Why Kerry Washington Declined Roles Stereotyping ‘White Girl’s Best Friend’ After Film with Meg Ryan
etcanada.comAfter acting with Meg Ryan in 2004’s “Against The Ropes,” Kerry Washington explained in her new memoir, “Thicker Than Water,” why she declined to play the “white girl’s best friend” role. READ MORE: Kerry Washington Reveals She Had An Abortion Early In Her Career: ‘Choices Are Being Stripped Away From Us’ Washington portrayed Renee, Jackie Kallen’s best friend, who was portrayed by Ryan as the first and possibly most successful female boxing manager in history.
In an excerpt shared by Entertainment Weekly, Washington wrote, “In it, I played [Meg Ryan’s] coworker and confidante — this was becoming a new niche for me, the white girl’s best friend.” In the book, she continued, “When Harry Met Sally” is, to this day, one of my top three movies of all time, so once I’d played Meg Ryan’s best friend, playing the role against anyone else would have been a lateral move.
It’s not that I wanted to be the star of the film; I wanted my characters to be in a story of their own. I didn’t want to be an accessory to a white woman’s journey.” The Emmy winner made history by becoming the first Black woman to serve as the showrunner of a network drama in 38 years.
Read more on etcanada.com
