EXCLUSIVE: Kerry Washington Calls Sex Scenes 'Incredibly Awkward'

Kerry Washington stars opposite Eddie Murphy in the comedy A Thousand Words, now in theaters. All in the name of laughs, Washington, 35, shows her raunchier side in a scene that's, let's just say, sadomasochistic in origin. But while Washington has fun doing her job, she admits that sex scenes — particularly those involving whips and chains — are not always the most comfortable.

"Those scenes are always incredibly awkward," she said in our exclusive interview. "There's nothing sexy about doing something that's kind of supposed to be private — for me, anyway. I guess for some people that's not true."

Not that she's a prude or anything. Washington will next stir up some adult-related content on the small screen, in Scandal, which is produced by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy). Washington will play Olivia Pope, a character based on real-life celeb and political crisis PR manager Judy Smith. "The show is, pun intended, quite scandalous," Washington said, explaining that Smith worked for high-profile clients like Monica Lewinsky and Michael Vick. "It's about the scandals that walk into our door as a crisis management company, but it's also about the scandals that are in our own personal lives."

Sounds juicy.

Click here for more of our interview with Washington.