How to get away with Twitter. Viola Davis finally responded to soap star Nancy Lee Grahn's hate-tweets (and subsequent apology) after the General Hospital actress sparked controversy when she ripped Davis' historic Emmys win and speech.
"If there has been any backlash, it’s that all people want to feel included in a speech," Davis, 50, acknowledged to The New York Times. "I know there has been some backlash with an actress who didn’t feel she was included."
The paper then asked Davis if she was specifically calling out Grahn. "Yes," she replied. "I don’t know that I want to say more about that.”
The How to Get Away With Murder actress made history at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, as the first black woman ever to win for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series. "The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is simply opportunity," Davis told the audience. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."
Grahn, meanwhile, took to her Twitter account and aired some personal grievances. "Im a [f—king] actress for 40 yrs. None of us get respect or opportunity we deserve," Grahn tweeted at the time. "Emmys not venue 4 racial opportunity. ALL women belittled." The longtime soap star immediately apologized for her remarks, saying she had no ill intentions.
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Amid the controversy, Grahn tweeted directly at Davis and HTGAWM's creator, Shonda Rhimes, apologizing for her careless remarks. "I said something stupid. I apologize," she wrote on Sept. 21, elaborating in a separate note that she was anything but racist.
"30 yrs an advocate 4 human rights & now i'm a racist. Color me heartbroken. Twitter can bring out the best & sadly tonight the worst of us," she wrote. "I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her roles. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors. I apologize 2 anyone who I offended. I'm women advocate since I became one. After reading responses, I hear u and my tweet was badly phrased."
Watch Davis' Emmys speech above!
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