In her newly released memoir titled “Thicker Than Water,” Kerry Washington explains why she’s rejecting “white girl’s best friend” roles in Hollywood.
Now, this revelation came after her role in the 2004 boxing drama “Against the Ropes,” where she starred alongside Meg Ryan and Omar Epps. Washington portrayed Renee, the receptionist and confidante to Meg Ryan’s character, Jackie Kallen, the pioneering female boxing manager.
Kerry Washington reveals she has been a white female lead for a third consecutive project with the Against the Ropes movie. Her journey in this niche began with 2001’s “Save the Last Dance,” where she was Julia Stiles’ BFF. This was followed by a scrapped pilot for the 2004 Fox dramedy series “Wonderfalls,” where she played the best friend of Caroline Dhavernas’ character. Later, this role became Tracie Thoms’s.
Determined to break free from this pattern, Washington decided that the third white girl role would be her final stint.
Her admiration for Meg Ryan, particularly from the iconic film “When Harry Met Sally,” played a pivotal role in this decision. Washington desired roles that went beyond being an accessory to a white woman’s journey, wishing for her characters to have stories of their own.
Following her transformational decision, Washington’s career evolved with more substantial supporting roles, including Della Bea Robinson alongside Jamie Foxx in “Ray” and Kay Amin opposite Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland.” Both actors went on to win the Oscar for Best Actor.
“Thicker Than Water,” Kerry Washington’s memoir, is now available for readers seeking a deeper understanding of her career and experiences in the entertainment industry.
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