It’s one thing to play a lawyer on television. This is another thing to look for entirely this Olivia Pope plays one of them. But for Emayatzy Corinealdi, this is reality: Kerry Washington has a unique vision for Corinealdi’s role as ambitious criminal defense attorney Jax Stewart on the hit Hulu series Vision reasonable suspicionnow in its second season.
for fans scandal and How to get away with murderThe series naturally fills the smart, sexy, dramatic void left by the absence of two legitimate super-era shows. Corinaldi seamlessly plays a strong black heroine who, of course, can be a little messy and is definitely complex.
Because let’s be clear: this is not your mom’s legal drama.
You’ll hear the word “f*ck” a lot. If #BookTok makes you blush, you better gird your loins because of the sex scenes steaming hot. In season two, as Jax’s shaky personal life (that fateful incident) coincides with the biggest criminal case of her career (the trial of one of her closest friends for her husband’s murder), things are only going to change. Even more compelling, especially since Morris Chestnut has also joined the cast, while fellow attorney Jax has been brought in to help lead the case.
Corinealdi is also a mother, both on and off screen, so motherhood plays an important role in her life – something she was happy to talk about when we spoke via Zoom ahead of the show. reasonable suspicionSeason 2 will premiere on August 22.
Here’s what she had to say about hanging out with Kerry Washington, Jax’s future and how motherhood has changed her.
Scary Mom: We have to talk about season one because, lady, it was SO HOT! How empowered were you to read a script with a woman who was so multi-dimensional and unapologetic about her messiness?
Emayatzy Corinealdi: Man, I’m so powerful, so inspired, all things. When I read the script, I said, ‘Oh, okay. This is what we are doing. Yes. Since I had another job opportunity at the time, I was going to do that. Then, when I read the article, I said, “I understand why you asked me to read it.” Everything we felt when we saw the pilot was on the page. you Felt That. It just jumps off. Ramla Muhammad has created a world where it’s clear who this character is, what’s important to her, and where it’s going.
SM: Jax is who she is, but she also goes to church. You don’t often see this duality on screen – more often, women are portrayed with a Madonna-whore complex.
EC: I feel like she represents the reality of women I know who are trying to make everything work mentally, emotionally—trying to figure out where we all are in the game of life without any judgment. So, I totally respect that and relate to that. I love the idea of dialogue that invites Jax into being a church-going woman and some of the choices she makes…that’s what makes her character so interesting because some things don’t always fit or fit It always looks like a good fit. But who are we to decide what a churchgoer looks like?
SM: Kerry Washington, the director and executive producer, is so cool reasonable suspicionis looking for you to fill this role. What is your favorite thing about working with her?
EC: When people say “a girl’s girl,” Kerry is exactly that. She’s just the kindest person and wants to see you win and she’ll do whatever it takes to help you win. It’s been great to be in this role and to have Kerry Washington guiding me and making sure I have everything I need because she’s been here the whole time. I’m not sure if she had the same experience herself, but she gave it to me. That’s all.
SM: As an older Millennial, I’m obsessed with save the last dance Sean Patrick Thomas’ callback on the show. Was this a small moment for you as well?
EC: Oh my gosh, absolutely. Who is not his fan save the last dance? Meeting Kerry for that reason was just a thing. It’s the cutest thing when they do TikTok together. I think we were all transported back to that time. This is very interesting.
SM: Raamla Mohamed, who has worked with Kerry scandal and There are little fires everywhereis a showrunner, leading an all-black writers’ room. Can you talk about what it means to not just have a seat at the table, but actually own the entire table?
EC: It definitely changed the way I approach my work, even without me knowing it. I don’t know what the experience would be like having an all-Black writers’ room and a Black director. It makes it so easy and so fast. It just feels like everyone can relate to the experience, so you don’t have to explain anything. All the jokes happened, all of that. It made me wonder, ‘Oh, this must be how my peers feel when we have an all-white cast and an all-white writer. That must be what it feels like because it creates a feeling of freedom and security and everyone understands what that is. It’s just different in this aspect.
Really cute. My hope is that it doesn’t have to feel so special and that it can be something for everyone. You know what I mean? Because it does do something different. Indeed. It ignites something inside you.
SM: Of course. Well, obviously you have some truly incredible co-stars…including Maurice Chestnut, Michael Ealy and McKinley Freeman. So, number one, what does it feel like to be God’s favorite?
European Community:(laugh) Well, I am.
SM: Obviously! But I also want to talk about Mama Lou, played by Pauletta Washington, who represents some really relatable mother-daughter dynamics. What was it like having her as a scene partner in those intense moments?
EC: It’s interesting and refreshing because she’s just a mother. She just pulled me into her arms. My mother passed away a few years ago, so Mrs. Pauletta came in and it felt like I had this maternal relationship with her effortlessly. When you add in the baggage she and I carry, it feels like we’ve been living in it forever. Somehow it feels so real and palpable. I think that’s because we connected so easily from the beginning.
SM: Oh, that’s beautiful. I read that your first big role was the young and the restlessthis is your mom’s favorite soap. How do you think the television world has changed since you got your first job to now?
EC: Oh, man, it’s changed dramatically. Even the way we watch movies and everything, we’re in a very different time now. It’s great in a lot of ways because we have a lot of opportunities. There are so many shows that you can watch in many ways. But it’s also overloaded. So when you do have something good, the fact that it rises to the top says a lot because people have so many options.
SM: You became a mother during the pandemic, which was a crazy and strange time. What was that journey like?
EC: Pandemic pregnancy is important because it is so isolating. I didn’t go to the mall to show my baby anything. You can’t share your pregnancy experience with anyone, and that’s hard.
In that sense, I feel like I missed that part, but at the same time, what a blessing it was because I was able to be with my baby – sit back and enjoy my pregnancy, and when she was born, it was just us . The world is not moving. This is the gift of time.
SM: Do you feel like becoming a mother has changed the way you approach your roles?
EC: Of course. I remember before I had kids, I always heard people say motherhood changes you, it changes the way you look at work. I remember thinking, Well, I’m sure it does, but I mean, what would really change? Now, I totally get it, because absolutely everything is through that lens. It changes the character you choose, and it changes how you approach your character. No matter how it looks, you just have more experience.
SM: What can you tell us about what to expect from Jax’s future in season two?
EC: We really see Jax trying to rebuild herself, trying to pick up the pieces where season one left off: the trauma that she went through, how that affected her life, her marriage, everything. At the start of season two, we see a vulnerable side of Jax that we’ve never seen before.
It really gives us some insight into this strong, powerful, resourceful woman – what it would be like for her to break down, and how she would deal with it. Because you can’t really hold down a strong woman. So, you want to see what she does while on the road. How can she get back to being the woman she knew she was, and the woman we want to see?
SM: Let’s talk about Morris Chestnut because everyone is really excited about him joining the show. Can you give us some hints on what might be going on there?
EC: One thing I will say is that you see Jax trying to hand over control while also needing it. She realizes she doesn’t have the mental space to fully tackle Chanel’s case, so that’s why she reaches out to Corey. But at the same time, she still has a hard time letting go of control. You see some power struggles between the two of them.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
