Viola Davis, the 54-year-old actress, activist and humanitarian, is L’Oréal’s newest international spokesperson, writes Jenny Berich.

Viola, best known for her 30-year award-winning acting career, joins an esteemed roster of diverse spokespeople including Celine Dion, Helen Mirren, Eva Longoria, Elle Fanning, Aja Naomi King, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Camila Cabello for the brand in recent years.

According to L’Oréal, Viola’s appointment builds on the company’s mission to reflect the diversity of the modern world through spokeswomen “encouraging beauty inclusivity, self-worth and empowering people everywhere”.

L’Oréal global brand president Delphine Viguier-Hovasse said the company is thrilled to welcome Viola to the company as her “tenacity, authenticity and bold spirit resonate with, and inspire, so many people”.

“Viola challenges the status quo in all aspects of life and her drive to succeed has proven itself time after time – she leads by example and is the perfect conduit to elevate our core message, ‘Because I’m Worth It’.”

Making her brand debut in New York yesterday, Viola, who will appear in TV, print and digital advertising campaigns for Age Perfect later this month, said her appointment was “truly surreal”.

“As a young girl, I wasn’t always told that I was smart, beautiful, or worthy,” she said.

“I worked tremendously hard to get where I am today – overcoming feelings of doubt to become a woman who truly believes I am ‘worth it’ in every way.

“I believe it’s so important to build confidence in women from a young age, and to role model diverse perspectives of beauty.

“To now be part of a brand that has been championing women’s worth for more than 40 years and to use my voice to help empower others is truly surreal.”

Viola, who has performed on Broadway, in film, and on television and won numerous awards including an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award during her career, is also internationally recognised for her support of human rights and equal rights for women and women of colour.

Together with her husband, Julius Tennon, Viola founded JuVee Productions, which develops and produces independent film, television, VR and digital content across all spaces of narrative entertainment, with an emphasis on diverse and inclusive storytelling.

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