Bellamy Young on 'Scandal,' women in Hollywood, & politics

Larry King interviews Bellamy Young, an actress and singer who has had roles on ‘Scrubs,’ ‘Criminal Minds,’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ Young currently stars as First Lady turned president-elect Mellie Grant on ‘Scandal,’ which has one season left before its finale. Larry asks what it’s like to be on a series for so long, and Young feels like she’s won the lottery. She talks about being lucky to play a character with a varied career and to have a good role for six years. Young is full of praise for the show’s good writing, for the showrunner Shonda Rhimes, and particularly for her costar Kerry Washington. Larry asks about Young’s upcoming film project, ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ which also has a strong female cast and characters. Young talks about enjoying the book as a little girl, and is delighted that Ava DuVernay will be directing the movie.

Considering she’s worked with many great female actresses and directors, Larry asks Young about gender inequality in Hollywood. Young says she is fortunate to work in a matriarchy where complex women are celebrated, which she sees the industry trending towards. Larry asks if the current administration will hamper that rise, and Young hopes it will inspire the rise, since this progress won’t be taken for granted anymore. Young expresses her disappointment in Trump and believes that America needs to improve its amount of women in power. Larry asks about more questions about Young’s role on ‘Scandal’ as a powerful woman, and Young talks about exploring the role and going through different iterations of the character. Delving more into her career, Larry asks about Young’s beginnings on Broadway. She talks about singing as her first love, and how much she enjoys making people laugh.