Who’s one of the most entertaining people to watch on TV? Hint: She plays a fast talking lawyer/fixer who surprisingly only eats popcorn and drinks lots of wine. If you guessed Olivia Pope then you’re a Scandal fan. But who’s the woman behind Ms. Pope? The woman who brings Olivia Pope alive is Kerry Washington.
Washington was born on January 31, 1977 in Bronx, New York. Washington attended Spence School where she had participated in school productions and eventually went on to attend George Washington University with a theater scholarship, earning her a degree in performance studies. Her first known role was playing Chenille in Save the Last Dance. She also had roles in other movies like: For Colored Girls, Ray, and Django Unchained. She will also be starring as Anita Hill the HBO movie, Confirmation. As of right now, Washington is mostly known for her role as Olivia Pope in hit tv show, Scandal. Washington is the first black woman in the 21st century to be a lead star in a American network drama series.
When Washington isn’t entertaining people on Thursday nights she is an activist for Gay rights, V-Day (Violence against women and girls), and the Entertain Industry Foundation. With all of her she has earned a Golden Globe nomination, a GLAAD Vanguard Award, 4 NAACP Image awards and that’s just to name a few.
Kerry Washington is an inspiration to lots of women. She’s one of the few people to bring back black women on top with her inspiring talent and her strong activism.