In actress Kerry Washington's first movie, "Our Song," she served as a lookout between takes while they filmed in New York's subway system. The independent film's producers had failed to secure a permit for the shoot.  For her latest project, co-starring comic Chris Rock, the producers bought their own subway car and had Washington and the cast ride it all day until filming wrapped.  Such is the life of a rising movie actress like Washington, a 1998 GW Columbian School of Arts and Sciences graduate and co-star of this year's surprise hit, "Save the Last Dance."

The change in film venues speaks volumes of Washington's burgeoning career. It also says plenty about her that she recalls the earlier shoot with a wistful glint in her eyes. Washington, a petite beauty with an arresting smile and approachable demeanor, was in town in early May to share some acquired Tinsel Town wisdom as part of Alumni Weekend. She taught a workshop for fledgling actors hoping to get their start in New York City.

"It's hard to give advice. It's not like law or medical school," says Washington. "It's a very scary profession. It takes an enormous amount of faith. "There's a misconception about how easy it is," she continues, speaking of her business with a poise that belies her 24 years. An actor can land a sizable role in a major motion picture, she says, then not work for an entire year waiting for a follow-up project. "It has not been overnight," she says of her own success. "But I'm grateful for that. I want to have a successful, enduring career."

While her career seems on solid ground, that doesn't mean she is immune to her craft's dark side. "One muscle in me that's strong is my rejection muscle. People say no to me three times a week," she says matter of factly.  The actress came to GW as a presidential performing arts scholar, creating her own personalized major, performance studies, which examined the role performing arts play in different societies. At GW, she worked with the local theater community, steered visitors around campus as a Foggy Bottom tour guide and created Shades of the Fine Arts, a support system for people of color in the arts. "Here, I got a well-rounded education," she says, something she believes deeply affects her work. "When I approach a character, I approach it from an encyclopedia of understanding. If I don't know anything about history, it makes my job that much more difficult."

After graduation, she took off for three months in India, to enhance her yoga regimen and immerse herself in a culture which is the polar opposite of Hollywood. Upon her return, the Bronx, NY native moved in with her parents for a few months, then took an apartment with fellow GW graduate Colleen Berry in East Harlem, where she still lives.

"I auditioned a lot, I taught yoga, took acting classes. I still take acting classes. I study as much as I can," says Washington, now a certified yoga instructor in case her day job falters. She found piecemeal work, filmed three national commercials, then began fielding film and television offers. Her latest project, tentatively titled "Black Sheep," stars Rock and Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins and is directed by Joel Schumacher ("Falling Down," "Batman Forever"). She describes the film, in which she plays Rock's love interest, as a comedy/espionage caper.

"He's so incredibly intelligent. It's been a dream," she says of the gangly comic. But she is equally enamored to work with the veteran director. But it's not why one might think. Schumacher's first film, 1976's "Sparkle," featured a prominent role for actress Lonette McKee, one of Washington's role models and her co-star in her last film, "Lift," in which Washington stars as a troubled shoplifter.

"She's such an inspiration to me. She's worked on Broadway, film and TV," says Washington, a fellow triple threat who also can sing and dance. McKee played Washington's mother in "Lift," an independent feature which played at this year's Sundance Film Festival and should be released this summer.  "I got to soak in so much information about being a black woman in the film industry... the importance of us creating work," she says. "I want to direct and produce. I'm sick of reading projects that are terrible. Complaining isn't gonna get me anywhere," says Washington, who is currently co-writing a screenplay of her own.

She speaks with pride of her breakout film, "Save the Last Dance," the sleeper hit which starred Julia Stiles.
On the set, she and her cast mates had no idea the film would score with movie goers. But she knew something special was taking place.  "They were committed to being truthful to the project," she says of the film, which some critics hailed for its cliche-free approach to interracial dating and teen angst. She says she's not obsessed by box office figures, but adds it's tough to avoid the topic in her profession. When "Dance" opened big, she received three phone calls before she could leave the house that day to spread the good news. Among the first to congratulate her on a stellar review in The New York Times for "Lift" was Leslie Jacobson, chair of GW's theater and dance department.

"She really embodies what GW is all about," Jacobson says, referring in part to her presidential scholar status as well as her gritty approach to her craft. "We look to these students to be leaders in the department, and Kerry was definitely that." "There's a certain skill level she's achieved," she says. "Some people are gifted, but they don't seem to grow while they're here. She was always challenging herself." "She has warmth and charisma, but she's willing to take risks as a performer," Jacobson continues. "She's willing to use her own life experiences and infuse that into the roles she plays."

The first time Washington saw herself emblazoned on the big screen she says the sensation was "surreal." Yet, oddly comfortable, too. "This is what I'm supposed to be doing," she says.  That doesn't mean she wouldn't mind sneaking in some independent features into her long range plans.  "I would love to go back to that guerrilla filmmaking," she says of her days playing lookout below the Big Apple's streets. If Hollywood has its way, she may never get the chance. "I think I'm incredibly blessed," she says. "There are a whole lot of people who spend their lives pursuing things I've (already) done."