Kerry Marisa Washington, an American actress, gained widespread recognition for her role as crisis management expert Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal (2012–2018), earning her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and one Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.
Her portrayals of Anita Hill in the HBO television political thriller film Confirmation (2016) and Mia Warren in the Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere (2020) both garnered Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. In 2014, Time magazine included Washington in its Time 100 list of most influential people.
Forbes named her the eighth highest-paid television actress in 2018. Washington has won a Primetime Emmy Award and five NAACP Image Awards, including The President's Award. Scandal, an American political thriller television series starring Kerry Washington, aired on ABC from April 5, 2012, until April 19, 2018, for 124 episodes over seven seasons. It was created by Shonda Rhimes.
Read More On CNN Decision to Terminate Chris Cuomo
Kerry Washington Scandal Key Characters and Their Roles
The character of Olivia Pope, portrayed by Kerry Washington, draws inspiration from Judy Smith, a former press aide in the George H. W. Bush administration, who also serves as a co-executive producer. Set in Washington, D.C., the show centers on Olivia Pope's crisis management firm, Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), its team, and the intricate political landscape surrounding the White House.
The show features a cast of prominent actors. Kerry Washington stars alongside Tony Goldwyn as Fitzgerald Grant III, President of the United States—later a former president—and Olivia's main love interest. Darby Stanchfield portrays Abby Whelan, an assistant at OPA (later renamed Quinn Perkins & Associates or QPA), and also the former White House Press Secretary and Chief of Staff.
Katie Lowes takes on the role of Quinn Perkins, former assistant at OPA and later head of QPA. Guillermo Diaz plays Huck, a former agent of a spy agency called B613 and assistant at QPA. Jeff Perry appears as Cyrus Beene, the former White House Chief of Staff under Grant and later Vice President of the United States under Mellie Grant. Joshua Malina embodies David Rosen, the Attorney General.
Bellamy Young portrays Mellie Grant, the ex–First Lady, a former senator, and later the President of the United States after Grant. Scott Foley portrays Jake Ballard, the Director of the NSA and Olivia's secondary love interest. Cornelius Smith Jr. brings Marcus Walker to life, a civil rights activist, who used to be an OPA assistant and White House Press Secretary.
Big Jill Leaked Videos Spark Online Frenzy
Scandal Popularity Among Audiences
Joe Morton stars as Eli "Rowan" Pope, Olivia's father and the former head of B613. George Newbern takes on the role of Charlie, a former B613 agent who later becomes a member of QPA. The show garnered multiple accolades, including being named a Television Program of the Year by the American Film Institute and receiving the Peabody Award for Excellence in Television.
Kerry Washington, the lead actress, won the Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series and received nominations for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Drama Series.
Catch Up With FBoy Island Hottest Trends and Latest News Update
In a 2016 study conducted by The New York Times on the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes, Scandal was noted for its popularity among black audiences. Specifically, it was observed to follow the classic pattern of a show favored by a black audience. The series particularly resonates with African American female viewers.
Compared to the first season's finale, viewership increased by 25% in total viewers and 39% in the Adult 18–49 demographic. The season 3 premiere experienced a surge in viewership, with a total of 10.5 million viewers, marking a remarkable 71% increase from the previous season's debut in September 2012. Similarly, the season finale saw a substantial rise in viewership, attracting 10.5 million total viewers, up by 15% compared to the previous season's finale in May 2013.
