Kerry Washington Says She Got Fired From Two TV Shows For This Insane Reason

Unfortunately, Kerry Washington is all too familiar with the racism actors of color in Hollywood face.

In a video for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series, the 39-year-old star of "Scandal" sat down with comedian Aziz Ansari and spoke about her past experience with being typecast as a black woman.

Kerry told Aziz she had been fired twice from shows that wanted the actress to sound more stereotypically black.

She said,

Before 'Scandal,' I was actually cast in two other pilots. Both went to series, but I was fired and recast. For both, it was because they wanted me to sound more 'girlfriend,' more like 'hood,' more 'urban.'

Sadly she is far from the only minority in Hollywood to experience this.

Aziz Ansari also shared his feelings on his distaste for auditioning for the same reason.

He said,

When you go into an audition room, and you see a bunch of people that look like you, and you just start feeling like... 'I'm here because I fit what looks like the person they want in here.'

Kerry also mentioned she is aware this happens to other minorities as well, such as her gay friends who are told to "be more effeminate."

Yikes. Get it together, Hollywood! You're letting Kerry Washington down.

Citations: Kerry Washington Reveals She Was Fired from 2 TV Pilots for Not Being 'Hood' Enough (PEOPLE), Kerry Washington Was Fired From Two TV Pilots for Not Being 'Hood' Enough (Variety)