History of Kerry Washington in Timeline
Kerry Marisa Washington is a highly acclaimed American actress known for her captivating performances in television and film. She achieved widespread fame for her portrayal of Olivia Pope, a skilled crisis manager, in the ABC drama series "Scandal." This role earned her critical acclaim, including two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Washington's remarkable talent has also been showcased in projects like "Confirmation" and "Little Fires Everywhere," where her portrayals of Anita Hill and Mia Warren, respectively, garnered her Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Her impactful performances and contributions to the entertainment industry have solidified her status as a prominent figure in Hollywood.
January 31, 1977: Birth of Kerry Washington
Kerry Marisa Washington was born on January 31, 1977. This marks her birth date.
1994: Graduation from Spence School
Kerry Washington graduated from the Spence School in Manhattan in 1994.
1994: Screen Debut
Kerry Washington made her screen debut in the ABC telefilm "Magical Make-Over" in 1994.
1996: Standard Deviants Premiere
Washington joined the cast of the PBS sketch comedy-style educational series "Standard Deviants" in 1996.
1998: Graduation from George Washington University
Washington graduated Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University in 1998 with a double major in anthropology and sociology.
2000: Release of "3D" and "Our Song"
Kerry Washington appeared in the short film "3D" and the feature film "Our Song", both released in 2000.
2000: Our Song Release
Washington appeared in the feature film "Our Song", which was released in 2000.
2001: Save the Last Dance Release
Washington appeared in the film "Save the Last Dance", which was released in 2001.
2002: Bad Company Release
Washington played Chris Rock's love interest in the spy thriller "Bad Company", released in 2002. This role marked a turning point in her career as she made enough to qualify for SAG health insurance.
2003: The Human Stain Release
Kerry Washington appeared in the film "The Human Stain", which was released in 2003.
October 2004: Engagement to David Moscow
Kerry Washington became engaged to actor David Moscow in October 2004.
2004: Ray Release
Kerry Washington appeared as Della Bea Robinson in the film "Ray", which was released in 2004.
2004: She Hate Me Release
Washington played the female lead in Spike Lee's "She Hate Me", released in 2004, and received positive reviews for her performance.
2005: First Fantastic Four Film
Kerry Washington first appeared as Alicia Masters in the live-action "Fantastic Four" film in 2005.
2005: Mr. & Mrs. Smith Release
Kerry Washington had a role in the film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith", which was released in 2005.
2006: Little Man and The Last King of Scotland Release
Washington appeared in the films "Little Man" and "The Last King of Scotland", portraying the wife of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the latter, both released in 2006.
2006: The Last King of Scotland and The Dead Girl Release
Washington starred as Kay in "The Last King of Scotland" and also appeared in the independent film "The Dead Girl", both released in 2006.
March 2007: End of Engagement with David Moscow
Kerry Washington's engagement to actor David Moscow ended in March 2007.
2007: Participation in Lee National Denim Day
Kerry Washington joined other celebrities in 2007 for the Lee National Denim Day, supporting the Women's Cancer Programs of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
2007: I Think I Love My Wife Release and "I Want You" Music Video
Washington appeared in the film "I Think I Love My Wife" and co-directed and appeared in the music video for Common's song "I Want You", both released in 2007. She also became a spokesperson for L'Oréal.
2007: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Release
Washington reprised her role as Alicia Masters in "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer", released in 2007.
2009: The People Speak Release
Kerry Washington performed in "The People Speak", a documentary film that used dramatic and musical performances of American historical writings, based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States", and released in 2009.
2009: Mother and Child Release
Kerry Washington starred in the independent film "Mother and Child", released in 2009.
2010: Broadway Debut and For Colored Girls Release
Kerry Washington made her Broadway debut in David Mamet's play "Race" and appeared in Tyler Perry's drama film "For Colored Girls", both in 2010.
2010: Night Catches Us Release
Washington appeared in the independent film "Night Catches Us", released in 2010.
April 2012: Scandal Premieres on ABC
Kerry Washington began her starring role as Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes' drama series "Scandal", which premiered on ABC in April 2012.
June 2012: Invitation to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Following her performance in "Django Unchained", Washington was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2012.
September 2012: Speaks at the Democratic National Convention
In September 2012, Kerry Washington spoke at the Democratic National Convention, advocating for the re-election of Barack Obama and addressing voter apathy.
2012: Scandal Premiere
In 2012, Kerry Washington began her starring role as Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series "Scandal".
2012: Django Unchained Premiere
In 2012, Kerry Washington played the role of Broomhilda von Shaft in Quentin Tarantino's film "Django Unchained".
May 19, 2013: Commencement Speaker at George Washington University
Kerry Washington delivered the commencement address at her alma mater, George Washington University, on May 19, 2013, and received an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts.
June 24, 2013: Marriage to Nnamdi Asomugha
Kerry Washington married former NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha on June 24, 2013, in Hailey, Idaho.
August 2013: Named Honorary Chairperson of GLSEN Respect Awards
Kerry Washington was named an honorary chairperson of the GLSEN Respect Awards in August 2013, recognizing her support for LGBT rights.
November 2, 2013: Kerry Washington Hosts Saturday Night Live
On November 2, 2013, Kerry Washington hosted Saturday Night Live, where she impersonated Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey in a sketch that satirized the show's lack of black female cast members.
2013: NAACP Image Award Win and TV Guide Recognition
Washington won the Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series award at the 44th NAACP Image Awards and was also given the NAACP President's Award in 2013. She was also named "Favorite actress" by TV Guide's Magazine Fan Favorite Awards, with "Scandal" winning "Favorite Drama", and was declared "TV Star of the Year" by the magazine's editors.
2013: Olivia Pope's Style Icon Status
In 2013, Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, from the TV show Scandal, was recognized for her impeccable style by Vanity Fair, who named her one of the "Top Ten Best-Dressed TV Characters."
2014: Time 100 Recognition
In 2014, Time magazine included Kerry Washington in its Time 100 list of most influential people.
2014: Influencer Award for Olivia Pope's Wardrobe
Kerry Washington and Scandal's costume designer, Lyn Paolo, won the Influencer Award at the 2014 Ace Fashion Awards for Olivia Pope's stylish wardrobe in the show.
March 21, 2015: Receives GLAAD Vanguard Award
Kerry Washington received the GLAAD Vanguard Award on March 21, 2015, in recognition of her advocacy for LGBT rights.
2015: Scandal Ranked in Top 10 Political TV Shows
The Boston Globe placed "Scandal" in tenth place on its list of "Top 10 political TV shows" in 2015.
March 2016: Appears in Hillary Clinton Endorsement Commercial
In March 2016, Kerry Washington, along with other ShondaLand colleagues, appeared in a commercial endorsing Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
April 2016: Revelation of Dance Training with Jennifer Lopez
In April 2016, Kerry Washington revealed that she had learned to dance from Jennifer Lopez in the 1990s.
June 2016: Participates in Tribute Video for Orlando Nightclub Shooting Victims
Kerry Washington participated in a video tribute released by the Human Rights Campaign in June 2016, honoring the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting.
2016: Emmy Nomination for "Confirmation" and Launch of Simpson Street
In 2016, Kerry Washington starred as Anita Hill in the HBO movie "Confirmation." Her performance earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress. The same year, she launched her production company, Simpson Street.
2016: Confirmation Release
Kerry Washington portrayed Anita Hill in the HBO television political thriller film "Confirmation", which was released in 2016.
2017: Voice Role in "Cars 3"
Kerry Washington lent her voice to a role in the animated film "Cars 3" in 2017.
April 2018: "Scandal" Ends After Six Seasons
"Scandal", starring Kerry Washington, concluded in April 2018 after six seasons on ABC.
April 2018: Directorial Debut, "Scandal" Crossover, and Broadway Debut
Kerry Washington achieved several milestones in April 2018. She made her directorial debut with an episode of "Scandal," appeared in a crossover episode with "How to Get Away with Murder," and made her Broadway debut in the play "American Son."
November 2018: Attached to Star in and Produce "24/7" and "Shadow Force"
In November 2018, Kerry Washington signed on to star in and executive produce the film "24/7," directed by Eva Longoria. She also committed to starring in and producing the action film "Shadow Force," directed by Joe Carnahan.
2018: Forbes Highest-Paid Actress
In 2018, Kerry Washington was named the eighth highest-paid television actress by Forbes.
2018: Discovery of Conception via Sperm Donor
Kerry Washington discovered that she was conceived via a sperm donor in 2018.
2018: Scandal Series Finale and Forbes Recognition
2018 marked the end of "Scandal" after six seasons. The same year, Washington was named the eighth highest-paid television actress by Forbes.
September 12, 2019: "American Son" Film Premiere at TIFF
The film adaptation of "American Son," starring and executive produced by Kerry Washington, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2019.
November 1, 2019: "American Son" Film Release on Netflix
"American Son," the film adaptation of the Broadway play starring Kerry Washington, was released on Netflix on November 1, 2019.
2019: American Son Release
Kerry Washington starred in the film "American Son", which was released in 2019.
January 30, 2020: "The Fight" Documentary Premieres at Sundance
Kerry Washington executive produced the documentary film "The Fight," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2020.
September 2020: Emmy Win for "Live in Front of a Studio Audience"
In September 2020, Kerry Washington won a Primetime Emmy Award as a producer of the television special "Live in Front of a Studio Audience."
December 2020: Stars in Ryan Murphy's "The Prom"
Kerry Washington starred as Mrs. Greene in Ryan Murphy's film "The Prom," released on Netflix in December 2020.
2020: Emcees the 2020 Democratic National Convention
Kerry Washington emceed the third night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
2020: Little Fires Everywhere Premiere
Washington starred as Mia Warren in the Hulu miniseries "Little Fires Everywhere", which premiered in 2020.
August 2021: Set to Star in and Produce Diane Cardwell Memoir Adaptation and "Six Triple Eight"
In August 2021, Kerry Washington made plans to produce and star in a Netflix adaptation of Diane Cardwell's memoir. She also joined the cast of the war drama "Six Triple Eight," directed by Tyler Perry.
2022: Endorses Stacey Abrams for Georgia Governor
Kerry Washington endorsed Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate for Georgia governor, in the 2022 election.
2022: Recurring Role in "The Simpsons" and "The School for Good and Evil"
Kerry Washington took on a recurring voice role as Ms. Peyton in "The Simpsons" and starred as Professor Clarissa Dovey in the film adaptation of "The School for Good and Evil," both in 2022.
2023: Public Disclosure of Abortion
Kerry Washington revealed in 2023 that she had an abortion in her late 20s.