“Fences” may revolve around the character played by the film’s director, Denzel Washington, but its costar Viola Davis who is getting most of the awards attention. And from this clip it’s clear to see why.
Set in 1950s Pittsburgh, “Fences,” based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, tells the story of Troy Maxson (Washington), who makes his living as a sanitation worker. “Maxson once dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but was deemed too old when the major leagues began admitting black athletes. Bitter over his missed opportunity, Troy creates further tension in his family when he squashes his son’s (Jovan Adepo) chance to meet a college football recruiter,” the official synopsis reads.
Davis plays Rose, Troy’s wife. Her frustration with Troy’s stagnation leads to her own eruption, as seen in this clip.
Davis has earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and has already won a number of critics awards. An Oscar nomination is a given, and Academy Awards prognosticators are predicting a win. Davis won a Tony Award for playing the same role on Broadway.