Kerry Washington Stars Opposite Ben Affleck in Netflix Thriller 'Animals'

Kerry Washington is back on our screens in a big way, stepping into the role of Abigail Kimball in Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort, Animals, now streaming on Netflix. The film is a slick, star-studded crime thriller that blends political drama with a nail-biting kidnapping plot — and Washington is right at the heart of it.

The Story So Far

Set against the glittering, sun-scorched landscape of Los Angeles, Animals follows Mark Kimball (Affleck), a Gulf War veteran turned independent mayoral candidate who has bet everything — including his family home — on winning an election. His wife Abigail, played by Washington, is a therapist who dutifully shows up for campaign photo ops while quietly navigating a crumbling marriage and a secret months-long affair with a UCLA professor named Ron, played by Ray Fisher. When the couple's young son Denny goes missing on Halloween night, a $7 million ransom demand throws their already fragile world into freefall.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film draws heavily from Akira Kurosawa's 1963 classic High and Low — a widely celebrated genre touchstone — without explicitly acknowledging the influence, which critics have noted is a curious creative choice.

Washington Brings the Quiet Fire

If anyone knows how to make a complicated woman feel utterly real, it's Kerry Washington. Abigail Kimball is no simple political spouse. She's juggling guilt over her affair, genuine fear for her son, and a marriage she's quietly outgrown — all while keeping it together for the cameras. Washington layers every scene with that signature restraint and emotional intelligence fans have come to love. It's the kind of performance that rewards close attention.

If you've been following her recent projects, you'll know Washington has been on a creative roll lately. She dazzled at the LA premiere of Animals just ahead of the film's release, and has also been making waves in the theater world — shining in an updated revival of The Whoopi Monologues and celebrating Whoopi Goldberg's legacy alongside director Whitney White.

A Stellar Supporting Cast

Washington has no shortage of talented company here. Steven Yeun plays Sam Allison, Mark's laser-focused campaign advisor who may want the mayoral win even more than the candidate himself. And then there's Gillian Anderson, who practically steals every scene she's in as Dayle Burton — an ice-cool, impeccably dressed fixer who charges $1.4 million for her services (double if things get physical). Anderson brings a dry, wicked energy to the role that critics agree is one of the film's brightest spots.

Adriana Paz, fresh off her acclaimed work in Emilia Pérez, also appears as Cecilia, the family's nanny, whose presence quietly underscores the film's class-divide themes.

Does It All Come Together?

Here's where things get complicated. Animals has a genuinely compelling premise — political ambition, family secrets, moral compromise, and a kidnapping that spirals out of control. The ingredients are all there for something truly gripping. But critics have suggested the finished product doesn't quite live up to its potential, with some of the added plot elements — the marital tension, the affair, the political maneuvering — feeling a little flat compared to the taut thriller mechanics at its core.

Directed and co-written by Affleck alongside Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray, the R-rated film runs 1 hour and 46 minutes and is rated R. Whatever its shortcomings, Animals is still a watchable, glossy ride, and with a cast this compelling, it's hard to look away for long.

Streaming now on Netflix.