That kind of intimacy didn’t come naturally for me. But playing Olivia Pope helped. She also helped me to lead. Being number one on the call sheet required an intense work ethic, stamina, and resilience. Part of why I was able to be number one was because I was playing a talented leader who stared down challenges and navigated situations that paralyzed other people. “It’s my name on that door,” I said week after week, and I thought, It’s my face on that poster, my name at the top of the credits. Playing her on-screen helped me to step into an Olivia Pope version of myself, helped me find my
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