Kerry Washington (born January 31, 1977)
is an
American actress. She is known for her roles as
Ray Charles' wife, Della Bea Robinson, in the film
Ray (2004), as Kay Amin in
The Last King of Scotland, and
Alicia Masters in the 2005 live action
Fantastic Four film and its 2007 sequel,
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. She has also starred in the critically acclaimed independent films
Our Song and
The Dead Girl.
Early life
Washington was born in
The Bronx,
New York, the daughter of a successful
real estate broker father and a professor and educational consultant mother.
[Kerry Washington Biography (1971)] She performed in children's musical theater with the TADA! Youth Theater teen group in 1985, when she was 15 years old. She attended
Spence School in
Manhattan, graduating in 1994; fellow alumni include
Gwyneth Paltrow and
Emmy Rossum. Washington went on to earn a theater degree in 1998 from
The George Washington University as well as study at
Michael Howard Studios in New York City.
Personal life
Washington was engaged to actor
David Moscow from October 2004 to March 2007.
[Washington indicated she was dating again during her appearance on the March 16, 2007 episode of The View.]
