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Scandal’s Darby Stanchfield Teases Abby’s Big Twist: She’s ‘Left Holding the Bag’

Darby Stanchfield and Kerry Washington
Stanchfield and Washington in Scandal

Tough times ahead for Abby? Scandal star Darby Stanchfield (Abby Whelan) tells Us Weekly exclusively that her character faces an uncertain — and potentially stunning! — path in the remainder of the ABC drama’s fifth season.

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The actress, 44, spoke with Us while at Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California, where she was celebrating the launch of Pure Leaf Tea House Collection. She revealed that the next four episodes feature “really rich material” for the White House press secretary. Last Thursday’s midseason premiere showed Abby pushing back against Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) and demanding that he stop taking her for granted.

Darby Stanchfield, Jeff Perry and Tony Goldwyn
Darby Stanchfield, Jeff Perry and Tony Goldwyn in ‘Scandal.’

“The president is in very new territory in terms of not having Olivia (Kerry Washington) or Mellie (Bellamy Young) by his side, and Cyrus (Jeff Perry) and he are kind of estranged a little bit — you know, he doesn’t trust Cyrus quite as much,” Stanchfield says. “So Abby’s kind of left holding the bag. And that theme continues on.”

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The Mad Men alum adds that she and Fitz “continue to spend a lot of time together.” But she remained mum when asked whether there would be any romantic sparks flying between Abby and the commander in chief, with Stanchfield only divulging that viewers “won’t believe” where the series is headed.

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She adds that she doesn’t ever foresee herself tiring of working with Scandal‘s current cast and crew.

Darby Stanchfield
Stanchfield

“We’re still having the most fun,” she says. “It’s a great group, and I haven’t experienced the burnout that I hear about from other colleagues of mine that have been on series for a few years, and it’s really just a fun ride. It truly is.”

Scandal airs on ABC on Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST.

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