Viola Davis: Anyone who labels Meryl Streep overrated doesn’t know anything about acting

The actress won the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Fences alongside Denzel Washington.

Speaking backstage, she celebrated her former Doubt co-star, Meryl Streep, saying: “When the two of us get together we are awfully funny and fun broads, especially when we’ve had a couple of sippy sips.”

Alluding to Trump’s claim that Streep is “overrated”, she said: “Anyone who labels Meryl Streep as an overrated actress doesn’t know anything about acting… She is the most honourable, accessible human being you could possibly want to meet.”

Davis also spoke about the importance of telling personal African American stories, like Fences does, and said that the lives of people who aren’t in history books or are “a walking social statement” are worth being shared, too: “I’m a woman, I’m sexual, I’m joyful, I’m funny, I’m tragic, I’m all of those things… that in itself should be worthy.”

She also hoped that the recognition of films made by and starring black talent would continue: “We have one year of having a plethora of African American movies: Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Fences, and then nothing. People are already making Oscar predictions for next year and there are very few African American names in there…”

The BAFTAs were held at London’s Royal Albert Hall and were hosted by Stephen Fry. Get the full winners list here.