To me, that's what was so disturbing about that abortion scene: it was so mundane. Not only does he not have a partner, he's utterly alone. My mother was even like, 'Why are you acting that way?!" I think everything would lead us to believe that Fitz would be ethically pro-life, even if he has a progressive bend like George Bush Sr. But the bigger thing is not a political question; the bigger thing here is the emotional [impact].. It just means that Olivia does not know who she is yet. 5 Meanwhile, Fitz finds out that Olivia aborted his baby. That does not mean she does not love Fitz, and it does not mean that Fitz is not worthy of love. I think everything would lead us to believe that Fitz would be ethically pro-life, even if he has a progressive bend like George Bush Sr. But the bigger thing is not a political question; the bigger thing here is the emotional [impact]. Hes very progressive in so many ways and my guess is that Fitz would have a fairly progressive view on the matter, if only to say that it should not be in the hands of the government. Goldwyn previously told THRthat Fitz would have a progressive view on the matter. For. Murder! Rhimes previously said shewanted to take on the abortion arc in season oneof Greys but instead opted to feature Cristina suffering from an ectopic pregnancy and losing the baby because the showrunner feared it was too early in the medical dramas run to take on such a weighty subject. He also noted that Fitz does not know about Olivia's abortion and if and when he finds out, he would . If Fitz were smart, he'd stay 100 miles away from her; he should get in another relationship because, really, how much abuse can two people take? All we knew is that she made her choice, and carried it out rather unceremoniously. I don't understand it. is waiting with an apology (You were right, Lazarus wasnt you). 2 days ago. So he inappropriately rushed things by moving her into the White House when they just needed time. Olivia comes home, grabs Mellie's hootch . In season four of Scandal, a case-of-the-week story features a female Navy officer who is raped and begs Olivia for help getting an abortion. But the dream may have been better than the reality if Thursday's midseason finale his any indication. I didnt; I just had to absorb it and think about it. He's going to be very lonely. But that's not all we learned. I'm happy that you have fallen in love with Fitz because that's the journey that Olivia went on. The idea that they were together under the circumstances in which they were together that she was going to move into the White House and become Mellie [Bellamy Young], who was the unhappiest woman weve ever seen was a farce, Rhimes continued. Do you think hes happy now that he knows that his insane shell of a human father is out of the picture again? Rowan keeps up the verbal assault until Huck finally snaps. But his feelings for Olivia defy logic. We know where it ends and when it ends, Rhimes said, though the question is when. Hes lost his family; though he has visitation with his kids, he and Mellie are utterly estranged. That doesn't mean she doesn't love Fitz, but it means Olivia does not know who she is yet. "If you think the debates in the real world are fun, then" is all Washington would tease. Olivia's Ending: When a fan asked Kerry Washington how she'd want to write her own ending for Scandal, Josh Malinanoting the enormity of the questionblurted out, "Oh snap!" Hes a Republican but weve never asked that question [on the show]. But the combination of the fact that Fitz's fondest dream in life would be to have a child with Olivia as he put it in Vermont. Why, Shonda, Why? I expected to feel and do and say certain things, and the expectation manifested those feelings and prompted me to do those things. What's more, it may have. At the end of the day, its her body and her right, but its his child, Goldwyn told THR in November after the midseason finale that featured the abortion reveal. Unmistakably, we see Olivia upset after the abortion; rooting around in her cavernous White House closet for the moonshine bequeathed to her by her predecessor, the former First Lady (who spent the entire episode filibustering in opposition of a Congressional budget that would've stripped Planned Parenthood of its funding, because its apparently time to get serious about planting the narrative seeds of Olivia running Mellies inevitable presidential campaign). Its Me, Margaret, 25 Of Our Favorite Mothers Day Episodes From 'The Golden Girls' to 'Rugrats', Rihanna Is Definitely Going To Impress Her Kids With Her New Movie Role, No, Meghan Markle Isnt Returning To Acting, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. There's been a lot of darkness of Huck, but he's trying to be a better person." Rowan is not exactly moved, and tells the departing Huck,Family doesnt complete you, it destroys you.. That was followed . It was pretty clear. What was the table read like when the cast got this script? Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Look what hes forgiving her for and what hes overlooked, in terms of her bailing out on this supposed marriage they were going to have by making a deal with the man who murdered his son, with the father who has tormented her her entire life. Ive always had the end point in mind.. She never even casts a patented, subtext-laden, sideways, wincing look that at least lets the audience know that shes currently channeling all of her ~tragic abortion sadness~, even if shes stubbornly refusing to tell Fitz about it (which she never ends up doing). How do you think Fitz, who recently lost his son, would feel about Olivia's abortion? Scandal was recently renewed for a sixth season, but does Rhimes actually look at that as the final season? But give me a break! What would have happened if Olivia had said to Fitz, "I'm pregnant?" His face would have lit up in a smile and it would be the greatest joy in his life and he'd have embraced her and said, "Oh my God, we're going to start a whole new life together, isn't that fantastic?!" I think Fitz and Olivia really love each other. I don't have an attachment to what it looks like. Yellowstone's Kelly Reilly Offers Explanation For Her PaleyFest Absence, American Idol's Top 10 Revealed Live, Following Pair of Brutal Eliminations, Morning Show Renewed for Season 4 Plus, Find Out When Season 3 Will Air, Time100: The World's Most Influential People, Felicity Dj Vu on The Diplomat? Fitzs about-face is completely a function of his love for Olivia, star Goldwyn told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, calling the decision for Scandal to feature a Republican president be pro-choice impressive. "My question is, 'Does he need to?'" Is this breakup something that Olivia and Fitz can come back from? Portia de Rossi mentioned that she'd like to get inside Huck's complicated mind. Olivia Pope Had An Abortion On 'Scandal' & It Was A Brave & Unprecedented Move Entertainment Olivia Pope Just Changed TV Forever by Nicole Pomarico November 19, 2015 For a show that has. And the truth is, neither do most women when they have abortions. Is there hope for them down the line or can they only work out once his presidency is over? I understand as a viewer but if I were her shrink, I would have a lot to say. Its interesting to me that her primary story is a romance. What, no one? What ever Fitz has done wrong, what ever mistakes Fitz made or overreaching he did, they could have made a go of this. It's not a paint by numbers. How much pain and suffering? Oscar winning director Roman Polanski poses with his 1977 teenage rape Its honestly strange and annoying that TV and movies dont showcase more instances where women are not just ending up without a baby or a man in a sad context, but are choosing to not have a baby, or to not have a man, in the decidedly positive context of her creating the life she wants for herself. Fitz thinks she released the man who killed his son so she wouldn't have to marry him. The And Just Like That Trailer Teases Season 2's Release Date & Aidans Return, House Of The Dragon Season 2's Cast Includes 'Slow Horses' & 'Perry Mason' Stars, 'The Mandalorian' Season 4 Is Already In The Works, Everything To Know About 'RHOC' Season 17, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. I can do what ever I want! Fitz may have been replaced by a couch (Laughs.) November 19 2015, 7:00 PM PST, Stop reading now if you have yet to watch tonights Scandal fall finale. The last question of the night was perhaps the most fitting, given that Paleyfest is for the fans. In truth, executive producer Shonda Rhimes has not made a decision whether Fitz will discover the truth. Olivia likens herself to a hostage and her time in the White House a sick, twisted punishment, before screaming to Fitz, There is no us! Next thing we know, shes moving out of the White House and back into her apartment. The Existential Yearning Of Are You There God? What if I had seen Olivia having abortion like it was a part of awesomely choosing what she does and does not want for her life, and how amazingly at peace she seemed to feel as a result? I cant tell you that, Rhimes told EW ahead of the panel. How much of their breakup do you think was based on Olivias stress from the pregnancy and feeling cornered as she said, not running with the big dogs? by Ariel Baker But to me, her primary story has been discovering herself. She also mentioned that just like Liv, Fitz is on a journey too. Come on, its difficult; theres a lot of scrutiny but what the hell is Olivia so scared of?! Boom. Olivia still hasn't told Fitz about her abortion, and she may never tell him. I think it would be, next to the death of his son, the most gutting news he could get and frankly I don't know how he'd recover from that. Will Abby Reveal Olivia's Abortion On 'Scandal'? She Protected - Romper Though Fitz and Olivia are done for the time being, Rhimes stressed that Scandal is more than just the Olitz relationship. Then I saw Hillary in this green [outfit]. I don't know how to do it any other way. Shonda Rhimes just dropped some major bombshells about Scandal at the Paley Center for Media's 33rd Annual PaleyFest. I may be alone at this point in thinking that, I dont know (Laughs.) Shonda Rhimes Reveals Why Scandal's Olivia and Fitz Had to Split Kim Kardashian Will Star in the Next Season of. My question is: Does he need to? Rhimes said at Tuesdays PaleyFest panel. Thats what I thought was normal. But it felt surprisingly fine to be reminded of that, and the fineness of remembering reminded me of the fineness of it happening, and to see Olivia going through that, and to see the whole thing framed in a way that didn't remind me that I was "supposed" to feel ripped apart by that particular moment in my medical history. Its going to be horrible if he finds out.". The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. This episode was such a timely and important one for Planned Parenthood, and it isn't the first time a Shonda Rhimes series or Scandal itself has featured an abortion. Its the burning question Gladiators have been asking since the Scandal midseason finale: Will Fitz ever find out about Olivias abortion? In the dramatic mid-season finale, Olivia and Fitz's brief time living together in the White House comes to a breaking point. 'Scandal's' Tony Goldwyn on Abortion Storyline, Fitz and Olivia's Future. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. I mean, its fine, its what we all do until we get a little older and realize that what weve been taught about what adults do or how adults feel in various situations all of which is largely based on what weve seen in movies and on TV is incredibly narrow and ill-fitting for who we are as individuals. and drops him off at home, where Jake (!) TGIT returns Feb. 11 on ABC. Thats where shes coming from as a dramatist. He's very progressive in so many ways and my guess is that Fitz would have a fairly progressive view on the matter, if only to say that it should not be in the hands of the government. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. He's lost his family; though he has visitation with his kids, he and Mellie are utterly estranged. But none of that happened, and thats amazing. HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS | As the White House staff exchanges gifts (Lizze even pretends to like Susans hideous scarf), we end the episode with a truly shocking Shondland holiday montage: Huck has released Rowan (!) And with their approval ratings on the rise, Fitz wants to keep Liv out of White House business, but Mellies ploy to grab the spotlight and shut down the government (more on that later) set off Livs gut instincts. She brought them coffees and worked her way up the ladder, and Marcus has gotten in there a little bit quicker than it took Quinn. KERRY WASHINGTON, JOSHUA MALINA, GUILLERMO DIAZ, GEORGE NEWBERN, DARBY STANCHFIELD, GEORGE NEWBERN, KATIE LOWES, KERRY WASHINGTON. Will Olivia tell Fitz about the abortion? I haven't actually decided, but I wonder. Part of deeply loving someone is a predisposition to see the world through their eyes and this is a huge moment for Fitz. And then, we end the . Fitz is going to be terribly lonely. "Second to the death of his son, thats the worst thing that could ever happen to Fitz to find out that Olivia was pregnant with his baby, had an abortion and did not tell him," Goldwyn remarked. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. JAKE TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS | Jake is still hot on Rowans trail, and knows that following Russell and Tom (whos under orders to find Rowan or die) will eventually lead to Papa Pope himself. Fox Says Battle With Parkinsons Disease Keeps Getting Tougher: Im Not Going to Be 80, TV Premiere Dates 2022: The Complete Guide, Broadcast TV Unscripted Scorecard 2022: Whats New, Renewed and Canceled, TV Pilots 2022: The Complete Broadcast Guide, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. At the end of the day, it's her body and her right, but it's his child. How will we see both Olivia and Fitz deal with the aftermath of their break-up? My fingers are crossed. ("We've talked about these things," is all Rhimes would elaborate.) I think he would have to because hes in love with her. I don't think of it as a product of what's being put out there. TGIT returns Feb. 11 on ABC. Fitz is certainly not blameless in this but I think Olivias fear is a huge part of this. But I think that's what makes it worth talking about. Nobody puts this Gladiator in a corner. Its such a divisive issue in our society and sadly has become a real political football. Sign up for our Celebrity & Entertainment newsletter. Olivia's frustration with her position in the White House intensified as she watched Sen. Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young) work tirelessly to support Planned Parenthood (in the latest Scandal episode that delivered a timely message). We talk about it a lot.. But that doesn't mean he won't find out in some way or another, whether she wants him to know about it or not. When I finally made the appointment and had the procedure (my boyfriend was upset and didnt come with me; my sister did), I spent weeks feeling sad and like my life was falling apart, which it almost did but it didnt need to. And the pressures are intense and to not have anybody that you can share your confidence with, who you know has your back and frankly who understands your frailties, that's a tough place to live in. For Olivia, the breaking free of that, while painful, was the first step toward realizing that she was not who she was meant to be. A woman made a choice about her body that she legally has the right to make. Read More: 'Scandal's' Tony Goldwyn: Having It All Has Never Been So Devastating. ET on ABC. I think Fitz and Olivia really love each other. But when the vote hits the floor, Mellie throws in a surprise filibuster she wants to protect Planned Parenthood which threatens to throw everyones holiday plans into disarray and (gasp!) How much more will Scandal explore Planned Parenthood and abortion storyline going forward? Olivias suits! PMC Entertainment. During a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, Tony Goldwyn (who plays President Grant) said that Fitz would be positively devastated if he ever discovered what Olivia did. I can't tell you that. ", Olivia's Abortion: Scandal has aired four new episodes since Olivia's abortion (as part of the mid-season finale), and Fitz still doesn't know about it. "Three highway patrol men came through and then nine secret service agents and then I saw Huma [Abedin, Clinton's aide], and I was like, 'I know her!' As for Washington's take? First Republic Bank's fate in limbo as US regulators consider bids Olitz. But that's not all we learned. During Thursday's season finale, President Fitzgerald Grant ( Tony Goldwyn) found out that his former flame Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) had a Christmastime abortion. "The question itself feels so foreign to me because at no point in these five years has any decision that Olivia has made been because of something I wanted," she said. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. After a tumultuous few seasons of back-and-forth, Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) and Olivia (Kerry Washington) seemed poised to find happiness. Previous Next Scandal TV You May Also Like TV "Bel-Air"'s Creator, Showrunner Break Down the Bombshell Moments in Season 2's Emotional. His connection with Cyrus (Jeff Perry), even thought they tried to patch things up, that trust is fundamentally compromised. According to a December 2015 AP-GfK poll, support for legal abortion rose from 35 to 40 percent among Republicans last year with seven of 10 conservative Republicans opposing abortion rights in most or all cases. Fox says life with Parkinson's is 'getting harder': "I'm not gonna be 80', Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson celebrate 35 years of marriage with cake, Chris Pratt talks Marvel audition fails: 'I was never gonna audition for Marvel again'. Fitz blasts her as being more manipulative than Mellie. Really?! Bellamy Young mentioned Mama Pope, while Tony Goldwyn gave his vote to Mellie Grant. And perhaps a great many more women would experience abortion this way if more TV and movies taught them to expect that they might. Scandal Kerry Washington Abortion - H 2016, [Warning: This story contains spoilers from Thursdays season five finale of ABCs Scandal.]. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. Fitz thinks she released the man who killed his son so she wouldnt have to marry him. That's true. Thats what youve seen. I was really impressed with the boldness of it; Shonda never fails to amaze me with her fierceness. I somehow feel as though his reaction wouldn't be all that understanding. She later figures out that the goal is to start a war between the U.S. and West-Angola by kidnapping Olivia and force Fitz to declare a war. "I literally ask the question because a woman made a choice about her body. It's interesting to me that it's a romance, that her primary story is a romancethat's what you've seen. But I do, and I think when people love each other as primally as these two people do, I think they can come back from anything. 'Scandal' finale: Take a look back at seven twisty seasons Truthfully, we got on a roller-coaster ever Thursday night with our emotions, so I'm good, thanks. He has always had a strong polarity in his life. But Liv didnt tell Fitz about the abortion during their break-up fight because it wasnt relevant. She couldnt have that conversation because to her, that's terror and a ball and chain. Viewers veto judges' votes on dj vu-inducing top 12 'American Idol' episode, Ashley Judd reflects on mom Naomi's 'irreplaceable loss' a year after the country star's death, Michael J. I cant tell you that, Rhimes told EW ahead of the panel. Did 'Scandal's' Republican President Just Say He Is Pro-Choice? And she didn't have an abortion because she was. I mean, holy sh*t, I was a strong breeze away from having a baby that I fully knew I did not want, all because I unquestioningly believed, as I had been taught, that whether or not to have an abortion was something that you do with the guy who got you pregnant. It was pretty clear. But as Mellie eventually starts to falter under the strain of holding court on the Senate floor she needs to pee, badly! Fox Says Battle With Parkinsons Disease Keeps Getting Tougher: Im Not Going to Be 80, TV Premiere Dates 2022: The Complete Guide, Broadcast TV Unscripted Scorecard 2022: Whats New, Renewed and Canceled, TV Pilots 2022: The Complete Broadcast Guide, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. "I think in a way, Huck has grown and is trying to become a better man, but who knows?" I was really impressed with the boldness of it; Shonda never fails to amaze me with her fierceness. Scandal is known for making bold political statements, and this year's midseason finale proved to be no exception when Olivia decided to have an abortion on Scandal , right in front of an audience who didn't even know that she was pregnant in the first place. Come on, it's difficult; there's a lot of scrutiny but what the hell is Olivia so scared of?! Olivia believes Fitz is talking about Jake, but the president is talking about a womans right to choose. . Olivia calls Fitz an ineffectual president and believes the White House is a cage. Hes a Republican but weve never asked that question [on the show]. It's the only way for me stay creative. How cool would it be if this one scene set a new precedent for how a woman's right to choose translates into television?