Viola Davis Slays 2016 SAG Awards, 'HTGAWM' Annalise Keating's Outstanding Performance Award

The 2016 Screen Actor's Guild Awards recognized the top talent in the television realm. Viola Davis made huge gains at the SAG awards, taking home the coveted "Outstanding Performance" by a female actor in a drama series for her riveting role as Annalise Keating on How To Get Away with Murder on ABC. Check out her powerful acceptance speech below!

Dressed in a beautiful off-the-shoulder metallic gown, Davis bought all of the power and grace to the stage when she accepted her SAG award for the second year in a row. Davis beat out some stiff competition against fellow nominees Claire Danes (Homeland), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey) and Robin Wright (House of Cards).

 Thank you @sagaftra, so appreciative of my peers! Congrats to all the winners and nominees tonight! #SAGawards

A photo posted by Viola Davis (@violadavis) on Jan 30, 2016 at 8:44pm PST

In the famed ABC original, HTGAWM, Davis plays a no-nonsense, charismatic and even conniving law professor who most consider to be an anti-hero. A large part of her role as Annalise Keating is teaching the next wave of law professionals how to do their dirt and cover their tracks. During her SAG acceptance speech, Davis addressed concerns about not being a likeable character on screen.

"People are always saying, 'Wow, Annalise is an antihero,' and 'Don't you worry she's not likable?' and 'Don't you worry she's not a mentor?'" Davis said, before continuing, "And I always think, why do I have to be a hero? Why do you have to like me? Why do I have to be a mentor? My job as an actor is to create a human being to the best of my ability. Flawed, messy, maybe not always likable, maybe not always cute."

Davis also took the time to speak on the lack of diversity in the upcoming Oscars awards nomination slate. She shared with some riveting statements about representation and the art form of acting. She stands firm in her beliefs that despite lack of recognition, she will continue to develop and perfect her craft as an actress.

"I see myself as an actor. No matter what is going on in the business, I will find a way to practice my art. And all of the actors of color that I know don't place any limitations on themselves either," she said. "So regardless of what is going on with the Academy, regardless of what is going on in Hollywood, they will find a way to be excellent. We always have and we always will," said Davis.

Check out her full acceptance speech below. Don't forget to tune in to How To Get Away with Murder when it returns Thursday February 11 at 10pm EST!