In September 2023, Kerry Washington released her memoir Thicker Than Water, where she shared a deeply personal revelation: the man who raised her, Earl Washington, alongside her mother Valerie Washington, is not her biological father.
Speaking with Essence, Washington recalled how difficult the discovery was for her family. “My dad was like, ‘This will kill me,’” she explained, noting that even the idea of her taking a DNA test felt devastating to him. She realized that pursuing a journey of self-discovery one where she invested the same creative curiosity in understanding herself as she had in the characters she portrayed would challenge the narrative her family had lived with for decades. “It was very disruptive to our family life and the story we had been telling about who we were in the world,” she said.
That openness and introspection are reflected in the latest chapter of her career. The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards honoree has been busier than ever, joining the ensemble cast of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the newest installment in Rian Johnson’s hit mystery franchise. She’s also set to appear in the crime thriller Animals, written and directed by Ben Affleck, and the Apple TV+ drama Imperfect Women, based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name. The series, debuting March 18, stars Washington alongside Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara, with Washington portraying Eleanor a single, accomplished woman whose deeply flawed nature makes her all the more compelling.
“I’m not a risk-averse artist,” Washington says of the bold roles she gravitates toward. “That openness has given me incredible opportunities. I’m not intimidated by controversial characters or storylines.” Still, she admits her approach has evolved over time. “I’m pickier now,” she adds, particularly when it comes to directors a perspective shaped by her growing work behind the camera as a producer. She first stepped into that role while working on the HBO film Confirmation, where she was responsible for helping select the director.
Washington also acknowledges that uncovering the truth about her origins learning she had been conceived via a sperm donor came at a personal cost. “It cost me my sense of self,” she admits. But after more than three years and numerous family therapy sessions, she says healing and clarity have followed. “Now I return every day to a sense of self that feels much deeper and more grounded.”
KERRY WASHINGTON’S SECOND ACT. LOOK: GIVENCHY SHOE: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN JEWELRY, EARRINGS: SELIM MOUZANNAR RINGS: BVLGARI
KERRY WASHINGTON IS A 2026 ESSENCE BLACK WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD HONOREE. LOOK: ATELIER BISER SHOE: D’ACCORI JEWELRY, NECKLACES: A.JAFFE RING:
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