Born 59 years ago in a one-room shack on her grandmother’s South Carolina farm,

she grew up in poverty, later moving with her family to a condemned home in

Rhode Island. Her childhood was marked by hunger, harsh winters, and nights

plagued by rats. Food insecurity forced her and her siblings to scavenge or

steal to survive. Despite these struggles, she clung to education and creativity as her lifelines.

Her passion for performing began in childhood talent shows, and academic excellence

led her to programs like Upward Bound. Winning a scholarship to Rhode Island College

and later earning a coveted spot at Juilliard, she honed her craft. At 29, she received

her first Tony nomination for Seven Guitars, launching a celebrated career. She gained

critical acclaim with Oscar nominations for Doubt (2008) and The Help (2011) and made

history in 2015 as the first Black woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead

Actress in a Drama Series. In 2017, she won an Oscar for Fences.

Drawing from her experiences, she advocates against childhood hunger, raising millions

through the Hunger Is campaign. Married to Julius Tennon, she reflects on her

journey with gratitude, inspiring others with her resilience and compassion.