The following day, Annalise goes over to the Supreme Court where she basks in the glory of the courtroom. Maybe? RELATED:Scandal The 5 Best (And 5 Worst) Couples. She wears all white, takes care of business, and settles tough and often ridiculous situations. ), her hair is pulled back into a bun, dotted with pearls la Janelle Mone. That's right, the force of a character is inspired by Judy Smith, a crisis manager, lawyer, author, and television producer (whose favorite color just happens to be white). Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington) from Shonda Rhimes' hit Thursday night show Scandal is a strong, smart, black, female protagonist who works as a high-powered crisis manager in Washington, DC and fixes the lives of infamous politicians and their families. When Cyrus tells her that Fitz isn't sleeping, she says that it's not her problem and that she isn't sleeping either. Thankfully, Rowan didnt actually kill Quinn. She tells her that she's on the wrong side. (We know her ascent couldnt happen too far down the line, since she appears young and radiant in the portrait.) Sure, he was a terrible person who probably wouldnt think twice about killing her (and had mulled over that very thought many times.) Perhaps she didn't immediately know what she'd do. She was overjoyed when she got to know that her role had paved the way for many people of color especially Black women. With that said, what are the worst things the character, beautifully played by Kerry Washington, ever did through the series seven-season run? She took a metal chair and repeatedly hit him over the head with it. [42][43][44] Lewis escapes. Im a big believer that you get the best results when you have a diverse team, different perspectives and viewpoints its helpful to have people who dont think exactly the way you do and women have always been very strong in communications field, she said. While this was huge, it doesnt even register as one of the top five worst things Olivia has ever done. Olivia Pope is a minor character on How to Get Away with Murder and a main character on Scandal. So she devised an agreement with the rebels to have him murdered to secure a nuclear arms treaty. She resides in Toronto, Ontario in Canada with her husband and young son. Pope is a Washington, D.C. -based crisis manager who runs her own firm, Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), that specializes in "fixing" political situations and scandals. [12] Pope is regarded as a post-racial character, yet possibly the most complex black female lead in television history. Here's Where You Can One Just Like It! When Amanda asks that Liv make an appointment for her to see the president, she goes to Cyrus to ask for it, clearly because she still doesn't want to see Fitz. User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Scandal, for all its influence, has always had a deep and abiding love for its evil characters. Still, it was chilling to see Olivia be so cool, calm, and collected as she delivered a pair of pills that she knew would end someones life. Smith told Boston University, "What I love about this job is it's unpredictable and I never get bored. When the overthrown President Rashads plane exploded with he and his niece Yasmeen on board, both about to head back to Bashran, it was a sad moment. When Fitz asks how things are on the Olivia front, Cyrus tells him there is nothing he can't handle. Annalise asks what is going to happen now. Your California Privacy Rights. She doesn't seem to remedy her issues by stepping on everyone to get power. Or maybe Olivia's hair was reflective of the fact that she seemed to have more time to take care of it in its natural state. As Olivia leaves, he apologizes for firing her, and when she asks him why he tried to fire her, he is at a loss for words but its obvious its because he has feelings for her. Here they are, ranked. [8] Some of her employees have law degrees, but do not serve as lawyers. The twist brings to mind the final episode of a very different politics-focused program, Parks and Recreationwhich ended with another intentionally ambiguous sequence, one that implied Leslie Knope may have been elected president herself. Annalise by far. The iconic fixer on the small screen would definitely be making a big chunk of change, to be sure, but the real crisis manager is bringing in the big money. Olivia Pope isn't simply glamorous, eloquent, and confident, an impeccably tailored mix of Batman and Carmen Sandiego. Spivey then decides on his own to hear the case and they get the case sent to the supreme court. Cyrus finally gives Fitz the speech of what will happen when Amanda Tanner tells the public about the affair. After her mother's death she never returned to reside in her family's home. We are not the heroes of this story. Sometimes women opt for a blowout in order to cut down on maintenance time. The family of Olivia Pope, 67, of Talladega sadly announces her passing on January 7, 2023. [11] The season ends as Pope's and Grant's shared dream of happiness is shattered. Why did it take a whole alternate reality for Olivia to wear her natural hair regularly? While the ultimate D.C. fixer was occasionally willing to skirt the lines of morality, she always earned a metaphorical white hat in the endand sometimes, a literal oneby serving the greater good. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rhimes told reporters shortly before the finale aired that the series would close by purposefully leaving a few things open to interpretation. 2. [8][9] On Scandal, she is a revered fixer who helped United States President Fitzgerald Grant (played by Tony Goldwyn) win office. There have been a fair share of discussion on the significance of Olivia's hair, and how she usually straightens it for the workplace. Im a farm boy from Kansas and she was the city girl from Washington in addition to being a Black woman. Because even in the script its written that we dont know exactly why., Then Rhimes corrected her: It says the audience is left not knowing. Rhimes, however, made clear that she personally knows the answer to that question: I get one last thing to say as a spoiler that Im going to hold onto for the rest of my life.. Olivia Pope might be the protagonist of Scandal, but she's far from a good person. [50], Slate critic Troy Patterson describes her as intellectually comparable to contemporary protagonists Adrian Monk and Gregory House due to her genius powers of intuition, which enable her to judge guilt and veracity by scales in her gut. And just like Pope, Smith can be found late at night picking up phone calls from politicians, athletes, and celebrities who are on the brink of disaster, with their crimes, mishaps, and drama exposed. When at the republican presidential debate in North Carolina, Fitz is asked about his marriage and he says The most honest thing that I can tell you about myself right now is that I am a man in love with an incredible woman and he finishes it off by looking straight at Olivia. Olivia went from really good character to really bad. ("Ask Him About Stella"), Annalise asks if Olivia could get her case fast-tracked to the Supreme Court. All rights reserved. However, the season ended with Pope telling Fitz he should go back to his wife and run for reelection after Fitz and Pope were driven apart by White House Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry). Report: Chrissy Teigen Wasnt the Only Celebrity Trump Tried to Censor for Being Mean to Him. Olivia then goes to see Spivey and tells him that he doesn't have to worry about his secret anymore. Olivia's Kidnapping was part of Andrew Nichols' plan to start a America's War with West Angola. This is positive change,. Yes, her own father! She fixed a presidential election; she bludgeoned a paraplegic (and very evil!) The stakes could be as large or as small as the writers wished at any given moment; just one episode after being held captive and auctioned off to the highest bidder, Kerry Washingtons immaculate Olivia Pope could comb her hair and join a mourning father for a Black Lives Matter-themed arc. Is this inherently problematic, or, as I mentioned, a deeper observation on how perceptions of black women with natural hair in the workplace affect the decisions they make in their careers? 6. Shes also a character who constantly hungersfor power and influence, and the freedom they might provide. And not only did Olivia know Yasmeen was on that plane, but she saw her off, knowing full well that the young college student would be blown to smithereens. [38] She teams with Jake and Huck to expose Operation Remington. Its impossible to know how the show will wrap up its last hour, especially given how unpredictable Scandal can bebut either way, its still safe to say that a competent black woman who dreamed too big, reached too high, and ultimately got put in her place is not the stamp that Rhimes set out to leave on television. So, there you have it: Scandal is over, and Olivia Pope may or may not be commander in chief. The fact that she was Black didnt have any effect at all.. During a break in her relationship with Fitz, Pope develops an emotional and physical attachment to Fitz's Navy colleague Jake Ballard (Scott Foley). When Olivia finally gets in to The White House, Fitz tries to get her attention, but she leaves before he can get to her. First, Trump pivoted from television to the presidency; now, the Obamas will make the opposite transition. Citizen by choice, not by force: I am American. At least we know one thing for sure: that white trench coat, which Olivia dusted off for her final meeting with Fitz, is still impeccable. Harper's Bazaar and Glamour analyze her wardrobe every week in a dedicated fashion watch columns. ", "Scandal Fashion: We've Updated Our Keep Boards With More Olivia Pope-Approved Pieces", "Collaboration Nation: Saks Fifth Avenue Partners With 'Scandal', "Wear the Pantsuits: Get Olivia Pope's Scandal Look", "Want to dress like Olivia Pope? Olivia Pope is the best fixer in D.C. A title earned first by getting an underdog candidate elected President, she's kept it up by being the invisible hand behind problems that seem to disappear as quickly as they came. Olivia and Fitz first meet during Fitz's campaign tour to be the presidential nominee for the Republican party. Olivia is packing up the case file when Quinn shows up at her door. The smart Black woman, working in a male-dominated White house where people wore mostly dark-colored suits, brought color with her to the office. That's for the audience to decide. Instead, she proudly takes on Washington with a head full of kinks and curls. The Young Vic Theatre in London warned audiences about several themes in . He was trailing behind Sally Langston after their visit to Iowa and Cyrus Beene brings in Olivia to do what she does best, fix things. Today the Biden-Harris administration has three Black women Symone Sanders,Ashley Etienne, andKarine Jean-Pierre in its all-women communications team. But in the end, he was treated like nothing more than a used tissue to Olivia. Mellie Grant (played by Bellamy Young) becomes Cyrus Beene's (Jeff Perry) beard, hiding the fact that he's gay. Or was she? When Fitz asks the question on why they are trailing behind, Olivia stands up and tells him it's because it looks like he doesn't have a happy marriage and people want to like the family. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. [11], Stanley says her voice patterns are reminiscent of a salesman in Glengarry Glen Ross. Fitz claims that Cyrus is only angry because he couldn't stop his mentee from falling in love with Fitz. When Fitz arrives to hear about the plan, he is heartbroken because he believed that Olivia was on board with the plan of him resigning from his presidency, it breaks his heart more when he realizes that he will have to get Mellie pregnant and that the idea came from Olivia. [13] Although the show does not touch upon race that often, regarding her much publicized affair with Grant, Pope once said "I'm feeling a little, I don't know, Sally Hemings-Thomas Jefferson about all this. Olitz is the relationship between Olivia Pope and Fitz Grant. Olivia and Jake discovered that it was Luna who had conspired to kill her own husband and take power herself as Mellies vice president. This wine guide to Scandal helps explore the types of reds Olivia drinks, saying: One can assume that Ms. Pope favors full-bodied reds based on the appearance of her glass which makes sense, as a fruity Pinot Noir just wouldn't seem to do the trick after discovering your father kidnapped your mother. RELATED:10 Most Heartbreaking Moments On How I Met Your Mother. [4], Pope is a Washington, D.C.-based crisis manager who runs her own firm, Olivia Pope & Associates (OPA), that specializes in "fixing" political situations and scandals. Watching the show leaves us wondering: "Is this a real job? And thats where the voting machines were rigged. Here's How Much Money Scandal's Olivia Pope Would Have Made In Real Life. Although not all of it is true, Smith's life was indeed the inspiration behind the hit show. But as the show got twistier, Olivias rsum darkened, and her competency became more self-serving. When Mellie sees Olivia, she tells Olivia that Olivia is the one to blame because she left The White House which broke Fitz's heart leaving him vulnerable to Amanda Tanner and Billy Chamber's ploy. 2023 Cond Nast. star. It's a truth-telling jeremiad. Huck (Diego Muoz) is still Huck, just a lot scruffier. He then grabs her and they start kissing, when Cyrus walks in and discovers their relationship. I Agree to F2FA terms SUBSCRIBE Olivia Pope is a minor character on How to Get Away with Murder and a main character on Scandal. Profession Press J to jump to the feed. It could also be, as T.H.R. How to Get Away with Murder Wiki is a FANDOM TV Community. And really, this is something that could have taken place earlier. In this alternate Scandal reality, Olivia still works, although it appears her job is less high-profile than what we've come to expect from the head Gladiator. When she calls him Governor Grant, he tells her to be inappropriate and call him Fitz. She apologizes for the miscarriage, only to have Fitz tell her, Mellie lied about the whole thing. "Lahey v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" Two groundbreaking shows about women in the workplace returnand this time they wont just be about white women. 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