Viola Davis shares her thoughts on evolution of beauty standards in Hollywood

Viola Davis gets candid about beauty standards in the entertainment industry.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, The Woman King star said, “I think beauty standards have changed.”

“I think that what's shifted is that whole idea of mental health being associated with beauty [and] of understanding who we are beyond male desirability,” stated the Oscar winner.

Davis revealed she was “destroyed” by people who constantly told her that she wasn’t “beautiful.

The Help actress believed, “Beauty is attached with worth and value. And I refuse to believe that I'm not worth it just based on a sort of idea and perception of what people think classical beauty is.”

Davis explained that now women have started embracing imperfections within the beauty industry.

“Women are encouraged to speak their truth a little bit more,” asserted the 57-year-old.

She continued, “We see that with sexual assault, with mental illness, with being burnt-out mamas, with following our dreams and our hopes that we have for our lives.”

Davis pointed out that the definition of self-care has also modified in today’s time.

The actress noted, “It's in showing up when someone hurts you. Creating boundaries and when someone crosses it. Show up for yourself.”

“No one ever taught me that. I felt loving myself was being conceited. No, that's right,” she quipped.