Entertainment
Viola Davis and her latest co-star, author James Patterson
On yet another sunny winter day in southern California, Viola Davis is home, and happy to be here. She says she’s a homebody: “Homebody, totally. I’m total introvert,” she said.
What does she like about being at home? “I like just being,” she said. “I just like to be regular. I don’t want to put on makeup. I don’t want to try to be anyone else, other than myself.”
But when she does leave home, she Davis a tendency to make magic. She can light up a red carpet, turn bad guys into superheroes, and in “Air,” even make us believe she helped negotiate Michael Jordan’s shoe deal.
And now she’s stepped into the publishing world with a new novel, “Judge Stone,” that she co-wrote with superstar author James Patterson, who knows a thing or two about collaboration, having co-written books with President Bill Clinton (“The First Gentleman”) and singer Dolly Parton (“Run, Rose, Run”).
Davis said she and Petterson couldn’t be any more different: “And yet, meeting, writing this book, I just liked him. We just connected.”
So, magic happened? “I think magic can happen a lot, if people would just stay open,” Patterson said.
CBS News
“Judge Stone” is a legal thriller about a respected Black female circuit judge in a small Alabama town, who presides over a highly controversial case when a teenage girl named Nova is raped and has an illegal abortion.
Why touch on the subject of abortion, when it’s a lightning rod for some people? “That’s why. That’s exactly why,” Patterson replied. “To make it so it’s not a lightning rod. And I think that’s why this story is so good, why it’s so powerful, because we’re going into areas that people aren’t [talking about]. We need to talk about it.”
To help flesh out the character of the victim, Davis says she drew on her own experience with sexual assault. “I felt a responsibility to women who have been sexually assaulted and raped, especially children, as I am one of them,” she said. “And what they also deserve is the truth of how it made them feel.”
The new book comes out tomorrow, and Patterson says he has high hopes: “You know, every book you start, you want it to be great. And sometimes, you have to settle for not so good, or very good. And in this case, I think we settled for great.”
They both know all about “great.”
Viola Davis played an agonized mother in the 2008 film “Doubt” opposite Meryl Streep, who became a close friend during filming. “Miss Meryl Streep! I think we clicked on ‘Doubt’ over a lot of chocolate,” Davis said. “Oh man, we ate the hell out of that chocolate, let me tell you!”
Davis was only on screen for eight minutes, but her performance was so riveting it earned her an Oscar nomination. It’s not all that surprising when you hear about the work she puts in before the cameras roll, writing biographies for her characters. “We’re trying to figure out who they are,” she said. “And so, you write, and you write, and you write, and you write. And somewhere in there, something clicks.”
In fact, Davis wanted to write long before she wanted to act, even as a little girl growing up in Central Falls, Rhode Island. “I wanted to be a writer when I was nine years old; it was my fantasy,” she said. “I don’t know why, maybe because I loved the Bobbsey Twins books. I was like, ‘Oh. I could make a life of that.'”
Her new book centers around an impoverished young girl struggling with her own self-worth, and to Davis that’s familiar ground. She says her own story influenced her characters: “All of it. Every single bit of my story influenced all of these characters. I feel that it is my duty to honor six-year-old Viola. I can’t sort of think about her dimples without thinking about the fact that she always felt ugly.”
Davis says she carries the pain she felt as a six-year-old into every role, from her TV series “How to Get Away With Murder,” to her performance in “Fences,” turning her personal insecurity into dramatic power – and Oscar Gold. She even made an Oscar-worthy acceptance speech: “To my husband and my daughter, I’m so glad you are the foundation of my life.”
Speaking of her husband and daughter, she still shares a house with both … plus one very pampered pup, Bailey. “It was my daughter who desperately wanted a dog,” Davis said. “And guess who never walks a dog now? I mean, she does walk the dog, but you know how kids are.”
So it seems that Viola Davis is one of the most decorated dog walkers in the world, with her EGOT status (having earned an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony). And now, she’s sure to add “bestselling author” to those accolades.
Asked if “Judge Stone” represents the start of another career for her, Davis replied, “Perhaps. I don’t know. I don’t. I don’t know what this chapter in my life is about, you know? Maybe a little bit more writing, or maybe travel, you know? Maybe just being a regular person. I think I’ve earned that, you know? EGOT is not gonna be on my gravestone, just put it that way. I don’t think there’s enough space, but ‘Beloved,’ there’s enough space for ‘Beloved,’ you know?”
WEB EXCLUSIVE: Watch an extended interview with Viola Davis (Video)
READ AN EXCERPT: “Judge Stone” by Viola Davis & James Patterson
For more info:
Story produced by John D’Amelio. Editor: Lauren Barnello.
See more:
Entertainment
SBP raises policy rate by 100bps to 11.5% as inflation risks mount
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its benchmark policy rate by 100 basis points (bps) to 11.5% on Monday, opting for cautious tightening as oil price volatility and renewed inflation risks clouded the economic outlook.
The move came as the Monetary Policy Committee faced a finely balanced decision. A Reuters poll had shown that six of 10 analysts expected the central bank to keep the rate unchanged at 10.5%, while three forecast a 50-basis-point hike and one expected a larger 100-basis-point increase.
Pakistan’s CPI inflation quickened to 7.3% year-on-year in March from 7% in February, breaching the SBP’s 5%–7% target range. Some analysts warned that inflation could move towards double digits in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year if external pressures persisted.
Oil prices have remained volatile due to the Iran-US conflict, keeping global markets on edge and raising concerns over Pakistan’s import bill.
The SBP has cut rates by a cumulative 1,150 basis points since June 2024, when they peaked at a record 22%, and last reduced the rate by 50 basis points in January.
Entertainment
Prince Harry faces unseen threat to Archie, Lilibet: Can’t escape
Prince Harry, who lives in Montecito with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet, is said to be taking all measures to protect his children from an unseen threat.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, still can’t rescue himself from the shadow of a formidable incident that took her mother Princess Diana’s life, leaving him with a life-long trauma.
King Charles’ estranged son has spoken candidly about the enduring pain of his mother’s passing at her prime age. she was just 36.
Now, Harry’s deepest concern is that his and Meghan’s children could one day be drawn into the same celebrity spotlight that preceded Princess Diana’s fatal crash in paris in 1997.
Prince William’s younger brother Harry made the remarks during a public discussion on fatherhood at a Movember charity event in Melbourne, Australia.
Speaking on stage about the period before the birth of his son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, now six, in 2019, and daughter Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, four, in 2021, Harry revealed undergoing therapy to address unresolved grief stemming from Diana’s tragic death.
Undoubtedly, Harry’s deep-rooted fear about his own past adds to his worries about his kids.
He’s taking all measures to secure their children from any untoward situation as the spotlight that surrounded Diana is something he has never escaped.
He does not want to live in the fear that his children could also face similar pressures as for Harry, the memory of his mother’s crash isn’t just history. It’s a constant warning.
His biggest fear is that if his children are pulled too far into the celebrity world, they could be exposed to the same dangers that led to his mother’s death, one insider told Radar.
Entertainment
Lexie Brown denies Klay Thompson cheated on Megan Thee Stallion with her
A WNBA star is setting the record straight about her rumoured involvement in Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson’s breakup.
Seattle Storm Guard Lexie Brown has shut down rumours that she was the woman with whom Thompson allegedly cheated on the Grammy-winning rapper.
“I’ve seen what’s being said online, and I want to be clear, none of it is true, and I have no involvement in this situation,” Brown, 31, wrote on her Instagram Stories on Sunday, April 26.
The basketball pro added, “This week marks the start of an important and exciting new season for me, and my focus is fully on that.”
Brown’s clarification came amid a viral claim that she had a part to play in the shocking break-up, which came to light over the weekend.
On Saturday, April 25, Megan Thee Stallion — real name Megan Jovon Ruth Pete — announced that she broke up with the NBA star due to his alleged unfaithfulness and inability to commit to her despite being together for almost a year.
“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” Megan wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous’????” added Megan.
Shortly afterwards, X user @Areyoudvmb alleged that Brown has been “posting on her close friends messages between Klay and her that Klay was telling her his and Megan’s relationship is just for social media.”
-
Sports1 week agoWWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2: Live match results and analysis
-
Sports1 week agoNCAA men’s gymnastics championship: All-time winners list
-
Fashion1 week agoUK’s Sosandar returns to profitability amid robust FY26 performance
-
Politics6 days agoUK’s Starmer seeks to deflect blame over Mandelson appointment
-
Entertainment7 days agoLee Anderson, Zarah Sultana kicked out of UK Parliament for calling PM ‘liar’
-
Business1 week agoNo fuel shortage: Govt assures 100% domestic LPG, PNG, CNG supply amid Hormuz energy crunch – The Times of India
-
Business7 days agoHow Trump’s psychedelics executive order could unlock stalled cannabis reform
-
Business1 week agoExercise to test response to offshore energy threat involving vessels and drones

