Kerry Washington Covers 'Vanity Fair' August 2013

Kerry Washington shows off her swimsuit body on the cover of Vanity Fair‘s August 2013 issue, on newsstands July 9.

Here’s what the 36-year-old Scandal star had to share with the mag:

On Scandal being a profound show: “”It’s especially profound in a place like South Africa. It’s called The Fixer over there, and it just started its second season. The fact that white women can see this woman of color as an aspirational character is revolutionary, I think, in the medium of television. I don’t think white women would feel that way about Olivia if her identity as a woman, period, wasn’t first in their mind.”

On celebrating being able to vote when she turned 18: “My becoming a voting citizen was celebrated the way other people would celebrate a Sweet 16. My parents took me out to dinner, and we talked about who I was going to vote for.”

On what she loves about her Scandal character: “What I think is cool about Olivia is that she fully owns being a woman. There’s a very nurturing sense of ‘I’m going to take care of you�”don’t worry about it. I’m gonna be your mom in this situation. You come stay in my office, have a cup of tea, and let my gladiators take care of you.’ There’s something very maternal about it. But there’s also something very executive about her, and I mean ‘executive’ in a presidential way.”

For more from Kerry, visit VanityFair.com. Bigger cover inside…