*Kerry Washington celebrated a major milestone this week, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Emmy-winning actress was joined by family and a few of her celebrity friends including Tyler Perry and Shonda Rhimes.
“She is incredibly kind and giving and powerful, and her heart speaks first,” Perry said in the clip below.
“You’re strong. You’re determined. You’re never compromising in your values. You’re always holding onto who you are, despite all of this crazy attention,” Rhimes added. “She’s a born leader. She’s always taking care of everybody, always the hardest worker. She’s passionate about the roles she plays, about her philanthropy, about her activism, about the world. And she is passionate about her family.”
Washington’s parents were also in attendance for the special event and the actress honored them during her speech.
“My mom and dad also taught me to dream. They taught me to believe and to pursue, and so here we are. Mom, dad, can you believe it? An actual star,” Washington said, addressing her parents. “You made a wish and it came true…And now I am swirling in a galaxy of other stars, all encouraging each other to shine brightly and to light the way for somebody else’s dreams.”
Washington stars in Perry’s new Netflix movie “The Six Triple Eight,” which he wrote, directed, and produced alongside Nicole Avant, Angi Bones, Tony L. Strickland, Keri Selig, and Carlota Espinosa. The story centers on World War II’s only Women’s Army Corps unit of color.
Here’s the synopsis via Netflix: “The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion contributed to the war effort in a unique way: by sorting through a three-year backlog of mail (17 million pieces of it!) that hadn’t been delivered to American soldiers far from home. In the face of discrimination and a vast, unfamiliar country divided by global conflict, these 855 women brought hope to the front lines. Given six months to complete the task, the 6888th accomplished their mission in less than 90 days, providing morale when the United States needed it most.”
“Every single person, Black, white, anywhere in between, male, female, anybody can see themselves in those characters,” Avant said during the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. “Because all stories, to me, are human stories. Everything to me is about humanity.”
“I felt like these women were with us in this process,” Washington added. “You felt their spirit all the time.”
In a statement on X/Twitter, Perry wrote: “You have no idea what it means to me to have been given the grace and the blessing to be able to tell THIS story! Every detail is dedicated to the memory of the 855 black women and women of color of the Six Triple Eight. When America needed hope, they delivered! ”
“The Six Triple Eight” will debut exclusively on Netflix on Dec. 20.
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