Viola Davis on How She Warmed Up for That Explosive Moment in 'Fences': 'You Don't'

Like the award-winning August Wilson play it’s based on, the film version of Fences is a showcase for stunning performances from the actors that won Tonys for its 2010 Broadway revival, Denzel Washington and Viola Davis.

Related: Viola Davis Will Submit for Best Supporting Actress, Not Best Actress, at the Oscars

For most of the first two acts, it’s Washington (who also directed) chewing up the screen as Troy, a hardened sanitation worker in 1950s Pittsburgh whose family mantra is clearly “tough love.” But then comes “the moment” — a forceful, tear-soaked rebuttal from his wife Rose (Davis) in one of the great monologues in stage (and now likely screen) history. Its potency is so apparent that pundits were predicting Oscar after seeing the film’s trailer.

Asked by Yahoo Movies how she warms up for such an emotionally intense scene, Davis (Doubt, The Help) said quite simply, “You don’t.”

“You let it surprise you,” the actress explained in our chat (watch the video above). “And you let it surprise you by doing all the work with the character beforehand. Her entire life, her entire purpose is dedicated to her husband, her son, and her life. She has nothing else. So by the time the news [which we won’t spoil here] hits her, that’s the devastation.”

Related: ‘Fences’ Review: The Play’s the Thing in This Acting Showcase

Davis describes Rose’s eventual state as being “like a feral dog.” So you have to imagine the scene took a lot out of the 51-year-old actress. “Oh yeah,” she said. “And it does it gradually.”

Fences is in theaters now.

‘Fences’: Watch a trailer: