Kerry Washington always has her man’s back.
The actress recently spoke with People magazine at the 2025 NAACP Award in a fun video about jollof rice. While the event itself was on Feb. 22, People posted the video of them asking Washington to choose between two jollof rice dishes on March 5.
Leaving Washington to settle this “debate” the interviewer asked if “Naija jollof or Ghana jollof” was the best. Washington quickly dismissed the question at first saying, “Don’t bring me into this” in a joking manner. However, she went on to answer it.
She said, “But of course, anything Naija is going to be better. It’s Naija. That is the truth.”
It’s no surprise that Washington was asked this question, nor is it a surprise that Naija jollof, also known as Nigerian jollof, was the rice she chose as superior. Washington’s husband, Nnamdi Asomugha, who she’s been married to since 2013, is Nigerian.
Fans responded under the Instagram video, with some approving Washington’s answer.
One person said, “I think I know why I love Kerry now.” Someone else wrote, “My favourite Naija wife.”
But a third playfully warned Washington, “Kerry let’s not start this.”
Washington confessed in the clip that her husband has taken part in these types of debates over jollof rice.
“But I have this film coming out May 2 with Omar Sy,” she said, “which is called Shadow Force. So excited. But the debates Omar and my husband have about Senegalese jollof or Nigerian jollof…” the “Scandal” star threw her hands up and looked away as if to motion that the friendly dispute is out of her hands.
The interviewer added in background knowledge that she knew about the dispute. She said, “they say [jollof rice] started in Senegal.”
Washington, who has seemingly heard the same, said her husband has doubts. “They do say that, but ask Nnamdi and he doesn’t believe it. So this is an ongoing debate.”
Less than a year ago, Washington spoke about her husband again with People. This time she offered more perspective as to why they keep their lives so private.
Throughout their marriage, Washington has noticeably kept comments made about her husband and their children to a minimum. Not only that but the two would rarely ever step out together during events and they have never shown their children publicly.
In June, Washington said, “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. We found that we were able to define and create a relationship for ourselves and with each other outside of the public eye, 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.”
The actor Asomugha is a former NFL player, and he shares a 10-year-old daughter named Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha and an 8-year-old son named Caleb Kelechi Asomugha with his wife Washington. He also has a teenage daughter from a previous relationship.
