Viola Davis Explains Why Life Feels Better After Turning 60

Viola Davis is 60 and feeling “fabulous.”

The veteran actor, who hit the milestone on Aug. 11, carried Leo season with poise and grace. At The Television Academy Hall of Fame in Los Angeles, Davis spoke with People about why this next chapter feels better than ever. And when asked about how she’s feeling, she didn’t hold back.

“Fabulous. I’m alive. I’m breathing. I’m about to have a cocktail and some food,” Davis said. “I feel happier than I’ve ever been.”

The reason? She’s put in the time to become a better version of herself.

“I’ve been curious enough about myself to do the work, and now that I’m at 60, I can really honestly say that I found home,” she said. “I found my ruby slippers, and that, for me, has been extremely freeing.”

Davis added that embracing the process has helped her resist the pressure to feel “old.” In fact, she says she feels “younger” than ever before.

The EGOT winner has long been a vocal advocate for self-awareness and authenticity. Back in 2016, while receiving the #SeeHer award at the Critics’ Choice Awards, Davis spoke about the transformative power of embracing her self-identity.

This recognition, she explained, came after years of learning to accept herself.

“I’ve always discovered the heart of my characters by asking, ‘Why?’ You know, when I was handed Annalise Keating, I said, ‘She’s sexy, she’s mysterious.’ I’m used to playing women who gotta gain 40 pounds and wear an apron,” Davis shared.

“So, I said, ‘Oh God, I gotta lose weight. I gotta learn to walk like Kerry Washington in heels. I gotta lose my belly.’“she continued. “And then I asked myself, ‘Well, why do I have to do all that?’”