Shonda Rhimes on Fitz Learning About Scandal Abortion: Does He Have To? A Woman Made

 Posted on July 5, 2024  |  5 minutes  |  894 words  |  Aldo Pusey

Earlier this season, Kerry Washington’s “Scandal” character made the decision to get an abortion on the ABC series. Since that November episode, that storyline has not been touched on — and the likely father of the unborn baby, Tony Goldwyn’s President Fitz, never knew about the pregnancy or the abortion.

On Tuesday night during “Scandal’s” panel at PaleyFest at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, during the Q&A portion of the event, a fan asked show creator Shonda Rhimes when Fitz will find out about the abortion.

“My question is, does he have to?” Rhimes responded. “A woman made a choice about her body that she legally has the right to make. I haven’t actually decided, but I wonder sometimes. We talk about it a lot.”

Back when the episode aired, conservative groups were quick to judge the show, calling the storyline “Hollywood’s moral depravity on full display.” However, Planned Parenthood praised the episodes. Viewers were divided.

Related Stories

A hand holding up a controller into the air VIP+

Why the Video Game Industry Can’t Shake Its Struggles

SNL cold open

'SNL' Reveals Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, Andy Samberg as Doug Emhoff, Dana Carvey as Joe Biden in Cold Open With Maya Rudolph's Kamala Harris

Popular on Variety

Rhimes was asked another question revolving around Fitz and Olivia’s relationship, specifically a crowd member inquiring if and when the fan-favorite couple will ever get back together.

“Olivia is on a journey and Olivia has been on a journey since we started. It’s interesting to me that her primary story is a romance — that’s what you’ve seen — because to me, her primary story has been discovering herself,” Rhimes responded to the fan who asked the question. “I’m happy that you have fallen in love with Fitz because that is the journey that Olivia went on … she went on the fantasy and she realized that the fantasy was not real. That does not mean that she does not love Fitz, that does not mean Fitz does not deserve love. It just means that Olivia does not know who she is yet.”

The on-screen couple did briefly get back together this season in a story arc that had Washington’s character living in the White House with the TV president, basically taking on the role of a First Lady. Tonight, Rhimes called that a “farce.” She explained “to basically be an appendage of him was never going to work … For Olivia, the breaking free of that, while painful, was the first step of realizing that she was not who she was supposed to be.”

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXKCjq2taKaVrMBwv8KapZ2ZnGKuo7vRraCopl2otbC6w5pkq6CZorK0edGemJysmaS7brLIrbFmp5yew6qtjGppaWlnaH5zfpJo