Washington joins The Last King of Scotland
June 1, 2005

After being featured in three high profiled studio films (RAY, MR. & MRS. SMITH and THE FANTASTIC FOUR), Kerry Washingtonis set to go back to the indie world and star opposite Forest Whitaker in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND. Set in the 1970s, "Scotland" is based on Giles Foden's award-winning novel that blends history and fiction. It centers on a Scottish doctor who, though a twist of fate, becomes the hand-picked personal physician of the then-new president of Uganda, Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker). At first, the doctor is flattered by his new position but soon awakens to Amin's savagery and his own complicity in it. Amin was a horrific if flamboyant figure in the world of despots. He trained as part of the British army and had an affinity for things Scottish. He liked to wear kilts and famously said he wanted to raise an army to fight for Scottish independence, thus becoming the last king of Scotland. Washington will be playing one of Amin's wives. Gillian Anderson will play Sarah Zach, an Israeli doctor, and perhaps a spy, who has a brief affair with Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy). Oscar winning documentary director Kevin Macdonald will helm the film based on a adapted script from Peter Morgan and Jeremy Brock. Filming will take place in Uganda and in the UK in June 2005 with Fox Searchlight distributing the film sometime in 2006.