Kerry Washington speaks after “scandal” career -pivot

While Kerry Washington could be known as a fearless Olivia Pope forever scandalSince then, the actress has been part of many exciting projects, including the upcoming action -charged film Shadow power. But while all of these films and television programs continue to consolidate as a large Hollywood power package, Washington has recently revealed a surprising implementation in most of them.

“I became a mother in my years during my years scandalBut I was never able to explore issues of parenting on the show because Olivia Pope made the very good decision not to be a mother, I totally respect her choice, “says Washington to Sheknows.scandal In order to be able to explore many topics of parenthood in the work I did, be it in Small fire everywhere or Animals With Ben Affleck. “

In Small fire everywhereWashington played against Reese Witherspoon as a single mother Mia when she entered a small town in the suburbs when the life of the Richardson family picks up in Richardson. In AnimalsAs a film that has not yet been published, she plays a wife of a candidate for mayor (Affleck), whose son was kidnapped and is recorded for ransom.

“I am attracted to how parenthood affects our decisions,” added Washington.

In ShadowWashington plays a secret agent who broke the rules after falling in love with a co -pion (played by French actor Omar Sy) and greeting a son together (Jahleel Kamara).

“I had searched for an opportunity to do more action because I really love to do this kind of work, but this film was really noticed for me, because yes, it is a big, lively action adventure, but in the heart it is really about the love of family and about being a parent to protect everything that is most important for you.

Playing a mother on the screen was even easier when she hit her son on the screen Shadow. “Yeel is a superstar,” she says of the children's actor. “I have the feeling that he steals the film [in] Every scene in which he is. “

“One of the first things Omar and I did when he registered the film was read with all these actors to play this role,” she recalls. “And we met Yahleel, we said: 'This is it!'”

“How could you not love him?” She adds. “He is just so adorable and talented and clever.”

In the film between intensive heart-racing action scenes, the family of three shares some sweet moments, such as dancing and singing by Lionel Richie in the car.

“I have the feeling that music is a way for many families to connect and connect, and Lionel Richie is like the soundtrack of our life for this family. Lionel is tied to all our greatest memories and moments,” she adds. “And I recently joined Lionel by phone. I said: 'You are like the fourth member of our family. It's like a mother, a father, a son, and like our cousin Lionel, who is only with us all the time.' So music can be a special way to connect.

In her family, Washington, a mother of daughter Isabelle, born in 2014, a son named Caleb, born 2016 and a step mass of her husband Namdi Asomugha's teen daughter.

“Sometimes we will also alternate where you can choose every song you want,” she says. “We somehow turn around the car, which is a funny thing.”

Finally, we asked Washington what is more difficult: to learn French in front of sy or prepare for impressive fight scenes.

“Fortunately, I not only learned French in front of Omar, but with Omar he was super supportive,” she says. “He often said the words to me and I would reset them to him like a parrot because I said: 'You have to help me. This is not a language that I speak.' He was great and so supportive.

“So the combat sequences were much more difficult,” she admits. “You took a lot more time to learn, but you were all fun.”

“Every second to make this film was really that difficult, but joyful,” she says. Shadow beat the cinemas on May 9th.

Before you go, click here to watch more films that are honest with regard to motherhood.