Last night, Kerry Washington went on Facebook and Instagram to share her excitement about being featured on the cover of Adweek. But there’s just one problem: her image has been retouched and altered to the point that she can hardly recognize herself.

So…You know me. I’m not one to be quiet about a magazine cover. I always celebrate it when a respected publication invites me to grace their pages. It’s an honor. And a privilege. And ADWEEK is no exception. I love ADWEEK. It’s a publication I appreciate. And learn from. I’ve long followed them on Twitter. And when they invited me to do a cover, I was excited and thrilled. And the truth is, I’m still excited. I’m proud of the article. And I like some of the inside images a great deal. But, I have to be honest…I was taken aback by the cover. Look, I’m no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot. In a way, we have become a society of picture adjusters – who doesn’t love a filter?!? And I don’t always take these adjustments to task but I have had the opportunity to address the impact of my altered image in the past and I think it’s a valuable conversation. Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It’s an unfortunate feeling. That being said. You all have been very kind and supportive. Also, as I’ve said, I’m very proud of the article. There are a few things we discussed in the interview that were left out. Things that are important to me (like: the importance of strong professional support and my awesome professional team) and I’ve been thinking about how to discuss those things with anyone who is interested, in an alternate forum. But until then…Grab this week’s ADWEEK. Read it. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being patient with me while I figured out how to post this in a way that felt both celebratory and honest. XOXOXOX

A photo posted by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) on

Apr 5, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT

This is not the first time Washington has fallen victim to a Photoshop fail. In 2013, Lucky Magazine received backlash for using an image of Washington that had been poorly doctored to make her skin appear lighter. Just last year, InStyle featured Washington on the cover, and her fans were quick to call out that her skin had been lightened once again. InStyle responded by saying it was not Photoshop but rather the lights in the studio that were responsible for the lightness of her complexion in the image.

This time, however, the changes are much more noticeable. Not only was Washington’s skin tone lightened, but her face seems to be altered slightly as well. She commented, “It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It’s an unfortunate feeling.”

Washington clarified that she has long loved, appreciated and learned from Adweek. She encouraged fans to look past the cover and read the article about her inside the magazine, which she said she is “very proud of.”

Washington’s response was classy and honest, and we expect nothing less from her. Hopefully, Adweek and other magazines will take notice of her statement and ease up on digital alterations. It’s understandable to retouch an image to improve the quality, but to alter an image to the point that the person in the picture cannot even recognize herself? That is unacceptable.

Kerry Washington Falls Victim to Yet Another Photoshop Fail

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