☆ FULL NAME: Olivia Octopush Washington
☆ GENDER: Ciswoman
☆ PRONOUNS: She/Her
☆ AGE: 30 (March 10th, 1994)
☆ TYPE: Adopted sibling; solo (open to twin)
☆ HOMETOWN: Miami, Florida
☆ JOB: Professor of Screenwriting and Film Studies at PSU; part-time voice actor/staff writer
☆ SCHOOL: PSU Alumni
☆ SEXUALITY: Lesbian
☆ FACECLAIM: Elizabeth Lail
(tw stalking, attempted kidnapping, attempted murder)
Olivia “Liv” Washington was adopted alongside another sibling after Roz won two Olympic medals at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. As the oldest of the two, Liv’s middle name was given to her for the first event that Roz won her medal for that year: a silver medal for octopush, where she was the entire USA team. She was adopted at two years old and learnt pretty quickly how important sports were to their new mom. However, much to Roz’s chagrin, Liv had absolutely zero interest in any of the sports Roz tried to get her involved with, far more comfortable with her notepads or sketchbooks, often found at her sibling’s games with one of them balanced on her lap and her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth.
Roz’s disappointment in her more artsy choices was palpable and made their relationship very tense as a result, Liv hating that the mother that had picked her seemed to think she was a failure just because she didn’t want to get into sports. Still, Roz’s objections aside, Liv continued her creative pursuits and found that she loved both drama and writing equally, soon setting her sights on being able to pursue both in her future career. She starred in several school productions, including a raved about run as Viola in a ninth grade production of Twelfth Night which landed Liv her first ever acting gig at fourteen. The roles came thick and fast after her initial role in three episodes of Desperate Housewives, Liv going on to have small roles in many popular 2010s shows such as Grey's Anatomy, The Walking Dead, Homeland, and The Americans, and while Roz might not approve of the direction her daughter had chosen to take her life, she couldn’t deny that she was successful.
However, not long after Liv booked what would have been her breakthrough role in a major Marvel movie, her life took a sudden and very dark turn. See, Liv had never really adjusted to her own fame, used to being known as “Roz Washington’s daughter”, exposed to the spotlight to an extent, and therefore had not prepared herself for the more sinister side of being the latest “it girl”. Which is why, after leaving her high school graduation party at eighteen, Liv was not expecting a stalker to be waiting outside for her. In what would become the most terrifying moments of her life, the man attempted to kidnap Liv, playing out some twisted delusion that he was rescuing her, but she fought back viciously, managing to scream for help. Spooked by her fight, the man changed tact and repeatedly stabbed Liv before peeling off in his car, leaving her for dead in the bushes outside the party.
Liv got lucky, a friend having heard her screams and coming running out, managing to get a partial plate as they called an ambulance, but she barely escaped with her life, spending a few days on a ventilator, and it left her with a series of physical and emotional scars that have never really healed. Liv immediately pulled out of acting, wanting to disappear completely and never be seen again, to never be in that position again. It took a long time for her to heal physically, but once she did she went to Roz and asked her to hook her up with the best martial arts trainer that she knew. It became a great outlet for her and all the complicated and intense emotions she was feeling, and while she never competed, Liv did become proficient at Krav Maga, Taekwondo, and kickboxing.
After a lot of intense therapy (therapy that she still has now but not as frequently) Liv decided to attend PSU, wanting to still pursue her dreams, but now preferring to be behind the camera than in front of it. Still, it took a long time for her to venture out into the world again which is why she ended up doing a masters as well; it wasn’t really necessary for her career but Liv liked the privacy and security that PSU offered after having spent the first two years since the attack holed up in the family home and becoming something of a hermit. She’d stayed in contact with her friends from her acting days, and when she was ready to head out into the glitz and glam of Hollywood with her script portfolio they were there waiting for her.
Four years into her blooming career after several different gigs under a showrunner friend of hers, Liv decided to return to PSU once more, this time to teach her passion to the next generation, wanting to encourage them in the same way that she wished Roz had encouraged her. However, that being said, things are a lot easier with her mother than they had ever been, whether it was because of the attack and almost losing her, or the fact that Liv had picked up some kind of sport even if it had been born of a necessity to protect herself rather than compete, Liv chooses not to pull too hard at that thread.
Now in her second year of teaching, Liv finally feels comfortable in her own skin for the first time in twelve years and over the summer has been tentatively dipping her toe back into the acting world with some voice acting work. Maybe this will be the year she finally gets back into dating too, after so long of not being able to look at herself in the mirror in case she saw the scars on her chest and stomach.
Roz Washington wants only one thing in life, greatness. As her father taught her “If at first you don’t succeed, pack your bags.” It’s the mantra that has motivated her throughout her life. When she fell into swimming at an early age she found a talent that she would harness and win. Since winning her first medal in the junior events it’s a feeling she chases in every aspect of her life. Although she began her career in lane swimming she soon found her competitiveness and need for her father’s approval turned sour in the pool and she took her anger out on her competitors. An event she would rather soon forget especially when she tried to drown poor Beatrice Singh from France at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Cue her redemption ark in the four years leading up to Barcelona 1992 where she found her true calling in Individual synchronised swimming, winning a bronze medal. She always revels in the glory days of her competitive career and comeback that she has found unique ways to commemorate her achievements. The primary one being a child for every medal she has won. She has a number of adoptive children because who can lose valuable time training for gold. She can often be seen adorning one of her medals with every outfit she wears and don’t ask her to share experiences of the Olympics or you might just hear about the time she had a threesome with Michael Phelps.
Since swimming Roz went on to become a New York Times best selling author with her Biography “Head Above water,” a world renowned motivational speaker and currently she can be seen as part of the women’s TV panel show The View.