“Everyone is imperfect. We’re all messed up,” 49-year-old Kerry Washington says with a chuckle. “At my age, I can say that we’re all doing the best we can. We’re making our best choices. Imperfect bring us all together.”
The actor is talking about life — and her new series, “Imperfect Women,” which just debuted on Apple TV. Washington stars alongside Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara in the limited series about three old college friends whose lives have hit various crossroads.
Washington plays Eleanor, an award-winning philanthropist from a rich family. Mara’s Nancy married into high society, a lofty perch that pushes against her not-so-lofty roots. Moss’ Mary is a stay-at-home writer and mother with a professor husband.
A murder threatens to destroy the trio’s lifelong union.
“The message is that being in a relationship with imperfect people is called a relationship — period,” Washington says. “As you go through the show, every single one of us is navigating secrets and dynamics that ask, “What is loyalty? What is love? What is friendship?” The answer? “It’s messy,” she laughs.
Washington, ponders these topics from her home in New York, where she lives with her husband, Nnamdi Asomugha — a former NFL star turned actor, director and producer — and their three children.
Her good life advice:
Looking for balance
Washington signed on to star in and produce “Imperfect Women” because it’s not just some glossy murder mystery. “We tried to find the right balance with the series. It’s a sexy, juicy thriller with some humor and romance, but these women are real and relatable,” she says. “What we were reaching for was to make our characters as human as possible. That’s where it works. That’s truth. That’s life. … This piece has themes I’ve gravitated toward my whole life. I wrote a lot about it in my memoir, but there’s a gap between who I was in the world and who I am inside. I’m drawn to material that has that struggle. Here it’s about how that dynamic doesn’t just impact one, but a trio.”
A complex story
The former “Scandal” star says bringing the story of “Imperfect Women” to life was important to her. “It’s centering a story on these women and not being an accessory in it,” she says. “I know for myself, I’m always looking for complexity. Here we had three women sitting at the center of this story where they get to reveal what’s going on underneath their pretext.”
Wealth of knowledge
Forget about women over 40 not working as much in Hollywood: These rich stories of aging and still searching for yourself strike such a wide audience, Washington says. “I’ve been on the planet a long time,” she says. “That’s why there are so many stories to tell about women of our age. Experience in life brings a depth.”
Growing wiser
What has she learned with age? “You learn there is so much power in the truth. There is so much intimacy in being who you truly are,” she says, adding, “OK, that was a lot of wisdom, so I’m going to take a nap now!”
Career opportunities
Washington says the ups and downs of her career have also taught her a lot. “As an actor, I’ve been working for some time,” she says. “You have to push past your critics in life and grasp those successes in life. Each win makes you feel more confident for the next challenge. Plus, you can’t control what people think of you all the time. All I can be is as authentic as possible.”
Friends like these
Her kids and aging have made her redefine the idea of friendship. “This comes up with my kids all the time, who look at someone and ask me, ‘Are you friends with that person?’ I will say, ‘I’m friendly. I don’t know if I call them a friend.’ The other day, the kids asked about who is a friend and I thought it about. A friend to me is if I’m in a really tough situation at 3 in the morning, I’m calling that person. When the s—- hits the fan, who do I call? That’s a friend? What name do I not mind ringing up my phone at 3 in the morning. Who do I tell, ‘I’m there? Where do you need me?’ That’s a friend.”
Private matters
Washington keeps her family life private and rarely talks about her kids or husband. “That’s the choice that feels right to me,” she says. “One day, if my kids choose to be interviewed, they would be better to answer that question than I would because their journey is theirs.” Yet Washington says her biggest change was becoming a mother. “My heart keeps growing,” she says. “Motherhood made my life better in every way.”
Smart choices
Washington says small choices add up to a healthy lifestyle. Just take her standard lunch order. “I like to go to this grain-free company where they make wraps made from coconut flower,” she says. “Give me a breakfast burrito in a coconut wrap and I’m ready to go. It’s the best, plus you feel good when you take care of your body.”
Powerful partners
Washington says other female producers like Reese Witherspoon have been incredibly inspirational to her. “Look to your mentors to teach you what something looks like. There is so much power in partnership,” she says. “I want to be able to say, ‘You could do that, so maybe I could do it, too.’ ”
