April is a busy month for Viola Davis, who will debut her “straight no chaser” memoir just days after the premiere of her portrayal of Michelle Obama in the new Showtime series The First Lady, which premieres on Easter Sunday, April 17 at 9pm ET. Here’s a sneak peek…
Viola’s new book, Finding Me, is a “raw” and “real” account of her journey from poverty to a lifestyle of rich and fame, according to OprahDaily.
“In my book,” writes Viola, “You will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.”
She continues: “This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.”
Viola then goes on to talk about why representation matters in books, TV & film: “As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.”
Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.
Finding Me, published by HarperOne (in partnership with Ebony Magazine Publishing) will be on bookshelves everywhere on April 26.
