Meet Judy Smith, the real Olivia Pope, and Washington's famous fixer
Some people think of me as a global crisis manager, as a Reputation Fixer. That’s how I was portrayed on TV as the real-life inspiration for the hit TV show Scandal. And it’s true...
Judy Smith is widely known as the real Olivia Pope, and served as the real-life inspiration for the main character in the ABC drama Scandal. She is the founder and CEO of Smith & Company, her crisis management firm. She has been linked to high-profile clients, such as Monica Lewinsky, A$AP Rocky, Wesley Snipes, and Angelina Jolie.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Judy Smith is the inspiration for Olivia Pope, the main character in the hit TV series Scandal.
- She serves as the executive producer and consultant on Scandal, Basketball Wives, No Apologies, Controversy, and Braindead.
- She founded Smith & Company, a crisis management firm aimed at helping her who's who client list.
Profile summary
Full name | Judy A. Smith |
Common name | Judy Smith |
Nickname | The Fixer |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 27 October 1958 |
Age | 67 years |
Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Place of birth | Washington, D.C., United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Black |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in centimetres | 175 |
Height in feet | 5'9" |
Eye colour | Brown |
Hair colour | Black |
Mother | Evelyn Smith |
Father | William Smith |
Siblings | 4 |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Bill Boulware |
Children | 2 |
Profession | Crisis manager, lawyer, author, television producer |
High school | St. Francis de Sales Academy of Notre Dame |
Higher education | Boston University American University, Washington College of Law |
Social media |
Meet Judy Smith, the real Olivia Pope
Judy A. Smith was born on 27 October 1958 to William and Evelyn Smith. She is 67 years old as of 2025. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
Her father worked two jobs: a heavy-equipment operator on the Andrews Air Force Base by day and a taxi driver by night. Evelyn Smith, her mother, was a secretary and administrative assistant who also cleaned office buildings at night.
Source: Original
She was raised alongside four siblings on 14th Street NE in the District of Columbia, near Montana Avenue in Washington, D.C., USA. In her book, Good Self, Bad Self: Transforming Your Worst Qualities into Your Biggest Assets, she acknowledges her family, including her parents, four siblings, and two sons.
Smith attended St. Francis de Sales and later joined the Academy of Notre Dame in Washington, D.C., now known as the Archbishop Carroll High School.
She later pursued higher education at Boston University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations in 1980. She later earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the American University Washington College of Law in 1986.
Source: Getty Images
At the university, she became the first African-American woman to serve as executive editor of the American University Law Review. Between 1983 and 1984, she was the assistant editor for the Nurses Association of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Washington, D.C.
Judy Smith's career journey
Smith's career is mostly defined as a crisis management expert and strategic advisor, earning the nickname, The Fixer. However, her resume is a blend of public service, corporate, and private relations under her company, Smith & Company.
In addition to her personal contributions, her professional life has made history, such as being one of the first few White House staffers and being the first Black woman to deliver a White House press briefing.
Becoming a lawyer
Source: Instagram
Smith's career began in the legal field, with roles including Assistant United States Attorney and Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. At the time, she served as principal advisor to the U.S. Attorney on media relations and chief spokesperson.
Her time as a federal prosecutor between 1987 and 1989 was spent serving in the Office of the Independent Counsel, where she handled high-profile investigations. Some of her investigations during this time include the Iran-Contra investigation and the Washington mayor, Marion Barry's, substance abuse scandal.
On 7 March 1991, former U.S. president George Bush announced Smith's appointment as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary at the White House.
Source: Twitter
Building a career in crisis management
Judy Smith's career as a reputation fixer began as a seven-year-old. Raised to treat everybody with the same level of decency and respect, Smith used her skills to break up fights. At about 11, she helped reunite feuding childhood sweethearts, growing her reputation as a problem solver.
After leaving the White House, she served as the senior vice president of corporate communications executive at NBC. In this role, she served as the network’s chief spokesperson.
Smith is a regular face on national publications and television shows, offering commentary on crisis management and personal branding. These include the Washington Post, National Journal, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and FOX News.
Source: Instagram
In 1993, she founded Smith & Company. Her firm is considered a top crisis management consultancy with offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and London, UK. She has been involved in some of the most sensational events in politics and pop culture since the birth of Smith & Company.
These include popular individuals in crisis, such as Jill Kelley, Paula Deen, Kobe Bryant, Jesse Jackson Jr., and Wesley Snipes. Other popular cases she has been involved in include Angelina Jolie’s divorce from Brad Pitt, A$AP Rocky’s assault case, and Monica Lewinsky's scandal.
Concerning corporate work, she has been involved in the Enron scandal, Sony's hacking crisis, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She was an advisor to the American president, George Bush, during the LA riots.
Source: Twitter
Reality show appearances and filmmaking
Beyond Scandal, Judy Smith has appeared on various shows such as The Doctor, Entertainment Tonight, Today, The Daily Show, The Rock Newman Show, and 30 for 30 as a commentator and crisis management expert. Have a look at the films and TV shows she has helped produce, as per IMDb.
Show | Role | Release year |
Redemption in Cherry Springs | Executive producer | 2021 |
No Apologies | Executive producer | 2018 |
Controversy | Executive producer | 2017 |
Brain Dead | Co-executive producer | 2016 |
Scandal: The Secret Is Out | Co-executive producer | 2013 |
Basketball Wives | Consulting producer | 2010 |
Is Judy Smith the inspiration behind Scandal?
Source: Getty Images
Judy Smith is the real-life inspiration for the main character, Olivia Pope, in the hit ABC television series, Scandal. Her professional background as a public relations expert and lawyer serves as the basis of the main character's role and the show's storyline.
She was consulted at the start of the 2012 TV series, as well as during the writing and production process. As such, she received co-executive producer and technical advisor credits for the series. On the show's 10th anniversary, she sat down with Shondaland's Malcolm Venable and discussed her role on the show.
I was very clear on what my boundaries and guidelines were. It’s “inspired by,” which is very different from “based on.” There are elements there that obviously (did not happen), like having a relationship with the president.
FAQs
- What is Judy Smith's background? She is a lawyer, author, public relations expert, and crisis manager.
- Who plays Olivia Pope? The character of Olivia Pope in Scandal was played by Hollywood actress Kerry Washington.
- Is Olivia Pope a lawyer? In the show, Olivia Pope is said to have graduated from the Georgetown Law Centre.
- What was Olivia Pope known for? She ran her crisis management firm, Pope & Associates, where she has fixed scandals for high-profile clients.
- Who is Olivia Pope based on? Olivia Pope's character in the TV series Scandal is inspired by the real-life career of Judy Smith.
- Which president did Judy Smith work for? Judy Smith served as President George H.W. Bush's Deputy Press Secretary.
- What degree does Judy Smith have? She has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Boston University and a Juris Doctor (JD) from the American University, Washington College of Law.
Judy Smith's life is nothing short of inspiring. From a humble background, she rose to heights many only dream of. The real Olivia Pope has served as a US attorney and press secretary, and later became a globally recognised crisis manager who inspired an award-winning drama series.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
