The Confirmation of Kerry Washington

Scandal star Kerry Washington revives Anita Hill in HBO's Confirmation.

- Jason Lynch

When she made her debut four years ago as ace D.C. crisis manager Olivia Pope on the ABC drama Scandal, Kerry Washington would not allow herself to dream that the show would ever become the hit that it is. “I didn’t have a lot of expectations, to be honest,” she admits. “It was a great thing, but I feel like expectations are resentments in waiting. But in a million years, I couldn’t have expected the success of the show and the impact that it would have culturally in terms of fashion, changing language, images of gender and the landscape of casting in television.” Nor did she anticipate the impact that Scandal—one of broadcast television’s top 10 series in the 18-49 demo—would have on her career. The actress has secured partnerships with a variety of brands and causes— among them, Neutrogena, Movado, Apple Music and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign (see sidebar). Now, add the job of producer to Washington’s resumé. She not only stars in but is also an executive producer on the HBO original film Confirmation, premiering April 16, which revisits Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ 1991 Senate confirmation hearings—an event that was dominated by the testimony and sexual-harassment accusations of his former assistant, Anita Hill (played by Washington). Here, Washington talks to Adweek about her hit show, the HBO project, how she helped pioneer the art of live tweeting TV shows, and why she refuses to be just a pretty face for brands.

Why did Confirmation speak to you, as an actress and producer?