Viola Davis reveals she prayed for husband who already had children

Actor says she got on knees and prayed for man who would be perfect for her

(Getty Images)

Viola Davis has revealed that, before marrying her husband Julius Tennon, she prayed for the type of man she wanted in her life and hoped to find someone that already had children.

The 56-year-old actor recalled how a friend encouraged her to pray for the man she was looking for during a preview clip of Oprah + Viola: A Netflix Special Event, which will be released on 22 April. According to Davis, she followed her friend’s advice and prayed on her knees to find a man with the qualities she was looking for, which she noted included “looks”.

“He said: ‘Even the vacuous stuff. Just put it all in there, looks, everything,’” the How to Get Away with Murder star recalled. “I said: ‘Really? With God? I got to tell him that?’ He’s like: ‘Yes. You gotta put it all out there.’ He’s like: ‘Be careful.’ And I went, I got down on my knees, and I did.”

To Oprah Winfrey, Davis expressed what kind of partner she was looking for, detailing how she wanted to find a man who already “has kids”.

“I said: ‘I want a big Black man from the south, who’s probably been married before, has kids, cause I don’t want any pressure in that department,’” she recalled. “Someone who’s maybe been an actor, who understands the artistic community. Someone who goes to church and loves God.”

She said she told God that if he gave her her ideal man, she would become more “committed” to going to church herself.

“I said: ‘If you give me that, I’ll start going to church, God. I really will. I’m committed to it,’” she added. “And then I signed off, just like writing a letter.”

The First Lady star noted that “three and a half weeks later,” she met her current husband, Tennon, who had everything that she’d been searching for, and she was shocked.

“I met Julius from Texas,” she said. “Ex-football player, cause that’s actually one of the things I put on the list, a football player, athlete…Been married, raised his children. Was an actor. Invited me to church. And I thought to myself, ‘whoa.’”

Davis and Tennon, 68, got married in 2003 and adopted one daughter together, Genesis, 11. The actor is also stepmother to Tennon’s two children from his previous relationships.

Davis has previously discussed her marriage and how she makes it a priority to spend time with her husband. While speaking to People TV in December 2020, she said that she and Tennon have “together time” each morning and night.

(A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)

“We have together time every single morning when we get in the jacuzzi and we have together time every night ‘cause we get in the tub together,” she explained. “And we soak in the tub and we talk. Sometimes he falls asleep with his mouth open!”

“I give him facials,” she added. “And we just chat, chat, chat, and he’s just really sweet. Every single day we do that.”