EXCLUSIVE: Clip/podcast with 'Doubt' star Viola Davis

The wealth of Hollywood talent that collaborated on the big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit "Doubt" is astonishing.

The film was produced by freshly-minted Oscar winner Scott Rudin ("No Country for Old Men"). The script was adapted and directed by the playwright, Pulitzer, Tony, and Oscar winner John Patrick Shanley ("Moonstruck"). The actors were costumed by Oscar and BAFTA winner Ann Roth. The art direction was handled by ADG winner Peter Rogness ("Catch Me If You Can"), while the set direction was overseen by Ellen Christiansen ("Far From Heaven"). The film was lensed by seven-time Oscar nominee Roger Deakins ("The Shawshank Redemption"). It was edited by Oscar nominee Dylan Tichenor ("There Will Be Blood"). The finished cut was scored by three-time Oscar winner Howard Shore ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy). And the stars, of course, were 14-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner Meryl Streep ("Sophie's Choice"); two-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Capote"); and Oscar nominee and current "it"-girl Amy Adams ("Junebug").

It's all the more remarkable, therefore, that the "Doubt" participant Oscar-watchers are buzzing about most of all at the moment is a virtual unknown in the world of film: Viola Davis. Over the course of just 11 minutes of screen time — all opposite Meryl Streep, no less — Davis makes such a profound impression that she could well end up garnering an Oscar nomination of her own.

Davis, 43, has made her name in the theater, where she is one of Broadway's most respected character actresses and won a Tony for best featured actress in a play in 2001 for "King Hedley II." She has also appeared in several films over the years, most notably three for director Steven Soderbergh — "Out of Sight" (1998), "Traffic" (2000) and "Solaris" (2002) — but has found, to her disappointment, that movies rarely offer anything more than cliched stock roles for African American women. Then, last year, Davis learned of an exception: the opportunity to play Mrs. Miller in the big screen version of "Doubt," a small but pivotal part for which Adriane Lenox won a Tony on Broadway. (The character was called Mrs. Muller back then.)

On Monday, Davis granted me one of her first interviews about "Doubt," large chunks of which can be heard below. It's one of the more fascinating and poignant conversations I've ever had with an actor, mainly because Davis speaks so eloquently about the hard road she has traveled to get to this momentous juncture in her life and career, but also because she is unusually candid when it comes to sharing her own doubts (for lack of a better word) about her character's strange behavior, and her own suspicions about the allegation at the center of the story. It is not to be missed.

AUDIO CLIP 1: Childhood filled with violence and racism led to acting aspirations...

AUDIO CLIP 2: The hard road to Juilliard...

AUDIO CLIP 3: Discovering racial barriers in Hollywood...

AUDIO CLIP 4: Finding contentment as a working actor...

AUDIO CLIP 5: Becoming a part of "Doubt"...

AUDIO CLIP 6: Playing Mrs. Miller...

AUDIO CLIP 7: Inability to understand Mrs. Miller's behavior...

AUDIO CLIP 8: Personal opinion about whether or not Father Flynn is guilty...

Clip courtesy of Miramax Films.