Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling and more will serve as DNC hosts
By Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN
(CNN) — Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and Ana Navarro will serve as hosts at the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials told CNN.
According to organizers, reported first by CNN, each star will host one night of the four-day convention, in a role similar to an award show host, kicking off the broadcast with opening remarks and then reappearing onstage throughout the evening to help guide the audience through programming.
Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday, Kaling on Wednesday and Washington will host on Thursday, which is when Vice President Kamala Harris will formally accept the Democratic nomination.
All four hosts have a history of supporting the Democratic Party and publicly campaigning for candidates.
Washington, who is one of the most politically active celebrities in Hollywood, has her own political nonprofit, Influence Change, which recruits fellow artists to promote civic engagement. She served a similar role at the 2020 DNC, where she opened the third night. The actress and activist, who played a political fixer on Shonda Rhimes’ “Scandal,” also spoke at the 2012 DNC.
Washington’s “Scandal” co-star, Goldwyn, played the president on the ABC drama. In real life, Goldwyn is also an activist who has directed his spotlight to Democratic causes. He supported Hillary Clinton’s presidential candidacy in 2016. Earlier this summer, before President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term, Goldwyn attended a reproductive rights event with Biden’s reelection campaign.
In 2019, Kaling and Harris participated in a cooking video together in which they made masala dosa, a South Indian dish. In the video, “The Office” actress and then-Sen. Harris spoke about their Indian heritage. The video recently got renewed attention after former President Donald Trump shared it on his social media platform in an effort to attack Harris’ racial identity.
Navarro, who says she is a Republican, has lent her support for Democratic candidates over the past decade, ever since Trump entered politics. The TV commentator and political strategist, who is a contributor with CNN and co-host of ABC’s “The View,” has said that she voted for a Democrat for the first time in her life in 2016, when Clinton ran against Trump. Navarro has said she supports Harris.
Many notable celebrities have rallied around the Harris campaign in recent weeks. Hollywood stars have had a presence at past Democratic conventions, but the level of excitement for Harris has earned her comparisons to former President Barack Obama’s support from the entertainment community.
While the Harris campaign has embraced celebrity endorsements, a source familiar with the convention plans told CNN the focus will remain first and foremost on the real-life American people and the issues that affect them. However, by engaging well-known stars, the campaign hopes to amplify its message with their respective fan bases.
Aside from Hollywood stars, the DNC will also feature political stars. The Obamas and the Clintons are set to speak, and Biden will open the convention with a push to elect Harris.
The-CNN-Wire
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