Viola Davis opened up to Tom Hanks recently on why she likes playing a nude sex scene despite having an imperfect body. The reasons that the "How to Get Away With Murder" actress gave might surprise you. It's not that Viola's so very body confident that she can do the nude scenes comfortably. The Oscar winner admits that even after weight loss she's "not a size 2." She uses her very sexual character of Annalise Keating as a platform to teach body love, healthy body image, and understanding of real-life sexuality beyond Hollywood stereotypes.
Viola Davis lost weight on Hugh Jackman diet
When "The Help" actress was readying for the Oscars in 2013, she wanted to lose weight quick. So Davis turned to the "Wolverine diet" promoted by hard-body heavy Hugh Jackman. Also called the feasting-fasting eating plan, this diet restricts food intake to an 8-hour period. For the remaining 16 hours, dieters eat nothing. It's harsh but folks have found it works to beat obesity. Foods on this plan are high-protein, good fat and few carbs. Viola does love low-carb pasta.
Viola Davis hates, but uses sex scenes
So she did drop "a little" weight but still Davis says she's far from small. Yet still, the 51-year-old embraces roles where she appears naked.
Not because she's so crazy about how her body looks. The point is to show genuine human sexuality in which both parties have flaws. Unfortunately, in movies with bedroom scenes, actors invariably have "gym rat" bodies. That gave Davis some negative body image issues. So she does them to show that not everyone is body perfect and that you can enjoy sex regardless.
Viola Davis explains sexy, vs. sexual, vs. sexualized
In "How to Get Away With Murder" Annalise Keating is confident and uses sex as a power tool. Davis felt that this role was a good opportunity to show a strong black woman who is sexualized without being sexy per se. Tom Hanks agreed on the "Actors to Actors" interview that Hollywood fails to present any kind of normalcy in body size, dress or appearance. This may be what attracts people to reality television (which shows very real and flawed people).
