Kerry Washington resists desire to share photos of daughter online

Fiercely private actress Kerry Washington has confessed she often resists her "itchy fingers" to share photos of her daughter Isabelle on social media.

The Scandal star welcomed her little girl in April 2014 with NFL star husband Nnamdi Asomugha, but has never released a photograph of her daughter to the media or shared a picture online.

It doesn't mean she hasn't been tempted though, with Kerry admitting during a chat at the South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas she has to constantly resist the urge to share Isabelle's cuteness with fans.

"I have these itchy fingers where I want to post a photo of my daughter so instead I send it to my shrink or my mother," she confessed according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I want her to be able to make those decisions in her time. She already has a lot to navigate in life as the daughter of an actor and a former football player. She should be able to enter this world in the way that is right for her."

Her ban on photos of Isabelle doesn't mean the 39-year-old isn't a fan of social media though, in fact the actress credits the medium with making Scandal the huge success it has become.

"To this day, I know we would not have had a second season were it not for social media," she said, explaining how she got show creator Shonda Rhimes to get the whole cast on Twitter. "There is no way we would be in season five today if it wasn't for social media."

As for what personal details she is willing to share online, Kerry, who has three million followers on Twitter, insisted she tries to be herself while still maintaining a level of privacy.

"I have made it a real commitment that my engagement in social media reflects me,” she said. “I don’t have the energy to maintain a false identity on all these platforms. Twitter is really a conversation, so I do occasionally engage with things that people say. Sometimes I post something specifically because I know it will engender action and then, almost for fun, I read comments.”