Kerry Washington says recovery means treating her body 'with more love'
Kerry Washington says recovery means treating her body 'with more love'
Rachel Hale, USA TODAYTue, February 24, 2026 at 12:30 PM UTC
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On screen, Kerry Washington has epitomized the type of woman who is always in control. Best known for her role as Olivia Pope on ABC’s “Scandal,” she put out political fires as an icy crisis management expert.
But offscreen, the most personal battles she’s faced are the ones where that control has felt elusive. The 49-year-old star is getting real about the ups and downs of recovery ahead of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
“When we think about mental health and behavioral changes there, I've always thought it's so complicated, because my substance is not something that I can put down,” Washington says. “I have to take this tiger out of the cage and pet it three times a day.”
Speaking during a Feb. 19 luncheon with virtual eating disorder treatment startup Equip Health, of which Washington is an advisor and investor, she is the picture of confidence. But the Emmy-nominated actress hasn’t always felt that way, and it’s been a long journey to feel at peace with her body.
She says she wrestles with figuring out “how to live in some sort of harmony” with her deepest struggle.
“That idea of perfectionism is impossible in this recovery, because you can't perfect something that's ever-evolving,” says Washington. “I have to just be willing to continue to be curious and loving and show up.”
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'My life revolved around hating myself'
Washington says her eating disorder is “ever evolving and amorphous.” She wants people struggling to know there’s hope ahead, but also that the disease is both biological and social. It requires everyday upkeep.
“When I'm in recovery, my disease is outside, doing push ups waiting for me,” Washington says.
Recovery, to her, is about being able to focus on more than what she sees in the mirror. She likened her body to a work of art or music. Recovery, she says, has allowed her to treat her “instrument with more love.”
“This is a place where art happens, it's not a place where I come to hurt myself or take myself out of life,” Washington says.
Approximately 30 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetime, according to the National Eating Disorders Association, and a person dies every 52 minutes from an eating disorder.
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And yet, Washington explains a common thread with people who struggle with eating disorders is “the secrecy and feeling alone in this behavior.”
Kerry Washington spoke about recovery from her eating disorder during a Feb. 19 lunch in Manhattan’s Financial District hosted by Equip.
She's been outspoken about her eating disorder in an effort to raise awareness.
“At the darkest days of my disorder, my entire life revolved around hating myself and hurting myself with food and body dysmorphia and exercise,” Washington says.
More: Everyone's talking about 'Wicked' stars' bodies. Is this a slippery slope?
Washington isn’t the only celebrity who has spoken out about disordered eating and the long road to recovery. Others like Demi Lovato and Ed Sheeran have shared similar experiences.
“Everybody feels like our bodies are everybody else's business,” Washington explains.
Washington hopes speaking about eating disorders can change the stigma around how the disease presents. She wants to encourage people to seek out care earlier.
“Sometimes eating disorders are not [just] about food,” Washington says. “It's about so much more, it's about your feelings, it's about mental health, it's about anxiety.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, the National Eating Disorders Association's toll-free and confidential helpline is available by phone or text at 1-800-931-2237 or by click-to-chat message at nationaleatingdisorders.org/helpline. For 24/7 crisis situations, text "NEDA" to 741-741.
Rachel Hale’s role covering Youth Mental Health at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. Reach her at rhale@usatoday.com and @rachelleighhale on X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kerry Washington grappled with self-hate during eating disorder
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