By Erin Cabrey
Kerry Washington, who stars as Anita Hill in Confirmation, has become a household name for her role in “Scandal.” (Richard Shotwell/AP)
Everyone knows Kerry Washington as White House crisis manager Olivia Pope in “Scandal,” but HBO’s new film Confirmation sees Washington take on a very different situation in the nation’s capital. Washington stars in the film as Anita Hill, a woman who inspired a generation of women to take action against injustice.
Revisiting History
In 1991, law school professor Anita Hill was called to testify during Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court hearings after accusing him of sexual harassment when the two worked together at the Department of Education, and later, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Speaking on his character, Hill detailed alleged encounters that occurred over their nearly three years of working together. Thomas denied all allegations, and public opinion favored Thomas over Hill. He was confirmed into the Senate with a 52 to 48 vote in October of 1991.
Kerry Washington has brought Hill’s story to the forefront again in Confirmation, which chronicles the events that unfolded when Hill came forward with her accusations against Thomas. As star and executive producer of the film, Washington retells the story for those who remember the hearings that dominated the news and introduces a new generation to a story that remains just as relevant as ever.
A USA Today review praised Washington’s nuanced performance, which she prepared for by meeting with Hill and closely studying the proceedings. “She expertly captures Hill’s emotionally drained speaking style. Yet what’s equally impressive is her use of silence, in the way she watches Thomas on TV, breathing slowly and weighing whether she should put herself forward, or the way she closes her eyes and gathers herself before she speaks,” the review by Robert Bianco said.
Kerrying the Torch
Kerry Washington, a Bronx native, attended the Spence School in Manhattan and graduated from George Washington University in 1998. She went on to hold supporting roles in films such as teen drama Save the Last Dance and as Chris Rock’s wife in Bad Company. She also gained recognition for her role in The Last King of Scotland and as Ray Charles’ wife in Ray. In 2009 she debuted on Broadway in the David Mamet show “Race.”
In 2012, Washington became the first African-American actress since 1974 to be the lead in a network television drama as Olivia Pope on the Shonda Rhimes ABC political drama “Scandal.” Washington’s performance, which has earned her an NAACP award along with Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG Award nominations, has made Olivia Pope a modern television icon and caused every working girl to wish her wardrobe was half as amazing as hers.
She is not only promoting female empowerment through her television and movie roles, but in her own life too. Washington has recently spoken out about her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s beauty norms, a decision which cost her many roles early on in her career. She is also a brand ambassador for Neutrogena and creative consultant on their new line of foundations unveiled earlier this month, which have redefined “nude” as a concept that stresses inclusivity and encompasses the diverse shades of all women’s skin.
Confirmation Conversation
Kerry Washington has been very vocal about the challenges of gender and race in today’s society, and her role as Anita Hill in Confirmation shines light on both of these issues. As an incredibly controversial case that Washington said divided her parents’ otherwise concordant political opinions when she was a young teen, the case ignited discourse regarding gender and race in politics and sexual harassment in the workplace at time when these issues were largely underreported.
The hearings are credited with the rise of women’s involvement in politics after the mostly-male Congress’ treatment of Hill. Labeled “The Year of the Woman,” 1992 saw the election of four women to the Senate for the first time in a single election year. The hearings also raised public awareness of sexual harassment, as the number of these cases filed doubled following the hearings and prevention videos were introduced in the workplace.
Despite these incredible improvements following the Clarence Thomas hearings, Washington believes there is still much progress to make. “I do think we still have a lot of work to do, in terms of creating a society where it is completely safe to speak out on injustice,” she said in an interview with Refinery29. “I think sometimes we vilify people who speak out, still. It’s much better than it was. But we still have work to do.”
The progress made by Anita Hill’s testimony was astronomical for the time, but, as Washington reminds us, it is important not to be complacent. Speaking out against and combatting injustice of any kind continues to be a daunting task, especially for women, whether it be in the gender wage gap or Kesha’s highly-publicized allegations against Dr. Luke. The difference between 1991 and today is that more women are telling their stories, though positive results continue to be difficult to achieve. That is precisely why we need women like Kerry Washington leading us forward by pushing back against injustice and keeping stories like Hill’s alive in national discourse today.
“It would have been more comfortable to remain silent,” said Hill in her 1991 testimony and repeated Washington in Confirmation. As Hill demonstrated and Washington reminds us, there can only be change when one breaks through the silence and starts a conversation, ensuring that we never forget to keep moving forward.
