Arts & Entertainment
Kerry Washington: The ‘A Thousand Words’ Interview
By Kam Williams
Special to The Skanner News
Words,” a comedy co-starring Eddie
Murphy.
B
Kam Williams: Hi Kerry, thanks for
the interview.
Kerry Washington: Thank you,
Kam. How are you?
orn in the Bronx on Jan. 31,
1977, Kerry Washington attend-
ed the Spence School and gradu-
ated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta
Kappa from George Washington Uni-
versity. After making an impressive
film debut in Our Song in 2000, she
went on to win the NAACP Image
Award just five years later for playing
Ray Charles’ wife, Della, opposite
Jamie Foxx in “Ray.” She will again be
paired with Jamie as his spouse in
“Django Unchained,” Quentin Taranti-
no’s revenge flick about slavery in the
antebellum South.
Over the course of her meteoric rise
in Hollywood, Kerry has proved to be a
versatile thespian by virtue of an
impressive list of credits that includes
memorable performances in “Mother
and Child,” “Night Catches Us,” “For
Colored Girls,” “The Last King of Scot-
land,” “The Dead Girl” and “Lakeview
Terrace.” She has also co-starred in
KW: Great! And you?
Kerry: Fine, thanks.
KW: What interested you in “A
Thousand Words?”
Kerry: I really liked the message of
the film, as well as the opportunity to
work with Eddie Murphy.
KW: What was it like working with
Eddie?
Kerry: It was great! It was particular-
ly fun for me because I had worked
with so many people who looked up to
Eddie who had been inspired to go into
the business by him, from Chris Rock
to Jamie Foxx to the Wayans Brothers.
So, it was like finally going to the
source.
KW: Did you every have
trouble keeping a straight
face on the set?
Kerry: Yeah, he’s very
funny. But he’s also incredi-
bly focused, and takes come-
dy very seriously, if that
makes any sense. [Chuckles]
There are so many untold
stories when it comes to
great women of color.
Harriet Tubman’s definitely
a shero, for sure
Words” seems to be double top secret. I can’t
find it anywhere at the usual online sources.
You’re just credited everywhere as “Jack
McCall’s wife.” Will you tell us her name?
Kerry: Oh, that’s weird. I have no idea why
that is. Her name is Caroline. I hope the studio
didn’t have a reason for concealing it because I
just let the cat out of the bag.
KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman asks: if
you could go back in time and give yourself at
18 a piece of advice, what would that be?
Kerry: It would be: Relax and enjoy the ride.
It gets easier.
KW: Bernadette also asks: What is your
favorite charity?
Kerry: Well, I’m on the board of V-Day,
which is a global movement to end violence
against women. I’m very passionate about that.
We have a new campaign called one billion ris-
ing.
See CELEBRITY on page 10
KW: I have a lot of questions for you
from fans.
Kerry: Oh, fun!
KW: Larry Greenberg says: The
name of your character in “A Thousand
www.theskanner.cOm
“Fantastic Four” and its sequel, “Rise
of the Silver Surfer,” “Miracle at St.
Anna,” “I Think I Love My Wife,” “Lit-
tle Man,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “She
Hate Me,” “Against the Ropes,” “The
Human Stain” and “Save the Last
Dance.”
On the small screen, Kerry is set to
play the lead role of Olivia Pope on
“Scandal,” a dramatic TV-series pre-
miering on ABC in April. Here, she
talks about her latest film, “A Thousand
KW: Of course it does.
What message do you think
people will take away from
the movie?
Kerry: It’s kind of about valuing
your words, understanding that what
you say has consequences, and that you
can’t just B.S. your way through life.
Kerry Washington and Eddie Murphy star in “A Thousand Words”
February 29, 2012 The Portland Skanner Page 7