>> Stephen: AS SOMEONE WHO PLAYS A POLITICAL FIXER.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: ON TELEVISION, DO YOU-- DO YOU SEE THINGS THAT ARE
HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON AND YOU GO, "MAN, THEY NEED OLIVIA
POPE?" >> YEAH.
( LAUGHTER ) ALL THE TIME.
AND I ACTUALLY-- MY CHARACTER IS INSPIRED BY A REAL WOMAN NAMED
JUDY SMITH WHO USED TO WORK IN THE FIRST BUSH WHITE HOUSE BUT
DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH THAT PRESIDENT LIKE I DO ON MY SHOW.
BUT SHE-- NOT IN REAL LIFE.
ON MY SHOW.
BUT SHE-- SHE ACTUALLY IS A FIXER OUT IN THE WORLD.
AND I CAN TELL WHEN I'M WATCHING THE NEWS WHEN SHE FIXES
SOMETHING.
I CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING -- >> SHE'S STILL A FIXER?
>> YES, THIS IS WHAT SHE DOES.
>> Stephen: SHE DEALS WITH A CRISE FOR SOMEONE IN
WASHINGTON-- >> I CAN WATCH SOMEBODY HAVING A
SCANDAL HAPPENING AND I CAN TELL THE MOMENT HER FINGERPRINT IS ON
IT AND THE CONVERSATION CHANGES AND THE SPIN CHANGES AND IT'S
HANDLED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY.
>> Stephen: DOES THAT FRIGHTEN YOU AT ALL?
WE'RE ALL BEING LIED TO ALL THE TIME.
I KNOW IT'S FUN.
I KNOW IT'S FUN TO IMAGINE THAT YOU KNOW SOMEBODY HOIS ACTUALLY
TURNING THE DIALS AND PULLING THE LEVERS, BUT DOES THAT
FRIGHTEN YOU AT ALL?
>> IT DOESN'T FRIGHTEN ME BECAUSE SHE'S MY FRIEND.
>> Stephen: SO, SO SHE'S EVIL ON YOUR SIDE.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
MWA-HA-HA.
>> Stephen: VOLD MERIS A GOOD GUY.
YOU WOULD LIKE HIM.
YOU ARE PRODUCING AND YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO STAR AS ANITA
HILL.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: IN AN HBO BIOPICABOUT ANITA HILL.
>> IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A BIOD PARTICULAR IC.
IT'S NOT AT, NITA FILM.
IT'S THE STORY OF THE SENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR JUDGE
THOMAS.
SO IT'S A KIND OF PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN FOR WHAT IS REALLY
HAPPENING.
>> Stephen: FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO PERHAPS WERE NOT
LISTENING TO IT AT THE TIME, WHAT HAPPENED WAS CLARENCE
THOMAS WAS NOMINATED TO THE SUPREME COURT, AND ANITA HILL
CAME OUT AND SAID SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY HARASSED.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> Stephen: BY THOMAS AND ULTIMATELY THE COMMITTEE DID NOT
BELIEVE HER AND CONFIRMED JUDGE THOMAS.
WHY DO YOU THINK THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE HER?
>> IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
>> Stephen: IT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT?
>> IT'S A LOT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
>> Stephen: OKAY, HOW IS IT MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT?
>> YOU SHOULD WATCH THE MOVIE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: NOW, IS THIS HBO.
DOES IT HAVE DRAGONS IN IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE COMPLICATED.
>> I'M PLAYING THE VERSION OF THE ANITA HILL THAT HAS BLOND
BRAIDS AND I FLY ON DRAGONS.
>> Stephen: DO YOU THINK-- COULD SHE HAVE USED AN OLIVIA
POPE?
DO YOU THINK THE ENGINE OF WASHINGTON FIXING WAS GEARED UP
IN ORDER TO MAKE HER LOOK BAD?
BECAUSE THERE CERTAINLY WAS A MEDIA JOB PUT OUT ON HER.
>> YOU ARE REALLY GOING TO FIND THIS MOVIE VERY INTERESTING.
>> Stephen: I'M FINDING IT INTERESTING ALREADY AND I DON'T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> IT REALLY IS KIND OF A LOOK AT THE MACHINE AT WORK AND HOW
EVERYBODY WAS IMPACTED.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF KEY PLAYERS LIKE JUDGE THOMAS AND
ANITA HILL AND JOE BIDEN.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT YET HOUSEHOLD NAMES.
YEAH.
>> Stephen: BIND WAS-- I WON'T SAY HOSTILE BUT HE WAS CERTAINLY
SKEPTICAL OF CLARENCE THOMAS IN THOSE HEARINGS.
I REMEMBER THAT PART.
( LAUGHTER ) >> I --
>> YOU STAY OFF MY BUDDY, JOE.
YOU STAY OFF MY BUDDY JOE.
>> I'M A JOE FAN.
>> Stephen: YE?
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE WAS SKEPTICAL OF CLARENCE
THOMAS?
>> I THINK YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE MOVIE!
>> Stephen: WAIT A SECOND.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GIVING AWAY AN ENDING WE DON'T KNOW ALREADY.
>> NO, NO -- >> THERE ARE NO SPOILER
ALETTERS.
>> I WOULD ARGUE WITH YOU.
>> Stephen: HE WAS CONFIRMED TO BE A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME
COURT.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
THAT'S TRUE.
BUT WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES IS FULL OF
SPOILER ALERTS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE SUBTLES THAN WE
KNOW ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY THE PROJECT WAS SO INTERESTING TO ME.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THESE MOMENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHEN
YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND SOMEBODY SAYS,
"YES, BUT, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND
OUR COUNTRY AND OUR HISTORY AND HOW WE HAVE BECOME WHO WE ARE.
THAT EXCITES ME.
>> Stephen: IS THERE ANYTHING MORE TO LEARN ABOUT "SCANDAL,"
BECAUSE JUST WHEN YOU THINK SOMETHING CRAZIER CAN'T HAPPEN
IN THE SHOW-- WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU GET THE SCRIPT?
DOES IT BLOW YOUR MIND IT DID DOES.
EVERY WEEK I FIELD SHOCKED.
NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE-- WHEN I TURNED TO THE LAST PAGE, SAID I
DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.
IF WE DO THAT, THEN WHAT HAPPENS.
>> Stephen: TELL ME EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS.