Annalise Keating

Annalise Keating, Esq. (née Anna-Mae Harkness), is a fictional character in the legal drama thriller series How to Get Away with Murder. The character was created and developed by Peter Nowalk and portrayed by American actress Viola Davis throughout the series' run. Annalise is introduced as a complex, high-profile criminal defense attorney and law professor at the fictional Middleton University, known for her social prestige and navigation of university politics. The main narrative begins when Annalise selects five of her students to assist with cases at her firm, drawing them into a series of interconnected murders. Throughout the series, Annalise serves as a protective mentor to her students while balancing the demands of her professional career, personal struggles, and public scrutiny. Annalise has been recognized as a groundbreaking character in television history, praised for advancing the representation of African-American women and LGBTQ+ individuals in mainstream media. Davis’s portrayal earned critical acclaim, culminating in her becoming the first African-American woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2015. The character's complexity, vulnerability, and professional strength have been cited as redefining portrayals of women in legal dramas.