Essence

Essence.com: So you've got three movies lined up: Lakeview Terrace, Bury Me Standing and Life Is Hot In Cracktown. Does that sound right?
Kerry Washington: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Crackdown is an independent, so we're not sure about the release date on that, but Lakewood Terrace will probably be the next thing coming.

Essence.com: I just interviewed Evan Ross the other day, who is also in the film. Tell me about who your role.
K.W.: You know, it's a very, big ensemble piece and Evan and I actually have one scene together which was really fun because, you know, he's "Tracee's little brother" to me. So, it was fun working with someone like that because it's like family. I play a transgender, drug addict prostitute in the film.

Essence.com: Wow, OK, that's a lot!
K.W.: Yeah! It's not a romantic comedy. [laughs]

Essence.com: You got your start with Our Song with 2000 and, seven years later, you've created quite a lovely resume for yourself. Tell me about how you choose your roles because they seem very well-thought-out. What are you basing your choices on?
K.W.: I gravitate towards work that I think is important in some way. Also, work that sort of speaks to me, you know? I try to do things that I respect and enjoy on the page because there's a higher likelihood that I'll enjoy them in the world. To me, that includes a film like Ray and a film like Little Man. I try to do things that will make me grown and things that I think I'll feel good standing behind, you know?

Essence.com: The great thing that I see is a mixture of mainstream and urban, comedy and indie…your resume just looks very colorful.
K.W.: I don't like to the same thing again. Often when you're an actor and you do something and then if you're good at that one thing, people try to get you to do it again and I really resisted that. Like, I don't like doing the same kind of character, I don't like doing the same kind of movie. I really like to change it up all the time.

Essence.com: Looking back over your resume, which role stands out for you, to you?
K.W.: That's hard. It's like asking a mom, like, who her favorite child is. [laughs] I feel like they're all really, really special, you know?

Essence.com: And is there any role you absolutely won't play?
K.W.: There are lots of things I won't do, but it's really on a case-by-case situation, you know? I've played a prostitute more than once but it's not…I mean, in my personal life, I wouldn't judge a person necessarily based they do, but who they are. That's sort of how I evaluate my choice to play a character as well. The question for me is always, "Is there real humanity there?" I never want to play a stereotype.

Essence.com: So, I know you're only 7 years in, but how do you want the rest of your story to unfold? What do you want the Kerry Washington legacy to be?
K.W.: It's a hard question, to be honest with you. I feel like I'm in an interesting place right now where I'm kind of taking stock and I'm figuring a lot of that out for myself.