She’s one of our favorite leading ladies on Thursday night television, but this summer Kerry Washington steps out of her stylish stilettos and envy-inducing wardrobe to bring us the voice of Natalie Certain, the numbers crunching roadster in Pixar’s Cars 3, in theatres now.
It’s a welcomed change for the woman we’re used to seeing save the country one public relations mess at a time. Without the pressure of memorizing lines, getting dressed up, and sitting in the hair and makeup chair for hours on end, the award-winning actress was able to relax and have fun in her animated role.
Besides that, Washington, who is mom to 4 year-old Isabelle and 8 month-old Caleb is happy to now have a legitimate excuse to binge on the family-friendly franchise she enjoyed long before motherhood.
Even so, if you think the role of a sassy, smarty-pants sports car has turned this eco-conscious city girl into a motor junkie, think again. When asked about her dream ride she quipped, “I can tell you the dream boots I want for fashion. And my favorite coat that Olivia Pope is wearing, but I think for me, I just really love driving something that’s good for the planet and good for my pocket.
This feature originally appeared in the July 2017 Issue of ESSENCE Magazine.