Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling and More to Host DNC

CNN
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Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Mindy Kaling and Ana Navarro will host the Democratic National Convention this week, convention officials tell CNN.

According to organizers, first reported by CNN, each star will host one night of the four-day convention, in a role similar to that of an awards show host, kicking off the broadcast with opening remarks and then reappearing on stage throughout the evening to help guide the audience through the programming.

Goldwyn will host Monday night, Navarro on Tuesday, Kaling on Wednesday, and Washington will host Thursday, 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, one of Hollywood’s most politically active celebrities, has her own political nonprofit, Influence Change, which recruits fellow artists to promote civic engagement. She played a similar role at the 2020 DNC, where she opened the third night. The actress and activist, who played a political operative on Shonda Rhimes’ “Scandal,” also spoke at the 2012 DNC.

Goldwyn, Washington’s “Scandal” co-star, played the president on the ABC drama. In real life, Goldwyn is also an activist who has turned his attention to Democratic causes. He supported Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid 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 appeared in a cooking video together in which they made masala dosa, a South Indian dish. In the video, the “Office” actress and Senator Harris talked about their Indian heritage. The video recently received renewed attention after former President Donald Trump shared it on his social media platform in an attempt to attack Harris’ racial identity.

Navarro, who identifies as a Republican, has supported Democratic candidates over the past decade since Trump entered politics. The television commentator and political strategist, who is a CNN contributor and co-host of ABC’s “The View,” said she voted for a Democrat for the first time in her life in 2016, when Clinton ran against Trump. Navarro said she supports Harris.

A slew of celebrities have joined Harris’ campaign in recent weeks. Hollywood stars have been in attendance at previous Democratic conventions, but the level of enthusiasm Harris has generated has led to comparisons to former President Barack Obama’s support in the entertainment world.

While Harris’ campaign has tapped celebrity endorsements, a source familiar with the convention plan told CNN that the focus will remain on Americans and the issues that affect them. However, by tapping well-known stars, the campaign hopes to amplify its message to their respective fans.

In addition to Hollywood stars, the DNC convention will also feature political figures. The Obamas and Clintons are expected to speak, and Biden will open the convention by campaigning for the election of Kamala Harris.