Emayatzy Corinealdi Thinks You Should Make the First Move
Emayatzy Corinealdi and her Reasonable Doubt character, Jax, share some similarities, but having sex with her security guard is not one of them. “That whole thing, oh my gosh, clutch my pearls!” she tells the Cut mid-laugh. The legal drama, created by Raamla Mohamed and executive produced by Kerry Washington — who played a role in handpicking Corinealdi for the character — is currently airing its second season on Hulu. It picks up shortly after the events of the first season: Jax finds herself wrapped up in yet another murder case. This time, she has to represent her best friend while she also processes her recent trauma and tries to resuscitate a crumbling marriage. “I see myself in the way she has to juggle it all,” Corinealdi says. “The feelings that you get when maybe one of the balls is falling out of the air, and as a result, how hard you are on yourself.”
To prepare for the role, Corinealdi pulled inspiration from some of television’s best-dressed lawyers like Alicia Florrick from The Good Wife and Patty Hewes from Damages. “Some of my favorite legal dramas were certainly in the back of my mind when I cracked in Jax,” she says. Reasonable Doubt now stands out as one of the few legal dramas currently airing, and Jax fits right in with the Olivia Pope/Annalise Keating canon of powerful, law-adjacent Black women on television who have a lot on their plate between work, motherhood, partnership, and murder (of course).
Below, the actress explains how she made the first move to land her husband, the initially unhelpful advice she got from Angela Bassett, and her No. 1 rule on giving — or not giving — advice.
What were you looking forward to when you found out you could bring Jax back for a second season?
Getting to see Jax pick up the pieces from the first season. What does her healing journey look like, a woman who’s so used to being in control, used to having everything together, and not used to the scrutiny of something like she’s experienced? I really looked forward to seeing where she would go after that.
Now for our Rules to Live By questions: What’s your No. 1 rule for a successful dinner party?
Your playlist must come correct. If you don’t have the right music, then you’re not having a dinner party.
Are you the one usually curating the playlist?
Between myself and my husband; he’s also good at selecting songs. As time has gone on, our playlists have started merging. Like, wait a minute, you stole that from my playlist!
What’s the last app you downloaded on your phone?
My little cousin downloaded TikTok for me two days ago. I haven’t used it yet, but just starting off, I was upset that I couldn’t get my name. Someone already had Emayatzy, so they offered me Emayatzy2. I’m like, I don’t want to be Emayatzy2. So I think he made me EmayatzyC or something. We’ll see how this goes.
What’s your No. 1 fashion rule?
Keep it simple. I like simple, elegant, classy, easy.
What do you think Jax’s fashion rule would be?
Knock ’em out. She likes the sharp edges: I’m going to let them know who’s in charge here. A chunky belt, a hard line, a tall shoulder, a deep cut.
What’s your No. 1 rule for advice giving?
Only give it if you’re asked. They’ll just start doling out advice. Someone did that to me the other day! I was at the nail shop, the lady was doing my nails, and she’s like, “You know you need to make sure that you …” I didn’t ask for your advice! You know what I mean?
What’s your No. 1 rule for canceling plans?
No guilt — it’s okay. You get hard on yourself for canceling plans, but things happen, especially as we get older. It’s like, I’m an adult, I have other things to do. Things will be fine. We’ll still be friends, hopefully. If not, then that’s okay too.
What’s your No. 1 rule for dating?
I’ve been out of the dating game for a while now. Going back to how my husband and I started, my No. 1 rule for dating would be it’s okay to make the first move. It’s okay for a woman to make the first move. You have to let him finish it. But, especially guys, sometimes they need to know that you’re interested. They’re always in pursuit, but I’ve found that when they meet the one, they can become intimidated and don’t know how to approach it. So sometimes it’s okay to give them that out. And that could be as simple as, Hi, you look handsome today, and that’s all they need. They’ll take it from there.
What was your first move on your husband?
I just said, “You look handsome today.” That was enough to stop him. Of course, I played this game of: Oh, I can’t talk, I gotta go now, and that whole thing. Then the game stopped, and we stood there and talked in the parking lot of Macy’s in Sherman Oaks for 40 minutes, and he asked me out to dinner that night. That was it.
Wow, I’m taking notes. What’s your No. 1 rule for splitting the bill with friends?
If it’s something that I’ve organized, I’m going to pay for it if I’ve invited you all. But if it’s something that I’m going to and someone asks to split the check or something, I’ll do it; it’s just an awkward thing. The way my girlfriends and I do it, we will rotate. This dinner, I’m going to pay for all of us; next one, you’re going to pay. It’s simpler and easier.
Do you think it’s okay to ghost someone after one date?
Yes, because you’re dating, so you’re seeing a lot of different people. If you realize that this one isn’t a match, okay, I’m moving on. I don’t think an explanation is needed. It’s safe to say that there was enough interest to have the date to see where this could go. We had the date, and I’m no longer interested.
What’s your No. 1 rule for meeting other famous people?
When I first met Angela Bassett backstage at a Mary J. Blige concert, I ran up to her and said, “Oh my God, Angela Bassett, I love you. What advice do you have for me as an actor?” This was many years ago, and, of course, she looked at me like I was crazy. But she was gracious enough to still answer my question. My No. 1 rule would be: Don’t do that. Just be as normal as you possibly can. Be yourself.
What was Angela Bassett’s advice?
“Go in the room and own it.” And at that time, I was like, what is that? That is not advice, that is absolutely nothing. I was so disappointed. It wasn’t until a few years later where I understood it. I’m like, oh, that is the advice. That shifted everything once I began to go into the room knowing that I am the answer. You may not know it at this moment, but I’m the answer. I’m what you need, and let me show you that, rather than coming in trying to please or be something that I think you may want. So that was the right advice in hindsight.
Have you seen her since then?
Oh yes, we had a full-circle moment. I had a film at this film festival and she presented the film. So I said, “Angela, do you remember me?” She said, “Yes, I do, and look at you now!”
I love that so much. What’s your No. 1 rule for ordering food?
I generally always get the same thing. I like what I like! So get what you like, but then add something else on the side that you wouldn’t normally order.
Do you have any rules around using your phone?
No phones at the dinner table. I tried to adhere to the no-phones-after-eight o’clock rule, and that went out the window so fast. Then I tried to sleep with my phone in another room, and that just gave me too much anxiety. What if someone needs me? None of those rules stuck.
What is your No. 1 rule on set?
Noah Wyle and I were filming something one day and he had this little massage ball and he was rolling his foot on it. I was like: Why are your shoes off on set, sir, what is happening? And he said it just relaxes your whole body in between takes. So he got me one and I’ve done it ever since. I also always have music playing in my trailer, like always, always.
What’s on Jax’s playlist for season two?
We have “Footsteps in the Dark, Pts. 1 & 2” by the Isley Brothers, “Masterpiece” by Sault, “A House Is Not a Home” by Luther Vandross, “I Want You Around” by Snoh Aalegra, “Love Ballad” by LTD, “Goin’ Thru Changes” by Ledisi, “Le BOOM Vent Suite,” by Jill Scott, and “Neither One of Us” by Gladys Knight & the Pips because she and Lewis, neither one wants to say good-bye.
What do you sign off your emails with?
It’s so embarrassing, because my emails still just say “Sent from my iPhone.” It’s terrible. This has inspired me to change that!
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