Viola Davis is opening up about a recent health challenge she’s had to endure: a shingles diagnosis. And her revelation only opens up broader conversations about a disease Black people don’t talk about enough.
The EGOT-winning actress divulged the surprising news during a new interview with PEOPLE, where she discussed her reasoning behind her new partnership with GSK for their “Shingles, Actually” campaign. For those unaware, it’s an initiative aimed at having candid conversations about aging and helping adults 50 and older gain a better understanding of their risk of shingles.
Speaking with the outlet, Davis recalled when she first figured out that there was something wrong with her body, explaining how things first set off internal alarms for her not too long after she adopted her daughter, Genesis.
Related: Viola Davis and Other Black Stars Using Their Voices to Call Out Important Issues
“I was a new mom…I was riding off of my Oscar nomination after ‘The Help.’ So I was working, working, working, running myself into the ground. And then all of a sudden, I woke up with flu-like symptoms and an extraordinarily painful rash. I mean, I would put it at a nine out of 10,” she explained. “It started on my stomach, and it wrapped around to my back. It went away, and then it came back with three blisters on my upper back. I was surprised how much pain it was. Hard to lay down, hard to get up, hard to walk. Nerve pain, all of that.”
While she initially thought her symptoms were the result of a poisonous spider bite, she eventually sought medical care and learned that it was shingles instead. Describing the diagnosis as the “surprise of her life,” Davis said it was the wake-up call she needed to refocus her attention on herself and her needs instead of always showing up for others first. That’s why the work she’s doing with GSK means so much and why she’s enacted some different lifestyle changes to keep the harsh realities of shingles at bay.
“I was there for my daughter. I was there for my husband, there for my employees, and I sort of put all of them on a level of importance higher than myself, you know? And I felt that that’s what defined me as a powerful modern-day woman, that I could sort of sacrifice my life for others. And that’s not the case for me anymore,” Davis shared.
And while her story is surprising, it should be noted here how little Black people are involved when it comes to conversations about shingles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in three Americans will develop shingles in their lifetime, with the condition occurring when the virus that causes chickenpox reactivates in the body. As a result, it often causes burning, tingling, itching, or shooting pain before a blistering rash appears.
But unlike how it shows up on white or lighter skin, the rash doesn’t always look bright red on Black skin. Instead, it may appear purple, dark brown, or grayish, which can make it harder to recognize. Research published in 2025 also found that Black adults had lower diagnosed rates of shingles than white adults, but higher adjusted odds of certain complications, including postherpetic neuralgia and shingles-related hospitalization.
Knowing this, Black folks should be mindful of any unusual burning, tingling, or nerve pain, especially when it appears on one side of the body. If you suspect something is wrong, ask your doctor whether your symptoms could be shingles, what treatment options are available, and whether you’re eligible for the shingles vaccine to help protect yourself from future complications.
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