The American Black Film Festival has tapped Kerry Washington to serve as Ambassador for its 31st annual event, set to take place May 20 through 23, 2027, in Los Angeles. The Emmy winning producer, director, and actor will help support ABFF’s mission of championing storytellers and expanding career pathways for emerging talent across film and television.
The announcement comes as ABFF moves into its fourth decade following last year’s 30th anniversary milestone, with programming that spans screenings, conversations, industry events, and cultural experiences. Washington’s role as Ambassador also marks the festival’s move to Los Angeles.
Washington said ABFF has spent three decades championing Black storytellers, and called it an honor to serve as Ambassador as the festival makes its move west, where she believes it will open even more doors for the next generation of talent.
Nicole Friday, President of NICE CROWD, said Washington has a genuine connection to ABFF and has long supported what the festival stands for, pointing to her understanding of both the importance of creating opportunities for artists and the power of storytelling to bring people together. ABFF founder and NICE CROWD CEO Jeff Friday echoed that sentiment, saying Washington brings a generosity and authenticity that reflects the spirit the festival’s ambassadors have always represented.
Washington is best known for playing Olivia Pope on ABC’s Scandal, a role that made her the first Black woman to lead a network TV drama since 1974. Over the show’s seven seasons, she earned two Emmy nominations, a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination, and two NAACP Image Awards. Her film credits include Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Shadow Force, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Django Unchained, Ray, The Last King of Scotland, Save the Last Dance, and Our Song, among others.
She launched her production company Simpson Street in 2016, which has produced Netflix’s American Son, the Emmy winning ABC special Live in Front of a Studio Audience, the documentary The Fight, and Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, Reasonable Doubt, and UnPrisoned. Simpson Street also produces her interview series Street You Grew Up On, which recently expanded into a weekly podcast in partnership with Daylight.
On stage, Washington’s Broadway acting credits include American Son and Race, and she produced Gypsy and Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch, both Tony nominated. She currently stars in and executive produces the Apple TV+ series Imperfect Women, and will next appear in Ben Affleck’s Animals for Netflix.
Washington has also served on The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities under both the Obama and Biden administrations, and was named one of TIME Magazine’s 2022 Women of the Year.
Festival passes are now on sale at ABFF.com, offering advance reservation access to eligible screenings, conversations, and special events. Additional programming details will be released in the coming weeks.