Viola Davis suffered from 'really bad' social anxiety

Viola Davis used to suffer from "really bad" social anxiety.

The Woman King star admitted in a recent interview for Harper's Bazaar's Life Lessons video series that she didn't see herself becoming a successful actress because of her social anxiety.

"I did not know I was always going to be an actor, only because I suffered from really bad social anxiety and shyness," Viola, 58, shared. "I couldn't even perform in rehearsal, until I realised that that's not a prerequisite to being an actor."

"I realised that I wanted to be an actor because it was my way of healing," The Help star continued. "It was my way of channelling other human beings through me. You sort of become this human being whisperer."

Viola noted that dealing with her social anxiety was one of several benefits of becoming an actress.

"It seemed like the perfect profession," she told the publication. "'Cause listen, I could get attention, maybe I could make some money, but also to be able to heal, through your art, that's pretty fantastic."

Elsewhere in the interview, the How to Get Away with Murder star revealed that her Fences co-star Denzel Washington gave her the best advice she has ever received.

"The advice that he gave me, even though it didn't come off as advice... he did constantly tell me, 'Viola, what you're doing, you're making a living, you're not making a life,'" she said.

"So acting is about just making a living, and I thought that was very very powerful. You need reminders like that."