Kerry Washington Is "So Happy" People Are Watching 'American Son' Amid Black Lives Matter Protests

Kerry Washington is reacting to people have been watching her movie, American Son, amid the Black Lives Matter protests across the world over the past week.

"It makes me so happy that people are watching #AmericanSon on @netflix to deepen their compassion and understanding," the actress wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday. "My dream for this film was to spark conversations that would lead to change. What questions are popping up for you as you watch or after you watch?

Washington shared Instagram stories from users who have been watching the film and were encouraging others to watch it due to its themes of police brutality and racism. She also tweeted out a guide for parents who are watching and discussing the film with their sons.

The 2019 film, based on the Broadway play of the same name, follows an estranged couple (played by Washington and Steven Pasquale) who are forced to reunite in a Florida police station and work together to find their missing teenage son. Throughout the movie, Washington's character struggles with police not taking her seriously, giving her a reminder of the racism and unconscious biases that permeate the law enforcement system.

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The movie has seen a resurgence over the past few days amid ongoing Black Lives Matter protests over the death of George Floyd.

On Wednesday, Derek Chauvin, the former officer who knelt on Floyd's neck and killed him, had his charges updated to second-degree murder, while the three other officers involved (Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao) were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. The update on Chauvin's charge and the charges for the three other officers were put in place after over a week of protests worldwide.