Â鶹APP

Kerry Washington. Photo by Courtney.

Top 10 Facts About Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is a well-known actress who was born on January 31, 1977, in New York. Although she has appeared in numerous television shows, she rose to prominence as Olivia Pope in ‘Scandal,’ for which she received multiple award nominations.

She then gained further recognition for playing Anita Hill in ‘Confirmation’. Washington has also appeared in a number of films. ‘The Last King of Scotland,’ the ‘Fantastic Four’ films, ‘Ray,’ ‘Django Unchained,’ ‘Night Catches Us,’ ‘The Dead Girl,’ ‘Mother and Child,’ and ‘Our Song’ are among the films in which she has appeared.

In 2014, Time magazine named Washington to its Time 100 list of the most influential people. Forbes named her the eighth highest-paid television actress in 2018. Washington has received five NAACP Image Awards, including the President’s Award, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award.

1. She’s named after county Kerry in Ireland 

Kerry Washington. Photo by David Shankbone.

Kerry is a relatively uncommon name — there are many Carrie’s in Hollywood and the entertainment industry, but not nearly as many who spell it the way Washington does. However, her parents did not simply choose a unique name for her — she is named after County Kerry in Ireland. It’s unclear what connection her parents had to Ireland — perhaps they just visited and decided it was so beautiful they had to include it in their future child’s name in some way — but it’s not a bad thing to be named after.

2. Her character, Olivia Pope, was based on a real woman 

Kerry Washington. Photo by David Shankbone.

Olivia Pope appears to be too good to be true at times. I mean, such an amazing, powerful woman who handles every situation like a boss has to be a fictional character, right? Wrong! Shonda Rhimes was inspired to create the character of Olivia Pope after meeting Judy Smith, who, like Olivia, is a lawyer and crisis manager. She has her own firm, Smith & Company, not far from Olivia Pope & Associates, and has worked with a number of well-known celebrities.

3. Former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell is her cousin

Colin Powell. Photo by United States Government.

Olivia Pope appears to be too good to be true at times. I mean, such an amazing, powerful woman who handles every situation like a boss has to be a fictional character, right? Wrong! Shonda Rhimes was inspired to create the character of Olivia Pope after meeting Judy Smith, who, like Olivia, is a lawyer and crisis manager. She has her own firm, Smith & Company, not far from Olivia Pope & Associates, and has worked with a number of well-known celebrities.

4. Her career choice broke her mom’s heart

Kerry Washington. Photo by www.GlynLowe.com.

Acting is a particularly difficult career to pursue; after all, for every wildly successful star who makes it, there are a slew of aspiring actresses who never make it. So, even though her parents appear to be very supportive, her mother’s reaction is understandable — when she revealed that she wanted to be an actress, her mother literally cried. She didn’t want her to go through all of that rejection.

Kerry set herself a one-year deadline to make an impact, and by the end of that year, she already had two roles under her belt and knew she was one of the few who would make it.

5. She’s a certified yoga teacher 

Group of women making stretching exercises in a yoga studio. Photo by JackF.

Kerry Washington used her time in India after college to become a certified yoga teacher while studying Indian theatre.

In fact, while she was trying to launch her acting career, she was teaching beginner’s yoga classes to make ends meet.

She is now obsessed with a different type of exercise, Pilates.

6. At 13, she saw Nelson Mandela speak at Yankee Stadium

Kerry Washington’s parents made it a priority to raise an educated daughter who was interested in the world and pursued her passions. While her peers were spending all of their time at the mall, Kerry, 13, was accompanying her parents to Yankee Stadium to hear Nelson Mandela speak.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her. Kerry has advocated for a variety of causes over the years, most likely as a result of her previous experiences. She is very passionate about her beliefs.

7. She’s married to former NFL star Nnamdi Asomugha

Nnamdi Asomugha. Photo by BrokenSphere.

It’s always interesting to see who certain people end up with. One could imagine Kerry Washington with a serious actor, or even an academic or businessman who had nothing to do with the entertainment industry. But, in the end, the heart wants what it wants, and she found love with former professional athlete Nnamdi Asomugha, who spent several years in the NFL.

Asomugha has since retired and is pursuing a career as an actor.

8. Kerry received a presidential appointment in 2009

Kerry Washington was dragged back into the presidential world in 2009 when she was appointed to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities as one of a few celebrities. Her role as a member of that committee was to visit various schools in impoverished areas and reach out to the children, using the arts to help them see a whole different world that was available to them.

9. She is a spokesperson for L’Oréal Â鶹APP 

Men Antiregreasing gel by L’Oréal Men. Photo by Frettie.

Since 2006, Washington has been a spokesperson for the cosmetics company L’Oréal Â鶹APP. She accepted this position because this company has a history of representing women of various skin types and colours. She has appeared in numerous L’Oréal Â鶹APP commercials and print advertisements, alongside celebrities such as Eva Longoria. Scarlett Johansson, Maya Karin, Gong Li, Doutzen Kroes, Dian Sastrowardoyo, and Michelle Yeoh are among the cast members.

10. She’s a huge supporter of LGBTQ+ rights 

She was named honorary chairperson of the GLSEN Respect Awards in 2013, took part in a Human Rights Campaign project in 2016, and even won the GLAAD Vanguard Award in 2015. The show goes on and on about how Olivia Pope and her team wear white hats and are the good guys, and it appears that this is pretty accurate in Kerry Washington’s own life!