black king and queen and all 4 together running an intelligence agency with grudge and all. Its better they go with ARGUS.
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Vi$h Gau§§
February 28, 2015
DC Comics is the pantheon of awesomeness. All generations have looked up to Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman as the ideal superheroes, icons or legends for having made a wonderful impact on our lives and nurturing our childhood. DC Comics is the original and the only home of heroes. And in this regard, talented actors join DCCU cast not just for contracts, but to relive and respect the heroes they all grew up with.
Amen ;)
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1. Knight-Errant
  March 1, 2015
  Subjectiveness of your post aside (though I'm curious how you define 'ideal'), DC isn't exactly the 'original'. There are several heroes that pre-date what's known as "DC". Both their 2 biggest characters have "borrowed" aspects from characters that pre-date 1938.
  I'm not certain how you paint a broad brush with the approach that "talented actors join DCCU cast not just for contracts". How can we truly be sure of anyone's motives?
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Chsox203
February 28, 2015
That place rocks ~ New York pizza sucks tbh. lol
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1. Chsox203
  February 28, 2015
  sounds good, but take a trip up north here and I'll show you some true Chicago style deep dish ~(°•
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  1. Chsox203
    March 1, 2015
    Lol wow... I guess that I should give it a try
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  2. Chsox203
    March 1, 2015
    Damn you named off a bunch of great places in the downtown region. One that we always go to is 'Joe's Stone Crab' - Not too much of a Portillos fan.... Even though they pack that place out every day, not a fan of hot dogs.
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    1. Chsox203
      March 1, 2015
      Actually never been to RJ''s.... I've heard nothing but great things about the place
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  3. Chsox203
    March 1, 2015
    True - you like 'Chicago doe Company'?
    Lou Malnati's is still the better
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    1. Chsox203
      March 1, 2015
      Yeah its Chicago "Dough" - Oops. It's pretty much a chain restaurant in the suburbs. Kinda like Aurelio's in a way
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2. Chsox203
  March 1, 2015
  You go to College out there?
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3. Chsox203
  March 1, 2015
  You probably eat that generic deep dish stuff in Georgia ~ Come up here and have the real deal...😉
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OptimistPrime99
February 28, 2015
How to Get Away with Murder is freakin' AWESOME! Davis is basically already playing Amanda Waller on the show. LOL
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Nykie
February 28, 2015
Viola Davis we love you, love you, live you!!! You are an amazing, strong, black actress; we hope to see more of you on the screens. Love God 1st!
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Enzo
February 28, 2015
She's been talking way too much about a role the studio hasn't even confirmed
Wouldn't surprise me if WB drops her for talking too damn much
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1. Vi$h Gau§§
  February 28, 2015
  I never thought it was her too... ROFL.
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2. Enzo
  February 28, 2015
  What new profile pic? The panda? What about it?
  Momoa and Rudd went out of their way to deny everything. They only started talking about their roles once the studios came out and confirmed it
  So I'm kinda confused as to why she's going around talking about a role the studio hasn't confirmed
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  1. Enzo
    March 1, 2015
    I like to change it up, I usually don't stick with the same pic for more than a week
    I'll probably have a Wonder Woman one next week
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Knight-Errant
March 1, 2015
I have to say, sometimes you critique some of the most obsure crap about an article.
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