The Paley Center for Media to Pay Tribute to Kerry Washington

The Paley Center for Media today announced that it will pay tribute to Kerry Washington with the special program Celebrating Kerry Washington: Conversation & Exclusive Preview Screening of Little Fires Everywhere. The program will take place on Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 pm.

"I'm truly honored to be returning to the Paley Center stage for this look back at my work," said Kerry Washington. "And I'm thrilled to be previewing Little Fires Everywhere, as part of this extraordinary evening."

"We're thrilled to welcome back Kerry Washington to the Paley Center," said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center President & CEO. "Ms. Washington is a tremendous talent and we look forward to celebrating her remarkable career and to hosting the exclusive New York premiere of Little Fires Everywhere."

Kerry Washington is among the most respected and influential talents in television today. A New York native, this versatile talent has proven she can do it all. Her many credits include turns on the Broadway stage including David Mamet's Race and Christopher Demos-Brown's American Son, as well as roles in the films Cars 3, Django Unchained, Ray, The Last King of Scotland, Save the Last Dance, Lift, For Colored Girls, Night Catches Us, Peeples, The Details, Mother and Child, Life is Hot in Cracktown, Lakeview Terrace, Miracle at St. Anna, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, I Think I Love My Wife, The Dead Girl, Fantastic Four, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Our Song.

Ms. Washington changed the landscape of television by becoming the first African-American woman since 1974 to headline a network TV drama as crisis manager Olivia Pope on the Peabody Award-winning Scandal. Over the course of seven seasons, she earned two Primetime Emmy nominations, a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination, and two NAACP Image awards for her leading role. In the final season, Washington also served as a producer and directed one of the episodes.

In addition to Scandal, Ms. Washington has also acted in other prestigious television projects, including her acclaimed performance as Anita Hill in the HBO movie Confirmation, as host of Saturday Night Live, and most recently as Helen Willis in the Emmy Award-winning Live In Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's The Jeffersons. She has also directed episodes of SMILF and Insecure.

In 2016, Washington launched her production company Simpson Street, which uses art, entertainment and technology to share narratives that amplify our common humanity while affirming the value of every individuals' journey. Simpson Street's first project, HBO's Confirmation, earned Emmy, Golden Globe, NAACP Image Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. Simpson Street launched the first dramatic series on Facebook Watch, Five Points; the series ran for two seasons. Most recently, Simpson Street successfully took the acclaimed Broadway play American Son from stage to screen for Netflix; the film earned Simpson Street their first PGA nomination. In January 2020, Simpson Street took their first documentary THE FIGHT to Sundance to rave reviews. The film will be distributed by Magnolia this year.

This March, Washington will be seen opposite Reese Witherspoon in the new Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere, which Simpson Street produced alongside Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine. The Paley Center will show an exclusive screening of the premiere episode of Little Fires Everywhere followed by an extended Q&A with Ms. Washington.

In addition to her work on stage and screen, Ms. Washington is active in many vital social and political causes. She served on President Obama's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. In 2013, Washington was honored with the NAACP President's Award, which recognized her special achievements in furthering the cause of civil rights and public service. In 2014, Time magazine included Washington on its annual Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World. Washington received the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award in 2015 and the ACLU Bill of Rights Award in 2016. In 2018, Washington joined Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Reese Witherspoon, and many more in the Time's Up movement.

To kick off this memorable evening, Citi will host a special reception which is open to Paley President's Circle and Patron Circle Members. To learn how you can be a part of this exclusive reception please visit paleycenter.org/join-us.

Tickets go on sale to Paley President's Circle, Patron, Fellow, and Supporting Members starting today at noon; Individual Members on February 25 at noon; and to the general public February 26 at noon. The general public is strongly encouraged to sign up for Paley Center Membership as PaleyLive programs often sell out during the Member purchase period. For more information on tickets and other benefits of Paley Membership, please visit paleycenter.org.