Parenting can be challenging, but doing it with someone you like can make it easier. This is the case for actress Kerry Washington, who said she loves parenting with her husband during a recent interview with The Breakfast Club. Washington is promoting her new movie Shadow Force, and in the film, gender norms are challenged when the character who plays Washington’s husband is the more sensitive and present parent.
When asked whether that sparked any conversations in her marriage, Washington said it did.
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“I think one of the reasons why the film really resonated for me is because I do really understand the value of the partnership that I’m in,” she said. “I love parenting with my husband, you know, I love our marriage, and I love how we are a team with these kids, and both are really important.”
She continued, “Like to cultivate the time to just be a couple, and then to cultivate the time to pour into the family too. All of that is just so important.”
The 48-year-old has been married to former NFL player Nnamdi Asomugha since 2013. The longtime couple has two children together–a daughter and a son. Asomugha also has a daughter from a previous relationship.
During the interview, the actress also discussed how attractive it is when men are present as fathers with their children.
“To me, there is nothing sexier than watching a man be a good dad. It is just so beautiful, so I just love that we’re kind of playing [into] those gender norms and asking people to challenge your idea of even what family looks like today,” she said.
The former NFL player and Scandal star gave birth to their daughter Isabelle in 2014. Two years later, they had their son Caleb.
Washington is typically private about her love life and family, so it’s refreshing for her to share a little insight. During a 2024 interview with People, she explained why we rarely see her with her family.
“I think just from the very beginning, Nnamdi and I have been really protective of our partnership and our relationship because we wanted it to belong to us, and we found that we were able to define and create a relationship for ourselves and with each other outside of the public eye,” she said.
“And I think in many ways, we just want to give our kids that same opportunity to define a life for themselves and to enter the public space in their own way,” she added.