olivia tells fitz about the abortion
Did you guys have questions for Shonda after reading this episode? That abortion blew my mind. "Olivia is on a journey," Rhimes started out. | Later that same night, a majorly angst-ridden Liv is seen being escorted by a nurse into a medical room, where she undergoes that aforementioned abortion. 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. Is this breakup something that Olivia and Fitz can come back from? pondered Rhimes. When I was 20, I had an abortion. 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. IT WAS NICE KNOWING YA, OLITZ! Shes progressive politically but she really does these things because theyre important to talk about. I thought that final scene with me and Kerry, as awful as it was, was very well-written. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. The episode ends with Olivia, bags packed, moving out of the White House and poised to celebrate Christmas with a big glass of red wine on a brand new couch in her apartment, alone. 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. But he somehow understands that Olivia made a very personal choice and he instinctively respects that. Does this open the door for Mellie to return? Why does it feel so necessary to make an abortion something tragic and terrifying and shameful? Shes like, Hey, people, Im putting this on television because this is what is happening in our lives. Shonda doesnt make polemic arguments; shes not sending messages. That shed surrender herself to be a prisoner of the White House and be an appendage of him, that was never going to work. Shonda talks about the White House being this prison and cage and how horrible it is. ! She couldnt have that conversation because to her, thats terror and a ball and chain. 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. Really?! I think theres hope. I haven't actually decided, but I wonder. One minute, Mellie was kicking some serious butt in a congressional hearing as she conducted her filibuster to save Planned Parenthood, and the next, Olivia was lying on an operating table, and the procedure had begun. | JuniorSenatorMellie whos still hankering for some respect gets more dirt kicked in her face, this time by some Senators sternly ordering her to vote for the new spending bill. At the midway point of the ABC drama's fall finale on Thursday, Olivia was escorted into a private medical room and then underwent an apparent abortion. Everyone else, you may proceed. I cant tell you that, Rhimes told EW ahead of the panel. "Second to the death of his son, that's 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," he says. How do you think Fitz, who recently lost his son, would feel about Olivias abortion? But that's not to say that it would ruin any chance of Olitz getting back together, at least not in this actor's eyes. She has that thing where when you run away from a commitment or obligation, there's that initial sense of, "I'm free! ", The Moral Compass: Kerry Washington asked her cast mates which character on the show has their priorities straight, and Cornelius Smith, Jr. (who plays Marcus) immediately raised his hand with an enthusiastic, "I do!" Earlier this season, Kerry Washington's " Scandal " character made the decision to get an abortion on the ABC series. My only responsibility is for the story. Sometimes its more difficult since the show is often from Olivias point of view so I do have to ask Shonda questions in terms of what she has in mind for Fitz. She's progressive politically but she really does these things because they're important to talk about. "She sees a lot in him as the moral compass that she was in season one and two. Im happy that you have fallen in love with Fitz, because that is the journey that Olivia went on. Abortion has been a regular subject on many of executive producer Shonda Rhimes programming. The procedure is done by a licensed healthcare professional.. 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. By This episode was such a timely and important one for Planned Parenthood, and it isnt the first time a Shonda Rhimes series or Scandal itself has featured an abortion. During Thursday's season finale, President Fitzgerald Grant ( Tony Goldwyn) found out that his former flame Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) had a Christmastime abortion. For the time being, Scandal is heading into the height of election season, drawing many parallels to the real-life political landscape so much so, in fact, that Rhimes revealed theyve had to change dialogue in scripts that hit too close to home. 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 combination of the fact that Fitzs fondest dream in life would be to have a child with Olivia as he put it in Vermont. Of course, abortion is something that has been alluded to on TV before, but this is one of the first times it's been shown so openly on network television especially in a clinic. What was the table read like when the cast got this script? In truth, executive producer Shonda Rhimes has not made a decision whether Fitz will discover the truth. It was pretty clear. We didnt think so. But none of that happened, and thats amazing. 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Not once did Olivia say she was pregnant, and we had no idea what she was doing at the clinic until she laid down on the table. But now that Scandal is gearing up to return, I'm starting to wonder if this secret (like most secrets on this show) will ever find its way to the surface. Shonda doesn't make polemic arguments; she's not sending messages. Olivia calls Fitz an ineffectual president and believes the White House is a cage. is waiting with an apology (You were right, Lazarus wasnt you). Someone having an abortion experience that feels honest and representative of my abortion experience, thats exactly how I felt. In the dramatic mid-season finale, Olivia and Fitz's brief time living together in the White House comes to a breaking point. Fitz is going to be terribly lonely. A woman made a choice about her body that she legally has the right to make. That does not mean she does not love Fitz, and it does not mean that Fitz is not worthy of love. Not only does he not have a partner, he's utterly alone. I cant tell you that, Rhimes told EW ahead of the panel. "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. For Olivia, the breaking free of that, while painful, was the first step in realizing that's not who she is supposed to be." The two trade barbs about their upbringing. "It was the last shot of the night, and I had no idea she was going to show up," he said of the former First Lady and Secretary of State. Because make no mistake, Fitz would not take this news well. KERRY WASHINGTON, JOSHUA MALINA, GUILLERMO DIAZ, GEORGE NEWBERN, DARBY STANCHFIELD, GEORGE NEWBERN, KATIE LOWES, KERRY WASHINGTON. At the end of the day, its her body and her right, but its his child. That was followed by an epic, seemingly irreparable quarrelbetween Liv and Fitz, after which she moved out of the White House. It was as if she didnt connect with it at all. Shonda Rhimes political drama: Sex! Added Goldwyn: "When I give her direction or my thoughts on something, she's like, 'Yeah, right!" He's lost his family; though he has visitation with his kids, he and Mellie are utterly estranged. Hit the comments! But that's still a very big "if" that may never actually come to pass. Do we need to know that a woman is scarred and traumatized and genuinely f*cking upset about her abortion in order for us the faceless, judging public to not hate her for it (and we still might anyway)? PMC Entertainment. For most women, having an abortion is just one unglamorous task in an ongoing mission to put together all the pieces of the life we want. ("We've talked about these things," is all Rhimes would elaborate.) I feel like she disassociated from it. Its interesting to me that her primary story is a romance. What the what? "It's because of who Olivia is in the brains of these writers. Because for all of their glitz and their glamour, Olitz can fight like the best of them. It just means that Olivia does not know who she is yet. Roman Polanski, 89, and Samantha Geimer, 60, were seen beaming in a recent photo taken in Paris - 45 years after he raped her. Olivia calls Fitz an ineffectual president and believes the White House is a cage. Todays biggest stories, from pop culture to politicsdelivered straight to your inbox. But he did so kind of from the right place; he was trying to take control of the situation. 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 (!) 'First Republic has lots of knowledge about its customers and has been a profitable bank for its entire history - but its business model is not stable. Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, and director Rob Marshall share the tale behind making their underwater musical with a groundbreaking Disney princess. 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. The abortion and the breakup were both (messy and unpleasant, yes) about Olivia saying, Nope. And yet I dont think they have a choice in the matter with this. Im going home, says Huck, who reminds Rowan that HIS family, Olivia, is the only reason hes still alive. Maybe what Mellies doing isnt about you at all, she tells Fitz. And of course shes withholding this terrible secret that Fitz has no clue about. I think Olivia is lying to herself. The now-former couple agrees that they rushed into things and weren't ready ("we tried," they say) and that they were "broken" going into this. (Laughs.). Abby notes shes not even sure if the file is real since it came from Olivias estranged father, Rowan (Joe Morton) who is not trusted by anybody on the Shondaland drama. Ad Choices, Shonda Rhimes Reveals Why Scandal's Olivia and Fitz Had to Split, If He'll Find Out About the Abortion, and More, Shonda Rhimes just dropped some major bombshells about Scandal at the Paley Center for Media's 33rd Annual PaleyFest. Olivias been on a journey since we started. Im happy that you have fallen in love with Fitz, because that is the journey that Olivia went on. So, will he? Hes a Republican but weve never asked that question [on the show]. So guess whos waiting in the ladies room to give Mellie a surprise pep talk? I can do what ever I want!" Its such a divisive issue in our society and sadly has become a real political football. Fitz thinks she released the man who killed his son so she wouldnt have to marry him. 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. That's where she's coming from as a dramatist. But the dream may have been better than the reality if Thursdays midseason finale his any indication. If you like TVLine, you'll LOVE our email news alerts! 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. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Olivia believes Fitz is talking about Jake, but the president is talking about a womans right to choose. Which isnt to say that I was faking anything I wasnt but the entire way I handled my pregnancy and abortion, both internally and externally, was heavily influenced by pre-existing expectations. HollywoodLife.com got the EXCLUSIVE scoop straight from Tony Goldwyn at Scandal's PaleyFest event about how he thinks . She then heads back to the White House and makes a beeline for Mellies booze stash, which sets up an epic Olitz brawlfor the ages. I can only assume he would because of his irrational love for Olivia. She feels that Fitz moving her into the White House so suddenly (and without asking) was punishment for releasing Rowan. She looks happy or freed with a glass of wine, new couch and a Christmas tree, while Fitz is left almost heartbroken. 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 don't really feel like I have that control of her. ", 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. Murder! Do we need to know that choosing to handle a pregnancy in that way is the heartbreaking conclusion of a tortured decision-making process? 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Unfortunately, their relationship could not stand the public pressure, eventually leading to Olivia's shocking holiday plans: getting an abortion and moving out of the White House. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Will there be a time jump when the second half of the season returns? What did you think of Scandals midseason finale? Because for Olivia, that's what it was: Her choice, and she didn't justify it. That said, here's a look at where everyone wound up. Not only does he not have a partner, hes utterly alone. He also noted that Fitz does not know about Olivia's abortion and if and when he finds out, he would . And she didn't have an abortion because she was. 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. shows up to surprise a lonely Quinn, while Olivia (back in her own apartment) welcomes the return of her couch (! 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. 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. How much pain and suffering? 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]. Since that November episode, that storyline has not been touched on and the. How Shonda Rhimes Is Changing the Dialogue About Abortion on TV, The Couples of Shondaland: 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Private Practice,' 'Scandal', 'Scandal's' Tony Goldwyn: Having It All Has Never Been So Devastating, 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. 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'. and part two is the colossal lie and betrayal and withholding of that terrible truth that Olivia didn't tell . . How will we see both Olivia and Fitz deal with the aftermath of their break-up? Added Rhimes: "I think everybody is evolving this season. All we knew is that she made her choice, and carried it out rather unceremoniously. 18 hours ago, by Eden Arielle Gordon Though Fitz and Olivia are done for the time being, Rhimes stressed that Scandal is more than just the Olitz relationship. But that scene has both points of view pretty firmly in place, which is part of what made it so sad. A) I dont know, and B) I couldnt tell you. It's not a paint by numbers. The idea that they're together under the circumstances of which they were togethermove into the White House and [sort of] become Mellieis a farce. Fitz would be positively devastated if he ever discovered what Olivia did. [Warning: This story contains spoilers from the season five midseason finale, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," of ABC's Scandal.]. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. What did you think of Scandal's midseason finale? I think it would be, next to the death of his son, the most gutting news he could get and frankly I dont know how hed recover from that.
olivia tells fitz about the abortion
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