When it comes to red carpet looks, actress Kerry Washington has always turned heads. However, at the recent ABFF Honors ceremony, she turned heads while also paying homage to the late Whitney Houston, wearing one of her old dresses to the ceremony as a way to “honor Black excellence.”
The iconic red dress was first worn by Whitney Houston in 1996. On Jimmy Fallon, Washington explained how the dress had been archived by its original designer, Marc Bouwer, and it had not been worn in decades. Washington had apparently had her eye on it for awhile and had previously discussed the dress with her stylist, but had to wait for the right moment to honor [Houston].
She described the halter-style dress as “really special” and explaining that “when you get an award for excellence in the arts, you’ve gotta go to Black excellence.”
Washington also posted a short video on Instagram in which she asked “What’s cooler than wearing Whitney Houston’s dress?” before following it up with her singing the late songstress’s iconic “nothing” while twirling around and showing it off.
The fifth American Black Film Festival (ABFF) Honors ceremony, which took place in West Hollywood on March 5, recognizes achievements of film actors of African descent and honors films that stand out in their portrayal of Black experience. Washington was honored alongside Courtney B. Vance, Janelle Monáe, Macro’s Charles D. King, filmmaker Kasi Lemmons, the cast of “Eve’s Bayou,” and more.
After describing the dress on Jimmy Fallon, Washington also teased her upcoming autobiography.
