Viola Davis has revealed that she prayed for her husband Julius Tennon before she met him. According to People, on the upcoming Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event, Davis said that one of her friends told her to pray for the kind of man she wanted. She said, “He said, ‘Viola, even the vacuous stuff, just put it all in there. Looks, everything.' I said, ‘Really? With God? I gotta tell him that?’ He’s like, ‘Yes. You gotta put it all out there.'”
Viola continued, “I went and I got on my knees. I said I want a big Black man from the South who’s probably been married before. Has kids, because I don’t want any pressure in that department. Someone whose maybe been an actor who understands the artistic community. Someone who goes to church and loves God. I said, ‘If you give me that, I’ll start going to church, God. I really will. I’m committed to it.’ And then I signed off, just like writing a letter.”
She continued, “Three and a half weeks later, I met Julius from Texas. … Ex-football player, been married, raised his children on his own, was an actor. He invited me to church. And I thought to myself, ‘Whoa.'”
The two were married in 2003. They adopted daughter Genesis in 2011. Viola is also a step-parent to Julius’ two children from past relationships.
‘Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event’ hits Netflix on Friday (April 22nd).
