What does Kerry Washington make of life's key beauty questions?

To you, what is beauty? Beauty is [composed of] things that you take in visually or aurally, or that you experience, that make you feel good.

Who do you resemble most and how does it make you feel? I probably look more like my mum but there’s definitely some of my dad thrown in there. I love that I’m a product of both of them.

When did you last feel beautiful? I try to feel beautiful all the time, but if you’re speaking of a moment then maybe yesterday, when I was rolling around in bed with my daughter [Isabelle] and husband [American football star Nnamdi Asomugha].

How is the mind connected to the body? In every possible way. Our minds are the conductors of our body.

What smell transports you and where does it transport you to? The smell of Jamaican rum cake always transports me to my mum in her kitchen at Christmas.

Which book changed your view on what is beautiful? The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s about the idea of letting go of perfectionism and being willing to take risks and make mistakes to be a creative person.

What have you misunderstood about your appearance? There have been times where I’ve felt like my body had to be a certain way in order to love it, instead of loving your body as it is, which is the way to be most comfortable in it.

Kerry Washington on meditation, the importance of compliments and what she's learnt from motherhood