Kerry Washington has been on her A-game for over a decade now, and this all seemed to start with Scandal. The actress portrayed Olivia Pope on the incredibly popular ABC series for seven seasons, cementing her status as a leading lady. Even though Washington has starred in some great movies and TV shows since, all roads seem to lead back to the network drama, and she appears to agree. Now, the Little Fires Everywhere actress has opened up about what Scandal has meant to her and the lessons she took from starring in the hit show.
Ahead of Washington receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she spoke to Variety about the career milestones that led to this moment. It was impossible to talk about milestones without discussing Scandal and the cultural icon that her character Olivia Pope became. The no-nonsense, political fixer character became a feminist icon, and she is often cited as a media shift in how Black women were portrayed on television. Because of this, many often cite Washington for changing their life, which the actress understands intimately. She said:
When people come up to me, they often talk about how Olivia Pope changed their life, and I get it — because she changed my life too.
The time period in which she did Scandal was transformative for Washington. Her status and talent landed her more big Hollywood acting roles like Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, and she took on more responsibility behind the scenes by directing and producing.
The Scandal era was also huge for her personally, as Washington got married and started a family during its run. She said:
I got married [to Nnamdi Asomugha], had children and bought a home. So much changed for me in those years. I’m really, really grateful to Olivia Pope for how she impacted culture, but also how she impacted me.
While life milestones were important, it was her inner growth that made Scandal so formative for Washington.
Notably, the actress was number one on the call sheet for this show for its entire run. Her being the central character gave her a natural leadership position on set which the Ray star found empowering. Also, her character being so confident and in control gave her more confidence in her own life. She explained:
She reminded our culture that everybody deserves to be the lead character in the story of their lives, regardless of what they look like, or who they love, or what Zip code they were born into, or what religion they are. On a personal level, it took me being No. 1 on the call sheet to be willing to see myself as No. 1 in my own life.
Washington is certainly the hero of her own story.
She has since expanded her repertoire with her production company Simpson Street, and it has helmed projects like UnPrisoned, American Son, and Confirmation, all of which had Washington as number one on the call sheet. She seems to focus on stories that deserve more of a spotlight, especially those from marginalized or underrepresented communities.
Now, it seems like Olivia Pope isn’t the one changing lives. The actress herself, who has become an unstoppable and inspirational force in Hollywood and beyond, is the one doing that.
You can see Kerry Washington in her upcoming project on the 2024 movie schedule, The Six Triple Eight, which will be available with a Netflix subscription on December 6th. Fans can also revisit her star-making performance in Scandal with a Hulu subscription. For more information on other exciting titles streaming this year, make sure to consult our feature on upcoming Netflix releases.
