The last couple of years have brought thirty one year old actress Kerry Washington the boost that her career needed appearing in some high profile movies.Before beginning her acting career Washington completed her education attending The Spence School in Manhattan, where Gwyneth Paltrow was also a student, before earning a degree in theatre from George Washington University.She made her career debut on 1994 in a television movie Magical Make-Over before becoming a member of the sketch comedy educational series Standard Deviants.Her first big screen role came in 2001 when she landed the role of teenage mother Chenille who befriends new girl Sara Johnson (Julia Stiles).The film was a surprise financial success, despite doing poorly with the critics, and provided breakthrough performances for Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas.Washington was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2002 Black Reel Awards for her performance.
In 2004 she landed the role of Della Bea Robinson, wife of Ray Charles, in Ray, the biopic of the singer's life.
The film was a critical and commercial hit and Jamie Foxx won the Best Actor Academy Award for the role.
Another high profile role came last year when she was cast in The Last King of Scotland as one of Idi Amin's wives Kay.
She has an affair with Amin's personal physician (James McAvoy) and becomes pregnant. While seeking an abortion she is caught, executed and mutilated by Amin's forces.
Last summer she returned to her role of Alicia Masters in The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Alicia Masters is a blind sculptress who has romantic links with The Thing.
She will next be seen in Life is Hot in Cracktown with Shannyn Sossamon and Brandon Routh.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw