Kerry Washington Discusses Role in Scandal

Kerry Washington recently reminisced about an awkward phone call she made to the Obama White House regarding her role as Olivia Pope in the hit series 'Scandal.' During an appearance on 'The View,' she explained that she called Valerie Jarrett to inform her about the role, which involved her character having an affair with the president, and to provide the administration an opportunity to distance themselves if needed. Washington, who was on President Obama's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities at the time, received a reassuring response from Jarrett, stating, 'It’s fine. It’s TV.' The show, which aired from 2012 to 2018, became famous for its political intrigue and was inspired by real-life crisis manager Judy Smith, who advised on the series. Washington's character and her romance with President Fitzgerald Grant III were pivotal to the show's narrative, which was executive produced by Shonda Rhimes.