Arts & Entertainment

Viola Davis: ‘HTGAWM’ character’s pansexuality was inspired by Jazz Jennings

The character has been involved with both men and women

Published

8 years ago

November 13, 2018

Mariah Cooper

Viola Davis (Screenshot via YouTube)

Viola Davis says she was inspired to make Annalise Keating pansexual on “How to Get Away with Murder” after watching an episode of TLC’s “I Am Jazz,” which follows transgender teen Jazz Jennings.

In an interview with PrideSource in promotion of her new thriller “Widows,” Davis describes the moment in the reality show that made her view Annalise differently.

“They were talking about who they see themselves with in the future, and they were like, ‘Whoever, you know. I’m open. I’m open to a boy, I’m open to a girl.’ And they started talking about just the attributes of the people they wanted to be with. That transformed me more than anything,” Davis says.

“I thought that was a great idea for Annalise because Annalise is so damaged, so traumatized that what if she just said, ‘I’m just open to love’? God, think about what we can explore there,” she continued.

On the series, Annalise has dabbled with numerous relationships with men and women. She was married to Sam Keating (Tom Verica) and was also involved with detective Nate Lahey (Billy Brown). She has a flirty relationship with her colleague, Bonnie Winterbottom (Liza Weil) and was in a serious relationship with death row attorney Eve Rothlo (Famke Janssen).

Davis says “I had everything to do with that,” of Keating’s pansexual identity, although she does also credit series creator Pete Nowalk.

“How to Get Away with Murder” airs on Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC. You can also catch Davis in “Widows,” directed by Steve McQueen, which hits theaters on Nov. 16.

Up Next

Kehlani gets real about her struggles as a pregnant queer woman

Don't Miss

Troye Sivan reads sexually explicit tweets from fans

FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Out & About

Equality Chamber hosts Pride in Business Expo and Profits & Pours

Entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals to meet at Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs

Published

2 hours ago

October 4, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Photo by auremar/Bigstock)

The Equality Chamber of Commerce is bringing together LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals, advocates, and community partners on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m. at the D.C. Mayor’s Office for LGBTQ Affairs (899 N. Capitol Street, NE).

This is an afternoon and evening focused on one essential question: How do we build businesses and a business community that can thrive? The Pride in Business Expo and Profits & Pours with Stephanie will create a powerful forum for connection, practical knowledge, and economic opportunity at the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs. The Pride in Business Expo, taking place from 4-7 p.m., brings the region’s LGBTQ+ business community together to showcase businesses, build relationships, discover resources, and create new opportunities.

Out & About

Learn more about Virginia’s queer history

‘The Remarkable Visibility of Hannah Nokes’ event scheduled for Wednesday

Published

3 hours ago

October 4, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Image by larich/Bigstock)

Queer Virginia Contributor Amy Bertsch will host “The Remarkable Visibility of Hannah Nokes” on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at Sprouse Rare Book Room inside the Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library (717 Queen St., Alexandria, Va.).

Amy will share the story of Hannah Nokes, an African-American transgender woman who made headlines in 1933 when she testified in a high-profile murder trial. Learn about Nokes’s life, her place in history, and the broader social context of her remarkable story. Her story is among those featured in the book “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion.”

Out & About

Annapolis Pride arrives this weekend

Sixth annual LGBTQ celebration held in Maryland capital

Published

2 days ago

October 2, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Annapolis Pride is set for Saturday. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Sixth Annual Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. on the streets adjacent to St. John’s College.

The theme of this year’s Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival celebration is “United in Pride, Together We Thrive!” Saturday’s parade will begin on St. John’s Street adjacent to St. John’s College, continue along Calvert Street to Northwest Street, to Church Circle, and onto West Street. The parade route then turns onto Amos Garrett Boulevard and eventually ends on Constitution Avenue near Maryland Hall.

Those with disabilities will be able to watch the parade from a special viewing porch at the Graduate Hotel at 126 West St. An Annapolis Pride volunteer will be there and available to assist.

For more details, visit the festival’s website.