Kerry Washington describes memoir as 'a real turning point' in her life

Kerry Washington has described her 2023 memoir as a "real turning point" in her life.

In her autobiography, Thicker Than Water, the Scandal actress revealed that her father Earl was not her biological parent.

During an appearance on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Washington admitted being so transparent about her family's history in such a public way marked a turning point for her.

"One of the most pivotal moments for me in stepping into my sense of self was when I wrote my memoir last year, Thicker Than Water," she shared. "That moment was important for me because I was coming forward with truths about myself that I had been really afraid of, that my family had been really afraid of.

"Stepping into my willingness to be fully transparent and say I'm not gonna hide who I am, I'm not gonna hide we are. I think there's power in disclosure and I really do think we're as sick as our secrets and I want to heal. So that was a real turning point for me."

In her memoir, the 47-year-old revealed that her parents only disclosed her true biology in 2018 after she was approached to appear on the genealogy show Finding Your Roots. She found out that her parents tried for years to conceive before they used a sperm donor.

Reflecting on learning that longtime secret as an adult, Washington added, "I think that conversation was really transformative, for me and for them."

Washington is currently promoting the movie, The Six Triple Eight, which is now streaming on Netflix.