Viola Davis has described shingles as her 'kryptonite' after experiencing the condition more than once. The 61-year-old EGOT-winning actress has described debilitating nerve pain she rated nine out of ten, recalling how shingles once left her unable to work or carry on with everyday activities.

She is partnering with GSK on the 'Shingles, actually' campaign to encourage adults over 50 to talk to their doctors about prevention. ⁠

The Onset of the Condition

Davis recalled waking with flu-like symptoms and an extraordinarily painful rash that began on her stomach and wrapped around to her back. The rash cleared, but she later developed three blisters on her upper back.

She initially mistook it for a spider bite or irritation from a weight belt while working out. The pain made lying down, standing or even dressing difficult. 'I'm telling you, the nerve pain: nine out of 10—easy. It leveled me,' she said. 'It was my kryptonite.'

The episodes occurred roughly a decade ago, when Davis was a new mother after adopting her daughter, Genesis, and her career was gaining momentum following her Oscar-nominated performance in The Help. She recalled running herself into the ground during that period.

In retrospect, Davis said the episodes arrived during a phase of reduced sleep and constant travel between film projects, compounding the physical strain.

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Partnership and Public Awareness

On 7 October 2026 Davis spoke publicly about her experience for the first time at a New York City event launching GSK's 'Shingles, actually' campaign, alongside figures including Kristin Davis.

The pharmaceutical firm announced the partnership the following day, with Davis sharing how the illness forced her to confront the idea that showing weakness was unacceptable. The CDC estimates that about 99.5 per cent of people born before 1980 in the United States have had the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and can later reactivate as shingles. About one in three people in the US will develop shingles during their lifetime.

The CDC recommends two doses of Shingrix for adults aged 50 and older. In adults aged 50 and over with healthy immune systems, the vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective at preventing shingles and its most common complication, postherpetic neuralgia. Davis has said the experience taught her to listen to her body rather than power through pain.

What to Do If Symptoms Appear

Health authorities advise seeking medical advice as soon as possible if shingles symptoms develop. Early signs include tingling or pain in an area of skin, followed days later by a blistering rash usually on one side of the body.

The NHS advises people with suspected shingles to consult a pharmacist within three days of the rash appearing. Antiviral treatment may help speed recovery and reduce the risk of longer-lasting complications.

Urgent help is needed if the rash affects the eye or if the person is pregnant or has a weakened immune system. One woman shared a similar ordeal on X, writing: 'I had an extreme case of shingles at 40 – started in my eye, down my face to my upper back. I spent a year in P.T. relearning how to use my arm again.' ⁠

Davis's account highlights that even people who exercise and feel healthy remain at risk of shingles, with the risk increasing as they age. Antiviral medicines work best when started promptly, while vaccination is an important preventive measure for eligible adults.

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