Kerry Washington's career took an interesting turn when she landed the role of Olivia Pope in 'Scandal'. This incident led to an awkward phone call that she made to the White House to ensure her role didn't conflict with her political responsibilities. At the time of the show's release in 2012, Washington was a member of President Barack Obama's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

Exploring the Awkward Phone Call

She vividly recalled making a call to Valerie Jarrett, who worked for the Obamas, and saying, "I just want you to know that I've been cast in this show. It was a bit awkward because on the show, I'm sleeping with the president." But she added, "They were like, 'It's fine. It's TV.' For art, everything seems to be okay!" This incident showcases Washington's concern and professionalism.

During the 2012 - 2018 period, Washington and Tony Goldwyn portrayed political fixer Pope and President Fitzgerald Grant II respectively. In the premiere episode, their affair was revealed, and over the course of seven seasons, fans dubbed their love story as "Olitz". This combination of their names became famous among the show's fans.

Washington's Pope was inspired by Judy Smith, who previously served as deputy press secretary in President George H. W. Bush's administration. In 1991, she became the first Black woman to deliver a White House press briefing. Her real-life work inspired 'Scandal', which was created by Shonda Rhimes.

Smith's Reaction to 'Scandal'

In April 2022, Smith told PEOPLE about how the late President Bush reacted when she informed him of 'Scandal's creation and the main character's steamy love story. She recalled, "I remember he left a message on the cell phone because he's always a joker. It was like, 'I love you. I want you. You left me. By the way, I'm the former leader of the free world. Call me.' I called him up and said, 'See, this is why I'm calling you now. Let's stop joking about this stuff.' And I told him what the storyline was going to be, and he said, 'Oh, yeah. No, yeah. I remember that.' I said, 'No, there's nothing! There's no relationship. Don't even be joking that any of that stuff is true!'"

Washington continued, "I had to tell him. I said, 'It's not good. It's not going to be good. People are not going to take your joking.' Because he was known as a jokester, he had a reputation of that. I was like, 'This is nothing to play with now.'"

Kerry Washington's story is a fascinating blend of her career, politics, and the creation of a beloved TV show. It shows the importance of balancing different aspects of life and the impact that such events can have.