Viola Davis Is Super Excited to Receive Harvard's Artist Of The Year 2017 Awards

Viola Davis looks really excited as she goes up to receive the Artist of the Year Award at Harvard University on Saturday (March 4) in Cambridge, Mass.

The 51-year-old Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner gave a speech to the students after she was awarded, and gave them a little advice.

“I spent so many years at Juilliard just wanting to beat somebody up. I think it was the height of my anger; that chip on my shoulder,” she said, via People. “I’m still trying to take care of that chip on my shoulder, by the way. It was mainly because I felt my voice as an artist was being stifled.”

“I want people to be seen. I want them to feel less alone,” Viola said. “I think Picasso is the one who said ‘I paint because I want to show people what’s going on behind the eyes.’”

Click inside to read her advice to the students…

“Your job is to come open and willing to transform, and that’s the power of what we do. And I feel like if one audience member is shifted in any way possible, I’ve done my job,” she said. “I can’t promise that I won’t do some crap every once in a while, because I’ve done some crap, let me tell you… But I have to say that I am honored to even be in the presence of so many artists here.”