Courtesy of The Grio
Olivia Pope always wins big, but Scandal star Kerry Washington could outdo her alter ego at the Emmy Awards this weekend with a feat that upstages most pseudo-political crises.
On Sunday, the 36-year-old star stands to make history as the first African-American actress ever to receive an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the popular ABC show.
She is the first black actress since Cicely Tyson in 1995 to earn a nomination.
According to experts, Washington is a frontrunner for the award along with Homeland star Claire Danes, and a strong candidate based on both the gravity and significance of her work.
And she did it all without the help of her gladiators.
“For Kerry, it’s time,” Cori Murray, Entertainment Director for Essence tells theGrio. “It’s a very natural evolution in her career. What I love about it, there’s that fever in the audience over Scandal. Not just black audiences, but all audiences, white people, Latinos. Everybody is really in love with the show.”
Along with Washington’s talent, Murray believes her off-camera work over the past year has been compelling and adds to awards momentum.
Coupled with social relevance, she sees the actress as having an almost clear shot for the prize, and a chance to make history for black stars.
