Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) is an American actress. She has received several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. She was included in Time's 100 list of most influential people in 2014, and Forbes named her the eighth highest-paid television actress in 2018.
Washington gained wide recognition for starring as crisis management expert Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal (2012–2018). For her role, she was twice nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and once for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. She was further Emmy-nominated for her roles as Anita Hill in the HBO political film Confirmation (2016) and a troubled mother in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere (2020).
Washington made her feature film debut acting in the drama Our Song (2000). She played Alicia Masters in the live-action Fantastic Four films of 2005 and 2007, and has taken roles in diverse films such as Ray (2004), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), The Last King of Scotland (2006), I Think I Love My Wife (2007), Mother and Child (2009), For Colored Girls (2010), and Django Unchained (2012). In 2024, she portrayed Major Charity Adams in the war film The Six Triple Eight.
On stage, she made her Broadway debut in David Mamet's play Race (2009). She returned to the Broadway stage starring in the Christopher Demos-Brown play American Son and reprised her role in the 2019 television adaptation on Netflix.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Kerry Washington, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Vera Draven
2025
The Six Triple Eight
Charity Adams
2024
2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021
Christoph Waltz - The Charm of Evil
Self
2021
The Prom
Mrs. Greene
2020
American Son
Kendra Ellis-Connor
2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Helen Willis
2019
The Words That Built America
Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
2017
Cars 3
Natalie Certain (voice)
2017
Confirmation
Anita Hill
2016
Peeples
Grace Peeples
2013
Girl Rising
Narrator - Nepal (voice)
2013
Django Unchained
Broomhilda von Shaft
2012
Wide-Awake
The Homeowner
2012
A Thousand Words
Caroline McCall
2012
Olmsted and America's Urban Parks
Narrator
2011
Night Catches Us
Patricia Wilson
2010
For Colored Girls
Kelly / Blue
2010
Black Panther
Princess Shuri
2010
The People Speak
Self
2009
Mother and Child
Lucy
2009
Good Hair
Self
2009
Life Is Hot in Cracktown
Marybeth
2009
Lakeview Terrace
Lisa Mattson
2008
Miracle at St. Anna
Zana Wilder
2008
Woman In Burka
Kerry
2008
The Standard Deviants: The Really Big World of Astronomy, Part 1
Self
2007
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
Alicia Masters
2007
Put It in a Book
Sheila
2007
I Think I Love My Wife
Nikki Tru
2007
The Dead Girl
Rosetta
2006
Little Man
Vanessa
2006
The Last King of Scotland
Kay Amin
2006
Wait
Maggie
2005
Fantastic Four
Alicia Masters
2005
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Jasmine
2005
Sexual Life
Rosalie
2005
Ray
Della Bea Robinson
2004
She Hate Me
Fatima Goodrich
2004
Against the Ropes
Renee
2004
The Human Stain
Ellie
2003
The United States of Leland
Ayesha
2003
Bad Company
Julie
2002
Lift
Niecy
2001
Save the Last Dance
Chenille Reynolds
2001
Our Song
Lanisha Brown
2000
Kerry Washington: Thicker Than Water - A Conversation with Robin Roberts
The Standard Deviants: The Salsa-Riffic World of Spanish, Part 1
Herself
The Standard Deviants: The Deep-Fried World of Organic Chemistry, Part 3
Self
The Standard Deviants: The Wrinkle-Free World of English Composition
Self
The Standard Deviants: The Deep-Fried World of Organic Chemistry, Part 2
Self
Sin
Kassie
2003
The Standard Deviants: The Salsa-Riffic World of Spanish, Part 2
Herself
1997
24-7
Netflix Tudum 2025
Self
2025
Shadow Force
Kyrah
2025
UnPrisoned
Paige Alexander · (16 episodes)
2023
The School for Good and Evil
Professor Dovey
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
(1 episode)
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2022
The Disney Holiday Singalong
Self
2020
Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy
Self - Host
2020
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Little Fires Everywhere
Mia Warren · (8 episodes)
2020
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2019
The Alec Baldwin Show
Self · (1 episode)
2018
Red Table Talk
Self · (1 episode)
2018
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
(1 episode)
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (2 episodes)
2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self · (1 episode)
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2015
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
How to Get Away with Murder
Olivia Pope · (2 episodes)
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (3 episodes)
2014
Clique
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2013
The Details
Rebecca Mazzoni
2012
Scandal
Olivia Pope · (124 episodes)
2012
Black Panther
Princess Shuri (voice) · (6 episodes)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Psych
Mira Gaffney · (1 episode)
2006
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (3 episodes)
2004
Boston Legal
Chelina Hall · (5 episodes)
2004
Strip Search
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self · (5 episodes)
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self · (1 episode)
2003
The Guardian
Drea Westbrook · (1 episode)
2001
100 Centre Street
(4 episodes)
2001
The Standard Deviants: The Really Big World of Astronomy, Part 2
Actor
2000
Deadline
(1 episode)
2000
Standard Deviants TV
Herself (voice, uncredited) · (1 episode)
2000
Standard Deviants TV
Herself · (3 episodes)
2000
Teen Choice Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1999
The View
Self · (3 episodes)
1997
The Standard Deviants: The Twisted World of Trigonometry, Part 1
Actor
1997
The Standard Deviants: The Twisted World of Trigonometry, Part 2
Actor
1997
Animals
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
Magical Make-Over
Heather
1994
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1993
Law & Order
Allie Lawrence · (1 episode)
1990
The Simpsons
Rayshelle Peyton (voice) · (7 episodes)
1989
Entertainment Tonight
Self · (4 episodes)
1981
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975
Imperfect Women
(1 episode)
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1944