The illustrious Viola Davis will be awarded her second Golden Globe in eight years as the 2025 recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the upcoming 82nd Annual Golden Globes.

A little over a month before the awards ceremony’s January 5, 2025 telecast, on Wednesday, November 20, Davis, 59, was announced as the 2025 Cecil B. DeMille Award honoree. The prize was not awarded in 2024. Davis will succeed 2023 recipient Eddie Murphy. Previous recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Robin Williams, and more. The award derives from late filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille, who directed classics like 1934’s Cleopatra, 1952’s The Greatest Show on Earth, 1956’s The Ten Commandments, and who is considered a ‘founding father of American cinema.’

An achiever of the rare EGOT title, Davis earned her first Golden Globe in 2017 in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role as Rose Lee Maxson in 2016 period drama Fences. Davis was additionally nominated in the category for Doubt in 2009; Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for The Help in 2012; Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for How to Get Away with Murder in 2016 and 2017; and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Woman King in 2021 and 2023.

“Viola Davis is a luminary whose profound talent has continuously shifted the lens through which we see and understand film,” stated Helen Hoehne, President of the Golden Globes. 

“Presenting her with the 2025 Cecil B. DeMille Award is not only an honor but a reflection of our admiration for her relentless dedication to her craft and her monumental impact on the industry. Viola’s courage in portraying complex, powerful characters has broken barriers and paved new paths, making her an emblem of excellence and an ideal recipient of this prestigious award.”

CBS and Paramount+ will broadcast the 2025 Golden Globes live on Sunday, January 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. PT/8 until 11 p.m. ET.