Actress Kerry Washington says she doesn't think she would have had children if it wasn't for the courage that her character in "Scandal" gave her.

Kerry Washington, 41-year-old actress is mother to three-year-old Isabelle and 17-month-old son Caleb, both of whom she has with her husband Nnamdi Asomugha.

Ahead of the final episode of the TV series "Scandal", Kerry has spoken up about how life-changing her character Olivia Pope has been to her, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

She said: "The thing that's really fun for me about saying goodbye to a character is they kind of live in you. There will be things that Olivia Pope has given me that always stay with me. She's changed me.

"I don't know if I would have had kids at this point in my life if she didn't make me feel like anything is possible. I feel like she's given me a lot of courage. So I'll keep that courage.

"I'm going to have to say bye to the Prada purses but not goodbye to the courage, and the courage is more important."

Washington hopes "Scandal" leaves a mark on the television landscape, after it broke new ground by casting a black female lead.