Kerry Washington believes women should stick together.
Kerry Washington
The 'Scandal' star thinks it is important for girls to support each other and says that progress will only come about if everyone works together.
Speaking at Sundance Film Festival's annual Women in Film Brunch, she said: "[Progress] will take courage on all of our parts. Sometimes the people who are in charge of those rooms, they want us to feel lucky to be in the room.
"And we are because we're all really blessed to be doing what we do ... but that doesn't mean that I don't get to bring other people with me. Being alone in the room is exhausting ... you feel like you have to stand up for the entire gender or race ... A woman who shouts out other women? That's just something we all have to do."
Meanwhile, the 39-year-old actress - who has daughter Isabelle, two, and son Caleb, three months, with her husband Nnamdi Asomugha - previously insisted she doesn't want to "play by other people's rules".
She explained: "I think that's where the need for quiet is coming from. You arrive at a certain place of achieving and suddenly you feel like your goals are being dictated by other people ... It's really about me being in touch with what I want. I didn't get here because I was trying to be what somebody else wanted me to be ... I am not interested in playing by other people's rules. So for now, I'm leaving myself open to the adventure.
"I've really leaned heavily on my boss [Shonda Rhimes'] experience. I consider myself busy, but Shonda has about four of five shows, three kids ... She says, 'If you feel like you have just the right amount of help, then you don't have enough.' My therapist said this too. You need a lot of support. Not just logistically but emotionally and spiritually."
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