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Kerry Washington received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday (Dec. 2).
She was accompanied by her husband Nnamdi Asomugha and celebrated by her longtime friends, Tyler Perry and Shonda Rhimes. When Perry spoke, he joked, “This is so great; I get to roast her in front of her.” The entertainment mogul was “honored” to witness Washington get her star because of all the moments they’ve shared over the years.
Perry reflected on the first time they met. “She’s beautiful, this little, dainty woman. She’s talking and I’m like ‘where is your inside voice?’ She was so loud […] She is incredibly kind and giving and powerful and her heart speaks first. As I look at the roles that she has taken on from For Colored Girls to all the things mentioned, she approaches it with heart. She’s not just acting, but she’s representing the people that she’s portraying.”
He also joked how Washington embodies her roles so much that her daughter, Isabelle, nailed the Olivia Pope walk—considering she was pregnant with her while filming Scandal.
Rhimes, the visionary behind the hit political drama, joked, “Usually, I write words and then Kerry says them. So, this is new for me, but I’m really glad to be here for Kerry.” She detailed how Washington’s star was so “well-deserved” because she’s a star beyond Hollywood.
“I like Kerry and I don’t like anybody, but Kerry and I grew to have this connection through our Olivia Pope. A really, super-weird, intense, over-a-cliff kinda connection. We both gave ourselves over to this process where she never questioned what I wrote for Olivia and I never questioned how she played Olivia. I don’t know if I can fully describe how rare that is,” said Rhimes as she broke down the depths of her and Washington’s sisterhood.
The Shondaland icon added, “When Kerry became Olivia Pope, I didn’t realize I was doing more than hiring an incredibly talented actor. I was starting an education I didn’t know I needed. […] Kerry doesn’t just shine for herself. She shares her light with anyone who needs it.”
Washington later thanked them both during her speech before sharing a touching story on her immigrant family coming to Hollywood and seeing their family name on a Walk of Fame star. So, now she hopes that someone with the last name Washington or first name Kerry will see hers and dream of having their own star on the beloved landmark.
Watch the full ceremony above.
English (US) ·