Kerry Washington is the center of attention on The Hollywood Reporter‘s “Hot Drama Queens” June cover and the Scandal star shared with the magazine some of her very own personal drama, like death threats she received in the past.
Washington dishes about the backlash she was hit with from Republican Scandal fans after speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, in support of President Obama.
“After I spoke at the Democratic National Convention — our show has a very active life on Twitter and Facebook — I couldn’t go near any of it because there were threats to my life, violence, sexism and racism. It was shocking that just me speaking at a convention incited all this anger.”
Soon after being attacked for her political views, Washington said she had to start monitoring her social networks closely and even block followers.
“I would never block somebody for saying ‘I disagree with you.’ But the threats to my life..that’s not so good.”
Kerry also opens up about how race is always a factor in auditioning for roles and how it oftentimes creates barriers for African-American actors.
“It’s a little bit different for me because I’ll audition for something and they’ll just decide that they’re not going ‘ethnic’ with a character, which I hear a lot,” Kerry spilled.
“People have artistic license…that’s what casting is: fitting the right look to the right character. Whereas you could maybe lose some weight, there’s not really anything I can do, nor would I want to, about being Black.”