Fortunately, the "something" was only a Granny Smith apple, Kerry Washington explained in her memoir, "Thicker Than Water." She successfully made off with her stolen produce via her carefully planned escape route, happily calling the film's writer-directors to let them know she did it! They didn't require proof of her crime and instead told her to eat her snack, which she did.
While Washington never got caught, she must have felt the weight of her conscience bearing down on her. The actor said that post-filming, she returned to the scene of the crime and bought more snacks, paying more than necessary and letting the store keep the surplus as a sort of penance for stealing the apple. Unfortunately, while many praised her depiction of Niecy in the film, "Lift" didn't do as well as many hoped. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received some acclaim. Still, the movie couldn't secure a distributor, meaning that with virtually zero marketing, it flew under the radar.
Still, Washington has since come a long way. She has taken on a totally different view of her characters and acting. Telling Krista Tippett on her "On Being" podcast, "As I progressed through my career, I realized that acting was actually a safe place to reveal myself because I could reveal some of my emotional truths, and my beliefs, and my struggles. I could speak my truth," which may explain why her performances are so powerful.
