Kerry Washington

**Kerry Marisa Washington**, born on January 31, 1977, is an acclaimed American actress. Celebrated for her leading roles in both film and television, she has received a Primetime Emmy Award, five NAACP Image Awards, and several nominations for Golden Globe Awards. Ranked as the eighth highest-paid television actress in 2018 by Forbes, Washington has significantly influenced popular culture and was included in Time's 100 list of most influential people in 2014. Her well-known role as Olivia Pope, a crisis management expert in the ABC drama series Scandal (2012–2018), has earned her mainstream recognition and critical acclaim. Continued recognition came with her roles in HBO's Confirmation (2016) and Hulu's Little Fires Everywhere (2020). Making her feature film debut in the coming-of-age drama Our Song (2000), Washington has continued to impress in diverse films like Ray (2004), Django Unchained (2012), and the Fantastic Four films (2005 and 2007). In theatre, she debuted on Broadway in David Mamet's play Race (2009) and starred in the play American Son, also reprising her role in its 2019 television adaptation. Besides her active career, her personal life is equally rich, with memoir that shares insights about her family life and personal journeys.