Viola Davis: You Cannot Win an Emmy for Roles that Are Not There

DAVIS: "In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful, white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line, but I can't seem to get there no how. I can't seem to get over that line. That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. And let me tell you something, the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there. So, here's to all the writers, the awesome people that are Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Norwalk, Shonda Rimes, people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black. And to the Taraji P. Hensons, the Kerry Washingtons, the Halley Berrys, the Nicole Baharis, the Megan Goodes, to Gabrielle Union, thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you to the Television Academy. Thank you."