Kerry Washington has already helped bring more users to Spill by hosting Tea Parties on the app, the Spill version of live discussions like Twitter Spaces or IG Live. But she’s now contributing with the power of her wallet, investing an undisclosed amount as Spill celebrates its second year.

“When I joined Spill as a user, I was amazed and inspired by how safe the community felt,” Washington said in a statement. “I immediately wanted to support the growth of the platform, because safety is a powerful tool to foster honesty, creativity, connection, and community,”

Washington, 47, is the Emmy-winning actress whose role as fixer Olivia Pope in the ABC series Scandal (2012 to 2018) cemented her in the pop culture zeitgeist. Since then, she’s starred in several films and TV shows, including Little Fires Everywhere and the recently canceled UnPrisoned on Hulu.

In recent years, she has also invested in an array of companies including Byte, a teeth alignment company, The Wing, a co-working space geared to women that was derailed by complaints of discrimination, Omaze, a U.K.-based site that uses celebrities and lavish giveaways to raise money for good causes, and Community, a text marketing company.

Spill founder Alphonzo Terrell says Washington is not just a hands-off investor and that she’s been engaged and involved in the site since the start.

“She’s incredibly accessible and knowledgeable, especially around these topics and is not scared in any way, shape, or form about really engaging with people directly,” Terrell said. “I think it really does represent the kind of environment we want to cultivate on Spill … We’re all human here, too. Let’s connect.”

Terrell, an ex-Twitter employee, founded Spill with $7M in investment money, quickly growing the app to about 200,000 users. Washington’s early support helped the brand become a space where the ‘cool kids’ hang out and form communities.

One of Spill’s biggest successes thus far has been multiplayer live Spades, a hit on the app because its average user spends 30 or more minutes playing.

“It’s partner-based, so it’s inherently very social,” Terrell said. “This was a suggestion from the community, because it’s always played at Black barbecues and things like that, and family gatherings.”

And that sense of community is why Washington says she put her money behind the brand.

“In a digital world where marginalized groups, especially Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA folks, rarely feel prioritized, Spill stands out,” she said. “I’m proud to be part of this community as both a user and an investor.”

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