Kerry Washington no longer plays the fictional Olivia Pope on “Scandal,” but she still behaves like a gladiator when it comes to expressing her opinions about Washington, D.C. and Hollywood.
The actress, producer and director instructed Selection on the red carpet at the annual By Way of Her Lens: The Tribeca Chanel Girls’s Filmmaker Program luncheon that she is “generally reluctant” to tell people who they want to help in politics, but she believes in ‘”voting up and down the search for candidates who truly help humanity and inclusion.”
“I’m voting for Biden, but part of the reason I’m voting is because it’s so important for us to hold our elected officials accountable,” she revealed during the event. “And I’m voting for the one I feel like I can do that with – the one I can interact with, talk to; one that helps freedom of expression; one that helps democracy. So, I’m not going to agree with everything a candidate says, but if I don’t vote, I don’t get into the conversation.”
Becoming a member of the Chanel forces by participating in the By Way of Her Lens advisory committee at the Tribeca Pageant was also considered by the Emmy winner and advocate as an important strategy to advocate for communities that want to be recognized in society.
Washington expressed that she was “thrilled” to be partnering with the group that has the “courage” to support the next generation of filmmakers while speaking to a room full of luminaries along with the luncheon host, Tribeca Pageant co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal. , along with Selma Blair, Joey King, Christy Turlington, AV Rockwell, Katie Holmes, Carol Kane, Alysia Reiner and Tribeca Pageant jury member Francesca Scorsese.
“We are creating a pipeline of excellence,” Washington said. “We are creating a scenario where there are no excuses. Nobody’s going to come along and say, ‘Oh, we couldn’t find an amazing director.’ No, because we found them here in Tribeca. We nurture them. We guide them. We bring them together. You have no excuses. Our place is inside the room. Bedrooms should be our rooms, where we let other people in and never beg to be in them. And this program helps make that a reality.”
After the lavish lunch on the sunny patio of Greenwich Lodge, guests participated in a conversation with Washington and fellow committee advisors Patty Jenkins and Oscar-nominated composer Laura Karpman. Moderator Perri Peltz asked the panel on stage to share their views on the current landscape for women and non-binary filmmakers. When describing the power of artist development programs like By the Her Lens, each member discussed how mentorships influence the future of Hollywood.
The director of the blockbuster “Surprise Lady” instructed Selection behind the scenes after the talk that the steps taken by the Tribeca Pageant platform are part of an inspiring movement to create equality in film and television.
“I think there have been a lot of advances and moments of trying to get women and different voices into jobs in the industry. But what we need are different voices to create their content and tell their stories,” said Jenkins. “This is something that must happen before starting the project. This program is so amazing because it’s about developing voices, giving them confidence in their voices, and then giving them the technical details on how to do it.
Jenkins offered further thoughts on working in Hollywood when he suggested to viewers earlier in the day to like studios and executives equally so they shouldn’t be afraid to take risks. “Imagine it in yourself and imagine it in your voice and associate that with excellence.”
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