Kerry Washington starts each week the same way — with Pilates, yoga, and strength training that she says keeps her grounded as much as fit. At 49, the actor treats movement as a daily practice, not a performance. “The way that I develop character is often through the body,” she told reporters after a recent photo shoot, describing how she worked with her longtime instructor Erika Bloom to read scripts and explore how a character walks, stands, or carries themselves.
A Mind-Body Approach
The method has been central to the actress’s routine for over two decades, evolving from a fitness choice into a tool for self-understanding. “It’s not somewhere I come to judge myself and try to look different,” she explained. “It’s somewhere I come to know myself better and to be more at home in my body.”
That connection came after years of struggle. In her 2023 memoir Thicker Than Water, Washington wrote about childhood sexual abuse and how she coped by disappearing into roles. “Being somebody else was more comfortable for me than being me,” she said. Food became another escape during college, leading to a cycle of binge eating and overexercising. She began therapy at 19 and has kept it a priority since.
Building Strength and Stability
Today, she practices yoga regularly but leans heavily on the practice for injury prevention and body awareness. Her favorite moves include side-lying leg presses on the reformer, and she laughs, “I am a leg girlie.”
Twice a week, she lifts heavier weights with trainer Matt Seki, focusing on bone health after learning osteoporosis runs in her family. “As she’s gotten older, Kerry has started to lift heavier for overall longevity and bone health (osteoporosis runs in her family) during twice-weekly sessions with trainer Matt Seki – something she say,” she said. “I feel like I can take more risks with the rest of my fitness, whether it’s rock climbing, or running, or swimming in open water.”
Investing in Community Healing
Washington’s interest in Equip stems from her own years of therapy, which began at 19 and continues today. She describes weekly sessions as a time to reflect and take accountability for her mental state. “It’s really meaningful, significant, and helpful to have a time in the week where I reflect and take accountability for what’s going on in my mind and in my life,” she says.
She notes that therapy taught her to express emotions as herself rather than as a character, learning tools to regulate feelings and respond instead of react. “I learn better tools to emotionally regulate and be responsive, not reactive – to show up in life as the person that I want to be,” she explains.
Equip, an evidence-based virtual practice, integrates treatment into daily life for people struggling with eating disorders. The actress was drawn to its approach of addressing physical, mental, emotional, and community factors simultaneously. “In late 2025, driven by her own experiences with disordered eating, Kerry signed on as an investor and advisor in the eating disorder treatment start-up Equip, an evidence-based virtual practice that,” she says.
Another investment, Winx Health, focuses on sexual and reproductive wellness. She points out that these topics are often ignored or stigmatized. “I feel like women’s sexual health is so often swept under the rug,” she says. “I love that Winx is so committed to putting our health and wellness front and centre and not acting like this is a shameful product line.”
Embodied Storytelling and Future Projects
In the upcoming Netflix film Animals, the star plays Abigail, a therapist and the wife of a mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. She drew from past therapists when crafting the role. “It was fun to sit in that chair,” she says. “I have found that therapists often, even though they seem to have all the answers, have very complicated lives themselves.”
The project marks a rare instance where she does not serve as producer. She trusted Ben Affleck’s vision as director and producer. “If I’m going to join a project where I’m not a producer, which is very rare now, I have to have so much faith and trust in the people who are steering the ship,” she says.
Fans still associate her most with Olivia Pope from Scandal, though many quickly mention other roles. “Often, people will very quickly offer a second thing, almost to say, ‘I’m a real fan,’” she says with a grin. “They’ll say, ‘I love Scandal, but also your first movie, Our Song.’”
Looking ahead, Washington aims to direct a feature film. She cites role models like Barbra Streisand and Cicely Tyson as inspirations. “I want to continue to be brave about my choices and challenge myself,” she says. To stay strong and alert for future work, she relies on the method, therapy, and ongoing self-care.
Expanding Influence Beyond Performance
Washington’s investment portfolio reflects her commitment to addressing systemic gaps in women’s health care. Her involvement with Equip, an evidence-based virtual treatment platform, stems from personal experience with disordered eating and long-term therapy. She emphasizes the importance of accessible, integrated care that addresses the physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of recovery, viewing such services as tools to democratize healing for underserved communities.
Beyond Equip, Washington has supported Winx Health, a company focused on sexual and reproductive wellness. She highlights the need to destigmatize women’s health issues, noting that these topics are frequently marginalized. Her advocacy extends to making resources more available to those who may not have had similar access due to privilege or circumstance.
These investments align with her broader mission to amplify underrepresented voices and support initiatives that empower women. Washington sees her role as an opportunity to share tools and resources with communities in need, reinforcing her belief that access to health and wellness should not be determined by individual advantage.