Viola Davis gives heartfelt speech at Critics' Choice Movie Awards

By: Jessica Derschowitz
Topics: Movies

Viola Davis accepts the Best Actress award for "The Help" during the 17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards on Jan. 12, 2012, in Los Angeles.

(Credit: Getty)

(CBS) Viola Davis strengthened her Oscar prospects with a best actress win at Thursday's Critics' Choice Movie Awards, but she also tugged at heartstrings by delivering a powerful acceptance speech.

"I am absolutely so humbled," said Davis, who won the award for playing Aibileen Clark, a maid living in 1960s Mississippi.

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"I wanted to be somebody. I wanted to dream big and make a mark somehow, and that's something absolutely that Aibileen was not afforded," she continued. "I considered it my honor to pay homage to these women at this time period who were not allowed to dream."

During the speech, cameras cut to Davis' co-star Octavia Spencer, herself a winner in the best supporting actress category, who appeared to have tears in her eyes.

"The Help" finished the night with three awards in all - acting honors for Davis, Spencer and a best acting ensemble award for the entire cast.