Kerry Washington was born to Valerie and Earl in the Bronx, New York City, on January 31, 1977. Her father worked as a real estate broker, while her mother was an education consultant and professor. Washington was part of the TADA! Youth Theater teen group and attended the Spence School in Manhattan from her pre-teen years until graduating from high school in 1994. At 13, she was taken to watch Nelson Mandela speak at Yankee Stadium upon his release from prison. She was accepted into Yale University and Dartmouth College but declined both. Instead, she attended George Washington University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1998 with a double major in anthropology and sociology. She also studied at Michael Howard Studios in New York City. On May 19, 2013, she was the commencement speaker for her alma mater, George Washington University. Before giving her commencement address, she was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.
Her mother, Valerie, is a professor and educational consultant, while her father, Earl Washington, is a real estate broker. Her father’s family is of African-American origin, and they moved from South Carolina to Brooklyn. Her mother’s family is from Manhattan. Kerry’s mother has a mixed-race background and is from Jamaica. Her ancestry includes English, Scottish, Native American, and enslaved Africans from the Caribbean. Kerry is related to former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell through her mother’s side. Kerry was conceived through a sperm donor, which she only learned about in 2018.
Siblings
She is her mother’s only child.
Children
Isabelle Amarachi is their daughter, and Caleb Kelechi is their son. In addition, she is a stepmother to Asomugha’s child from a past relationship.
Husband
In June 2013, Kerry married the NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha. The couple has a daughter and a son.
Ex-husband
Kerry was in a relationship with actor David Moscow, and they got engaged in 2004. However, their busy schedules prevented them from spending enough time together, leading to their breakup in 2007.
Lifestyle
Kerry Washington began acting in 1994 by starring in commercials and music videos. Her first appearance was in the 1994 TV movie Magical Make-Over. She also appeared in the educational series Standard Deviants in 1996. Balancing her academic studies and film career was challenging, and she ultimately prioritized her studies. During this time, she continued to pursue theatre and commercial work. After graduating from college in 1998, she started auditioning for movie roles.
Kerry’s first break into the film industry came with the independent feature film ‘Our Song’, released in 2000. Despite winning some awards at various film festivals, the film remained obscure. Kerry’s performance in the film proved her talent and boosted her confidence, leading her to land more roles in other films, including ‘Save the Last Dance’ and ‘Bad Company’. The latter became a significant milestone in her career, as she received a substantial paycheck for her role. In 2004, Kerry was signed by Spike Lee to play the female lead in ‘She Hate Me’. This was the first lead role of her career, and she proved her talent by delivering a brilliant performance. Film critics praised her acting skills and predicted that she was destined for greatness.
She played significant roles in big films such as “Mr. And Mrs. Smith,” “I Think I Love My Wife,” and “Little Man.” In addition to films, she also appeared in numerous TV series like “The Last King of Scotland,” “Boston Legal,” and “100 Centre Street.” She even featured in the music video for the song “I Want You” by Common. She narrated a documentary titled “From the Mouthpiece Back” in 2009 and performed in another documentary film, “The People Speak,” in 2010. She also acted in Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls,” which dealt with the issue of racism.
Kerry Washington is a well-known actress who has acted in several films. However, her performance in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’ brought her enough recognition and praise. In the film, she played the role of Broomhilda, a woman caught up in the American slave trade. The film was a huge success internationally, and the performances received immense accolades. As a result of this success and her solid reputation among filmmakers and actors, Kerry was invited to join the ‘Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ in June 2012.
In 2013, the prestigious ‘Glamour’ magazine named her ‘Woman of the Year.’ She was ranked second on ‘People’ magazine’s annual list of 100 Most Beautiful People in the same year. In 2012, she landed the leading role in the drama series Scandal,’ portraying the character of Olivia Pope, a crisis manager with an on-off relationship with the US President. This role brought her immense success, and the show gained significant commercial and critical acclaim. Time magazine included her in its Time 100 list of most influential people 2014. Forbes also recognized her achievements, naming her the eighth highest-paid television actress in 2018.
Kerry Washington is a talented actress with many accolades and awards. She has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards and has won several NAACP Image Awards, including The President’s Award. Her role in the TV show ‘Scandal’ made it one of the most talked-about shows on social media. In 2016, she starred in the lead role in the HBO film ‘Confirmation’ and was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award for her performance. Kerry also lent her voice to the animated film ‘Cars 3’. She has written a book called ‘Thicker than Water: A Memoir’ published by Little Brown Spark in 2023.
Washington is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. In August 2013, she was appointed as an honorary chairperson of the GLSEN Respect Awards and was honoured with the GLAAD Vanguard Award on March 21, 2015. In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in memory of the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting; Washington and others shared the stories of those who lost their lives in the tragic incident. She is a part of the Creative Coalition, which consists of actors, writers, musicians, and producers who discuss issues at the forefront of national discourse. Additionally, she is a member of V-Day, a global movement that raises awareness about violence against women and girls. In March 2016, Washington and her Shondaland colleagues Ellen Pompeo, Viola Davis, and Shonda Rhimes appeared in a commercial endorsing Hillary Clinton for President. Furthermore, she hosted the third night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Washington also supported Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election.
Net Worth
Kerry Washington is estimated to have a net worth of around $55 million.
Cars
Kerry leads a life of luxury and possesses high-end cars.
House
She resides with her family and formerly owned a Hollywood Hills home. Additionally, it is rumoured that she possesses a Beverly Hills estate, an LA compound, and a New York penthouse.
Movies & TV Shows
Kerry Washington has acted in several films and television programs, but her breakthrough performance was in the drama series Scandal on ABC (2012–2018) as Olivia Pope. She portrayed a crisis management specialist in this capacity. She received two nominations: the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Television Series and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Series. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her performances as Anita Hill in the HBO political drama Confirmation (2016) and Mia Warren in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere (2020).
Kerry Washington is recognized for her remarkable performances in various movies, including her portrayal of Della Bea Robinson in Ray (2004), Kay in The Last King of Scotland (2006), Alicia Masters in the live-action Fantastic Four movies of 2005 and 2007, and Broomhilda von Shaft in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained (2012). Additionally, she has starred in several independent films, such as Our Song (2000), The Dead Girl (2006), Mother and Child (2009), Night Catches Us (2010), and American Son (2019).
She frequently attempts to save something from each role, such as a wardrobe item or a piece of furniture from the character’s home, as a kind of memento or keepsake. In 2022, Washington will play Ms. Peyton, a fourth-grade teacher, on The Simpsons. In the movie version of The School for Good and Evil, directed by Soman Chainani, she portrays Professor Clarissa Dovey.
