American actress and producer, Viola Davis, is an amazing mom to her daughter, Genesis Tennon, whom she shares with husband of 17 years, Julius Tennon.
Fans of the ABC legal drama series, “How To Get Away With Murder,” got used to the grim picture of Viola Davis as a goal-oriented career woman. In the real world, however, family meant everything to the 54-year-old actress.
A mother of one, Davis, who has been married to Julius Tenon for 17 years, dedicates her downtime to being an amazing mother and wife. These, she has achieved so far without putting other aspects of her life on hold. The “HTGAWM” star’s journey through family life and motherhood was admittedly not a smooth ride.
VIOLA DAVIS’ PERSONAL LIFE AND BECOMING A MOM
The actress tied the knot in June 2003 and had her first taste of motherhood as a stepmom. Viola Davis’ husband, Julius Tennon, had a son and a daughter from previous relationships before his marriage to the icon.
Eight years into their marital union, the couple disclosed plans to welcome a new addition to their family. Shortly after the reveal, the actress and her husband adopted a daughter from the United States. The adoption, which they finalized in October 2011, made Davis a first-time mother.
VIOLA DAVIS’ TAKE ON MOTHERHOOD
Since becoming a mother, Davis has tried to prioritize family over everything else. Her journey through parenthood has exposed her to new principles which she has learned to live by in order to be the perfect example to her daughter. Speaking on her experience with motherhood, Davis once disclosed:
“It changes your life because it opens your heart to so much joy and love, but you also die to yourself, and we are essentially selfish people.”
Embracing motherhood meant sacrificing a lot of things she loved, and the 54-year-old admittedly mourned the loss of those things. However, motherhood unexpectedly opened up her whole life and gave her something better in return; a new purpose, which she would not trade for anything else.
DAVIS TALKS BEING AROUND COMPETITIVE MOMS
Through Viola Davis’ motherhood and parenting journey, the star has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some of her unpleasant ordeals as a mom involved interacting with other moms.
She once recounted her feelings towards mothers who tried to out-do other moms as if in a competition. Recalling past experiences with competitive moms, the icon concluded that no competition was worth throwing the kids in there, and forming a comparison fest in a bid to out-score each other.
DAVIS’ DAUGHTER IS FOLLOWING IN HER MOM’S STEPS
Viola Davis’ daughter, Genesis, now 10, has grown into a smart and talented beauty, just like her mom. Further living up to her mom’s feats, the preteen delved into the entertainment industry at the young age of nine.
The youngster snagged her first role as a voice actress in the animation, “The Angry Birds Movie 2,” rendering the voice of the hatchling, Vivi.
Davis took to social media to express how proud she was of the budding star. Together, Genesis’ parents graced the movie’s premiere in August 2019. The couple was all smiles, as they supported their little girl during her big moment.
Viola Davis’ daughter gave the credits of the success of her first role to her parents, whom she said encouraged her to keep moving forward, notwithstanding other people’s opinions.
VIOLA DAVIS’ HUSBAND
In addition to being an excellent mom, the icon has remained a dedicated wife to her husband through their seventeen years of marriage. Davis’ husband, Julius Tennon, 66, is a devoted dad to his daughter, Genesis, as well as his two other children.
Like his wife, Julius is an accomplished actor and producer. He has credits in movies like “Dazed And Confused,” “Small Soldiers,” “Custody,” and “Faster,” among others. Notably, the movie veteran starred alongside his wife in the legal drama, “How To Get Away With Murder.”
Davis and her husband have attained undeniable success in the movie industry, with several movies and accolades in their names.
Having achieved fame herself through the long road, Viola Davis is determined to instill invaluable tenets in her daughter, which would guide her through her journey to success.