Viola Davis has been attending award shows and posing for red carpet photos [1] for as long as we can remember, but the actress just shared a story about her first red carpet appearance, and it sounds terrifying. During an interview with Willie Geist [2], Viola explained that she had brutal anxiety during that first-ever experience. "I remember my first red carpet, I had a panic attack. It's one or two panic attacks I've ever had in my entire life," she said. "I wouldn't even wish that upon my worst enemy. I don't have a lot of enemies, but I would not wish that upon anybody."
When Willie asked her what that experience was like [3], she said, "Besides shaking uncontrollably, you mean? Besides hyperventilating? Besides a very beautiful woman named Meryl Streep [4] who told me the day before, 'Viola, listen, I can't be at that award show, but if I win, can you accept the award for me?' and I said, 'Oh my god. Yes! Yes, I'll do that.' And then I got there, I was, like, 'What did I just promise?' That led to the panic attack along with the red carpet."
Anyone who has ever had a panic attack knows how debilitating and uncontrollable they can be [6]. The rapid heart rate and hyperventilation [7] can come out of nowhere, but for Viola, this was in response to her first red carpet and Meryl's large request, which is totally understandable. Watch a clip from Viola's Today interview above, which airs on May 5.