Current:Home > NewsWhy Kerry Washington Thinks Scandal Would Never Have Been Made Today -Aspire Money Growth
Why Kerry Washington Thinks Scandal Would Never Have Been Made Today
View
Date:2025-04-12 21:01:18
Kerry Washington has a scandalous hot take.
While the Scandal star received critical acclaim for her groundbreaking portrayal of crisis manager Olivia Pope on Scandal the ABC political drama, the actress was blunt when asked if she thought the show would get made today.
“No,” Washington said during a panel at the Bloomberg Screentime conference Oct. 10. “100 percent no. For so many reasons.”
When the series premiered in 2012, Washington was the first Black woman to lead a network drama in 38 years—after Teresa Graves in Get Christie Love!, which debuted on ABC in 1974—and only the third in American television history.
“I was in my early thirties at the time, so it hadn’t happened in my lifetime,” the Django Unchained star noted. “I hadn’t seen it, and everybody called it a risk. The studio thought it was a risk, the network thought it was a risk. Everybody was proud of ABC [and] Disney for taking this risk.”
Describing the current TV climate as being “risk-averse,” she added, “I don’t know that it would have been greenlit with me, with a Black woman at the center.”
The 47-year-old also pointed out that execs initially had a different actress in mind to take on her now-iconic role, for which she earned two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
“Shonda Rhimes has talked about this publicly,” Washington said of the Scandal creator. “When they first read the script, the executives were like, ‘This is a great role for Connie Britton.’ And I love Connie, but the show is inspired by a real woman named Judy Smith, who is a Black woman.”
She continued, “If it hadn’t been inspired by a real woman who is a Black woman, then everybody would have said, ‘Let’s make her white.’ You didn’t have the option to say that.”
While Britton ultimately didn’t take on the role as Rhimes’ vision ultimately won ABC over, the Nashville alum does have quite the connection to the series: Katie Lowes worked as a nanny for her son Eyob, now 13, before being cast in the role of Quinn Perkins.
“I was so upset when she got this little pilot,” Britton joked to E! News in 2014. “I think it was really pretty selfish on her part, I'll be honest.”
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (747)
Related
- Backstage at New York's Jingle Ball with Jimmy Fallon, 'Queer Eye' and Meghan Trainor
- At 99, this amazing Holocaust survivor and musician is still beating the drum for peace
- My 8-year-old daughter got her first sleepover invite. There's no way she's going.
- Howard University is making history as the first HBCU to take part in a figure skating competition
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Coyotes look to terminate Adam Ruzicka's contract after problematic social media video
- Yale joins other top colleges in again requiring SAT scores, saying it will help poor applicants
- Alabama Senate OKs bill targeting college diversity efforts
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Despite a Big Budget Shortfall, Moore Commits $90 Million to Help Maryland Cut Emissions.
Ranking
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Celebrity owl Flaco dies a year after becoming beloved by New York City for zoo escape
- How an eviction process became the 'ultimate stress cocktail' for one California renter
- Backstory of disputed ‘Hotel California’ lyrics pages ‘just felt thin,’ ex-auction exec tells court
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- How Portugal eased its opioid epidemic, while U.S. drug deaths skyrocketed
- A Brewer on the Brewers? MLB player hopes dream becomes reality with Milwaukee
- Stolen memory card used as evidence as man convicted in slayings of 2 Alaska women
Recommendation
Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
Trump says he strongly supports availability of IVF after Alabama Supreme Court ruling
LeBron scores 30 points, Davis handles Wembanyama’s 5x5 effort in Lakers’ 123-118 win over Spurs
Checking a bag will cost you more on United Airlines, which is copying a similar move by American
Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
Wyoming starts selecting presidential delegates Saturday. But there’s not a statewide election
A collection of the insights Warren Buffett offered in his annual letter Saturday
$454 million judgment against Trump is finalized, starting clock on appeal in civil fraud case