Actress Kerry Washington has stepped into the spotlight for the first time since becoming a mother last month.

The “Scandal” star and fellow honorees Cate Blanchett, Eva Longoria, Rose Byrne and the writer-director of “Frozen,” Jennifer Lee were honoured by the group Women-In-Film.

Blanchett and Washington stressed that women have to be willing to take risks and reveal their imperfections – to tell authentic stories about their experiences.

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross hosted the ceremony at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles – where guests included Kristen Bell, Laura Dern and Maggie Gyllenhaal.