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WATCHViola Davis Breaks Down in Tears During Emotional Oscars Acceptance Speech!

Congratulations, Viola Davis!

The 51-year-old actress won the coveted Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Fences at the Oscars on Sunday, Feb. 26 — and broke down in tears during her emotional acceptance speech!

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“Thank you to the Academy. You know, there’s one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered. One place. And that’s the graveyard,” Viola began her speech.

viola davis oscars getty images

Viola winner her Oscar on Feb. 26.

“People ask me all the time, what kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? And I say, exhume those bodies, exhume those stories, the stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition. People who fell in love and lost,” she continued.

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“I became an artist, and thank god I did, because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life. So here’s to [Fences playwright] August Wilson, who exhumed and exalted the ordinary people,” Viola said.

“And oh captain, my captain, Denzel Washington. Thank you for putting two entities in the driving seat: August and God. And they served you well,” she said while holding back tears. “My parents ― I’m so thankful that God chose you to bring me into this world. To my sisters, my sister Dolores, we were rich white women in the tea party games. Thank you for the imagination.”

“And to my husband, [Julius Tennon], and my daughter. My heart, you and Genesis. You teach me every day how to live, how to love, I’m so glad that you are the foundation of my life. Thank you to the Academy. Thank you,” Viola concluded her emotional speech.

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This was Viola’s first Oscars win and third nomination. She was previously nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2009 for Doubt and Best Actress in 2012 for The Help. In 2009, she lost to Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Meryl Streep won in 2012 for The Iron Lady.

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We couldn’t be happier for Viola on her Oscars win!

Click through the gallery below to see more stars on the 2017 Oscars red carpet!