Oscar-Winning Actress, 61, Reveals Shocking Diagnosis

Jason LaVeris / FilmMagic Viola Davis is speaking out about the shocking diagnosis she received following her 2012 Academy Award nomination.

The 61-year-old star told People in an article published Oct.

8 about her past health struggle, including “debilitating pain” that severely impacted her well-being.

“I was a new mom.

I had just adopted my daughter.

I was riding off of my Oscar nomination after The Help .

So I was working, working, working, running myself into the ground,” Davis said.

She and her husband, actor Julius Tennon, 72, adopted their only child, Genesis Tennon, in 2011.

“And then all of a sudden, I woke up with flu-like symptoms and an extraordinarily painful rash,” Davis recalled.

She continued, “I mean, I would put it at a nine out of 10.

It started on my stomach, and it wrapped around to my back.

It went away, and then it came back with three blisters on my upper back.

I was surprised how much pain it was.

Hard to lie down, hard to get up, hard to walk.