The moment that launched a thousand exits. Viola Davis, as powerhouse attorney Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder, delivers one of the most legendary walk-offs in TV history — a slow, silent purse grab that says “I’m done here” louder than words ever could.
This loop is pure “graceful departure energy” — part shade, part exhaustion, all class.
🎭 How It’s Used
- When you’ve had enough of someone’s nonsense
- When you’re logging off for mental-health reasons
- When the group chat gets too messy
- When your boss says, “Let’s hop on a quick call”
It’s one of the most iconic reaction moments on the internet. Here are a few fun facts about it:
🎬 Origin
- The clip comes from ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020).
- The actress is Viola Davis, playing Annalise Keating, a tough criminal defense professor.
- The moment happens in Season 1, Episode 15 (“It’s All My Fault”) — right after an intense scene, she wordlessly picks up her purse and walks out.
💥 Why It Became a Meme
- Known as the “Viola Davis Purse Walk” or “Viola Davis Leaving” GIF.
- It’s used to express:
- “I’m done with this.”
- “I can’t deal right now.”
- “Exiting this nonsense.”
- It exploded on Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit around 2015–2016, often paired with captions like: “When the group chat gets too messy.”
“When your boss asks you to work overtime.”
🌍 Legacy
- It’s one of the most universally recognized “exit” reaction GIFs online — up there with Homer Simpson backing into the bush.
- Viola herself has acknowledged the meme in interviews and finds it hilarious.
- You’ll often see it reposted as shorthand for graceful resignation, dramatic exits, or self-care energy.