Viola Davis Regrets Starring in ‘The Help’

Viola Davis revealed that she regrets starring in the 2011 film The Help.

While answering readers’ questions as part of a story for The New York Times published on Tuesday, the actress said that the film is included on a list of projects she wishes she never did.

The Help tells the story of an aspiring author (Emma Stone) during the civil rights movement who decides to write a book from the point of view of African-American maids that work for white families. The story is set in Mississippi in the 1960s.

“I just felt that at the end of the day that it wasn’t the voices of the maids that were heard. I know Aibileen. I know Minny. They’re my grandma. They’re my mom,” said Davis. “And I know that if you do a movie where the whole premise is, I want to know what it feels like to work for white people and to bring up children in 1963, I want to hear how you really feel about it. I never heard that in the course of the movie.”

Davis, who played maid Aibileen Clark, clarified that her regret of working on the film has nothing to do with the cast or crew.

“The friendships that I formed are ones that I’m going to have for the rest of my life,” she said. “I had a great experience with these other actresses, who are extraordinary human beings.” Some of the other castmembers include Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain and Allison Janney.

The actress added that she “could not have asked for a better collaborator” than director and writer Tate Taylor.

The film was nominated for a number of awards, including best picture, at the 84th Academy Awards. Davis was also nominated in the best actress category, while her co-stars Spencer and Chastain were both included in the best supporting actress category. Spencer took home the award.

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