Kerry Washington
Born: Janaury 5 1977
Where: The Bronx, New York, USA
The actress first attracted critical acclaim for her role as Ray Charles's wife in the biopic Ray opposite Jamie Foxx.
Audiences first took notice of the star when she played sparky Chenille Reynolds in the surprise hit Save The Last Dance.
The daughter of a professor, she studied at Manhattan's elite Spence School for Girls (Gwyneth Paltrow was former pupil).
After attending George Washington University's theatre program, she supported herself as a supply teacher between roles.
She made her big screen debut as a troubled teenager in the independent Our Song in 2000 before starring opposite Julia Stiles in Save The Last Dance.
In 2001, she starred as a master shoplifter in Lift and went on to appear in the Jerry Bruckheimer action thriller Bad Company with Anthony Hopkins.
She starred alongside Don Cheadle in the delinquent drama The United States of Leland and opposite Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins in The Human Stain.
In 2003, she appeared in the thriller Sin and played Meg Ryan's loyal buddy in the boxing drama Against The Ropes.
Recent work includes the disappointing Spike Lee comedy drama She Hate Me but she more than made up for that as Ray Charles' wife Della Bea in the biopic Ray.
