Kerry Washington had to miss out on the season 2 premiere of her show UnPrisoned, held in New York City on July 16, after testing positive for COVID.
The 47-year-old actress took to social media to share the news with her fans. “I’m not sure what’s worse right now, being sick with COVID or being sick with FOMO,” Washington captioned an Instagram selfie, accompanied by a crying emoji.
In the photo, Washington is seen wearing a cozy, long-sleeved knitted white top, makeup-free, with her hair in a high ponytail. She buried her face in her hands, clearly disappointed about missing the event.
“I love our UnPrisoned family so much ???? and I am INSANELY proud of and EXCITED about Season 2! I cannot believe I’m not there tonight to celebrate our amazing cast & crew!” she continued in her post.
After shedding “waaaay too many tears,” Washington decided to prepare for a solo watch party at home. In her Instagram story, she showed a setup with a large bowl of popcorn and a wine glass filled with cranberry juice, which she noted is “very high in vit C!”
“I guess I’ll be watching it on HULU tomorrow with YOU! YAY!!!!! I know you’re going to loooooooove it!” she concluded, encouraging her fans to tune in.
UnPrisoned, a dramedy streaming on Hulu, explores the relationship between Washington’s character Paige Alexander, a relationship therapist, and her formerly incarcerated father Edwin, played by Delroy Lindo.
In an interview, Washington shared what to expect in the new season. She said that Paige will confront her intimacy issues stemming from generational trauma caused by her father’s absence, especially following the aftermath of her viral TED talk in the season one finale.
“Paige is now dealing with the reality of trying to be who she wants to be, which was the thesis of her TED talk, because it’s easier to ‘talk the talk’ than ‘walk the walk’ sometimes,” Washington explained. “I think who you want to be can be a moving target.”
UnPrisoned season 2 premieres on Hulu on July 17.