Q&A Kerry Washington

With an Emmy Nod for HBO’s confirmation, a newly inked development deal with ABC studios, and baby no.2 on the way, scandal’s favorite operator clearly has her own life “handled.” the ever-busy star took time from shooting her upcoming season to sit down with InStyle editorial director Ariel Foxman to discuss the state of the world today—and the collective power of raising our voices.

The last time I had seen Kerry Washington, she and I were onstage in front of about a thousand people talking celebrity, style, and social media. We were on a featured panel at the South by Southwest mega-conference and festival in Austin, Tex. It was a Sunday morning in spring, and the actress was sharing thoughts on remaining authentic while living in a world that more and more insists on sound bites and filtered posts. “For a lot of celebrities,” she said, “social media has been great in terms of their relationship with the tabloids, because if something incorrect is written, they can just say, ‘That’s not true.’ But because I don’t post about my personal life, I won’t engage with that at all.” But does she read her followers’ comments? “Sometimes I decide whether to read comments based on how close I am to a therapy appointment. Like, ‘Can I handle it today?’ If you don’t like something I say or do, your reaction is really you sharing who you are with me. I ask myself, ‘How able am I to give people space to be who they are without letting it affect me?’ ”

And now, during her decided recess from the hullabaloo of social, Washington is meeting me in real life for a leisurely lunch at the airy Cavatina, tucked into West Hollywood’s labyrinthine Sunset Marquis Hotel. Wearing a maternity dress with mariner stripes, punctuated by a white Prada bag (paging Ms. Pope) and white lug-sole sneakers, the actress—now a few months pregnant with her second child and, yes, GLOWING—slides into a banquette. We quickly pick up where our chat left off…

ARIEL FOXMAN: OK, so let’s start with—well, hello, obviously you’re pregnant.

KERRY WASHINGTON: I am.