Kerry Washington details her parents telling her she was conceived via a sperm donor as she admits: ‘I had no idea before they told me’

Kerry Washington has detailed how her parents told her she was conceived through a sperm donor and admitted she had no idea beforehand.

The American actress, 46, spoke to Louise Minchin on Friday’s Lorraine about the discovery and how it inspired her new memoir, Thicker Than Water.

She explained that her parents only told her five years ago that her ‘beloved’ father Earl was not her biological parent because they used a sperm donor.

Carrie admitted she had “no idea” before being told by her mother Valerie and her father Earl that it had been a “real trip” for her and her family.

Louise told MPs: “I found out five or six years ago, my parents sat me down and told me that my beloved dad was not my biological father.

Revelations: Kerry Washington has detailed her parents who told her she was conceived through a sperm donor and admits she had ‘no idea’ beforehand

Secret: She explained that her parents Earl and Valerie (pictured in 2019) only told her five years ago that her father was not her biological parent because they used a sperm donor

“I was conceived with the help of a sperm donor, which was – I mean, I had no idea before they told me.”

‘It’s been a real journey for our family, a journey into the truth and also a journey into me discovering more about who I am and how I came to be that person and I think that’s part of what the exercise was in writing the memoir.’

Carrie previously shared how she learned about the family secret when she was invited to appear on an episode of Finding Your Roots, hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates on PBS.

The show uses genealogical records and DNA results to trace family history.

“When I said, ‘Spit in this tube,’ they started going crazy,” Carey said The New York Times about her parents’ reaction to the DNA test.

“My mom said, ‘I didn’t know this was going to happen.’

The Prophecy star said her father started having panic attacks and suffering from insomnia and decided to pull out of the show.

After Dr. Gates advised them to disclose the information while the family was still alive, Carrie’s parents then told her that they had used an anonymous sperm donor after having problems conceiving naturally.

Shock: Carrie admits she had ‘no idea’ before mum Valerie and dad Earl told her it was a ‘real trip’ for her and her family

Frankly: The American actress, 46, spoke to Louise Minchin on Friday’s Lorraine about the discovery and how it inspired her new memoir, Thicker Than Water

“I always had this weird disconnect with my dad, but I thought it was my fault. “I thought I wasn’t a kind enough person,” she explained.

“But the idea that I wasn’t his never crossed my mind.” It was just, “why can’t I be better to him? Why can’t we be closer? What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with us?”

“When I got this information, I thought, ‘Oh, now I know my story,'” she said People. ‘I didn’t know what my story was, but I was playing a minor character in their story.’

She believes her subconscious reaction to the idea that something is wrong may have contributed to her struggles with anxiety, self-esteem issues and an eating disorder.

After the revelations, Carey decided to change the focus of her book because she said she felt it was “impossible” not to include new information.

She was originally signed on to write a manuscript based on the life lessons she learned playing Olivier Pope for six years on the hit drama Scandal, but opted for a memoir instead.

Self-discovery: She said: ‘It’s been a real journey for our family, a journey into truth and also a journey into me to discover more about who I am’

Love: Carey previously revealed how she told her dad Earl: ‘I’m not going anywhere, you’re not going anywhere, you’re my dad’

“Every attempt to sit down and write about my life and not include this new information seemed impossible,” she told the Times. ‘I tried to give the publisher their money back.’

Carey admitted that her parents were concerned about publishing the details in her book, but were still supportive of her venture.

She also revealed how she told her father Earl: “I’m not going anywhere, you’re not going anywhere, you’re my dad.” Now when I say I love you, it’s not because of who you pretend to be in my life, it’s because of who you are.”

Carrie has yet to discover anything about the sperm donor.