Viola Davis won the Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Rose Maxson, the long-suffering wife of a retired baseball player, in “Fences.” Had she contended in the lead category, where we originally placed her in our prediction center, would she have won over Emma Stone (“La La Land”)?
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Davis won the Tony Award for playing this same part in the 2010 rialto revival of the August Wilson play. For the initial Broadway production of this domestic drama back in 1987, Mary Alice (who originated the role of Rose), won Best Featured Actress in a Play (the equivalent of the supporting category at the Oscars).
Oscars: Complete list of winners (and nominees)
But for the 2010 revival, Davis won the Best Actress in a Play race. While both actresses were billed below the title — which usually signals a supporting performance — in 2010 the administration committee ruled that the role was really a leading one.
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So, the question is whether Davis would have won the Oscar race for Best Actress this year. Vote in our poll below.
