Celebrity News
Kerry Washington reveals why she and her husband, Nnamdi Asomugha, have made it their mission to keep family life private despite their high-profile careers.
The veteran actress has starred in over 60 projects, including films and television series, notably Ray,Django Unchained, Scandal, and UnPrisoned. At the same time, Asomugha is a former football player turned actor, most recently starring in 2024's The Knife.
Washington and Asomugha met in 2009 after her stint on Broadway and secretly married in June 2013. Over the years, the couple expanded their family, welcoming daughter Isabelle, now 10, son Caleb, 7, and parenting Asomugha's teenage daughter from a prior relationship.
Since then, Washington and Asomugha have shielded their children from the public eye, only discussing their professional lives and humanitarian efforts in interviews and social media. While promoting the upcoming season of her hit series UnPrisoned at the American Black Film Festival, Washington opened up to PEOPLE magazine about why she differentiates her personal and professional life.
Kerry On Why She And Nnamdi Keep Their Family Life Out Of The Public Eye
During the discussion, the 47-year-old explained that since entering a partnership with Asomugha, the couple had aimed to avoid the spotlight to protect their union from external influences and rumors.
“From the very beginning, Nnamdi and I have been very protective of our partnership and our relationship because we wanted it to belong to us,” she said. “We found that we were able to define and create a relationship for ourselves and with each other outside of the public eye.”
Washington added that their desire for privacy influenced what they share about their children in the media. The Little Fires Everywhere star disclosed they want their kids to enjoy their childhood, experience life away from the limelight, and not be defined by their fame
“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. So we’re definitely not as protective as we used to be. They're not like locked in a dungeon. They come to set. We go places, we do things. If you search hard enough you can find pictures of them. But we do feel like we want to give them agency to engage in a public life the way they want to. This is what we do for a living, we’ve chosen to be, you know, athletes and artists. That’s our choice, but we want to let them be kids,” she stated.
Washington and Asomugha's approach to life, parenting, and maintaining privacy with their celebrity status can be considered inspirational to others because they have sustained a seemingly healthy union for over a decade.
Kudos to the couple for living in their truth.
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Feature image by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival)
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