Emayatzy Corinealdi is no stranger to the spotlight. The classically trained actress has been putting in work for years — from her breakout in Middle of Nowhere to powerful collaborations with Ava DuVernay and Don Cheadle. However, on Hulu’s legal drama “Reasonable Doubt,” she’s front and center, owning the small screen.

She portrays Jax Stewart — a sharp, fearless attorney who’s juggling courtroom battles and real-life struggles. Off-screen, Corinealdi keeps it just as real, speaking openly about financial independence in Hollywood and why every actor should be signing their own checks. She also carries her Panamanian roots with pride, letting her heritage shine through in the roles she takes on.

Leading up to the Season 3 premiere of “Reasonable Doubt,” REVOLT spoke with Corinealdi about her journey, Jax's evolution and what’s next.

Looking back at your breakout role in Middle of Nowhere, which really set the stage for your career, what did that experience teach you about yourself as an actress?

That I was capable [and] that I was ready. I was ready for what that moment was, because sometimes, as an actor — well, really sometimes in life — you feel like, “Well, I'm not ready. I got to do this first,” or you want to have all of these things in order, but that's generally not the case. It's when you don't have everything that you thought you needed to have in order, and when you're just present and you're able to go and be, that's when everything really falls into place. And that's what my experience was with Middle of Nowhere. Things just weren't where I needed them to be. It was in the middle of all kinds of stuff happening, but I was able to hone in and did my best work at that time, and it showed me that, you know what, you can do it. Continue to stay present and be true to yourself and trust what's already there, and you will be able to rise up to each moment as it presents itself.

You went from feeling uncertain and pushing yourself to get your Middle of Nowhere role to working with Ava DuVernay on that film, as well as Miss Pauletta Washington in “Reasonable Doubt.” How have those collaborations shaped your approach to your craft?

I always learn something from everybody that I'm working opposite — not even necessarily someone who is more experienced than me and all of that. Yes, I learned from them, but even [from] the people who don't have as much experience, you learn something if you allow yourself to. You're to learn something from someone each time you encounter them, if you allow yourself to be open.

With each opportunity I’ve had … I have learned so much. Not even just about the craft of acting, but just how you carry yourself on a set — set etiquette and how to make sure that your business affairs are in order outside of the fun part of acting. Specifically, with Don Cheadle, I would have a lot of conversations with him about that. I've been blessed to have so many people who have been open with me and willing to take me under [their] wing and give me advice in that way. And that really makes a difference.

Outside of the glamorous parts of acting, what’s the biggest thing you've learned as far as business that you believe up-and-coming actors and actresses should note?

The first thing that I learned before I even really started making money in the way that I'd always hoped… I heard Oprah say in an interview that she signed all of her own checks, and that just stuck with me forever. Before I was making checks to sign, I said, “Okay, that makes sense, and I'm going to do that.” So that is something I implemented. Every check comes to me. I don't care how big or how small [it is], it comes to me, and that has been something I've since realized is a huge thing. That's how you find people [who] have fallen into all of these different fraudulent things, whether it be with an accountant or a business manager, all of that, because you don't know where your money is going.

And sometimes you wonder, how could that happen? You're going to know where all your money is, but at some point, if you allow yourself, you won't know. So, that is the first thing I would say. Know about every single dollar, make sure that you touch it first, and then from there, keeping in mind that it is a business. It's so much fun, and you get to do all the pictures and all of that stuff, but it's a business and everyone is not your friend. Be nice [and] be kind, because that will take you a long way, but they're not your friends. Focus on why you're here and the work that you're here to do and allow that to speak for you.

As an actress of Panamanian and African American descent, how has your heritage influenced the characters that you choose to portray? Do you intentionally try to intertwine your heritage with their characters?

If there's an opportunity where it can present itself. I had done another job, and I suggested, I said, “What if she does speak Spanish?” What if there is — even if she's not leading with that — but what if it's there, you know? And that writer was willing to put it in. So, when there are opportunities, when it makes sense, absolutely! Because, why not? Especially because that's also a part of my heritage, with my father being from Panama, [and] my mom [being] from Youngstown, Ohio. I love to search for those kinds of opportunities where I can put my heritage to the front in that way.

I think representation in all ways is so important. It is important for people to know that you can do it and have an example. I think that's so inspiring.

When you think about it, I've had so many people who have stopped me since [being] on this show … When they find out that I am of Panamanian descent … and me being a brown-skinned, Black girl, they're like, “I didn't know.” To know that there is another actress who has that experience has encouraged a lot of people, so whenever there's an opportunity to do so, I always lead with that, because, again, it's about representation.

In Season 2 of “Reasonable Doubt,” Jax is balancing therapy, trying to heal her marriage, her teenage kids going through changes and her career. How do those pressures influence the choices that she makes in Season 3?

Yep, she's trying every day and sometimes failing at it. By the end of Season 2, she's found peace. [She’s] found a rhythm. Having gone through therapy and everything that's happened, she's found herself in this space of “Okay, you know what? I can exhale for a moment,” but then she also realizes, professionally, things are a bit too safe. “I kind of need some spice, but not necessarily personally.” But with Jax, somehow, some way, things always seem to intertwine personally, for her, with the professional. I think that's because she really cares about her work and takes [it] seriously, and therefore, sometimes, has a hard time drawing the line, because — as we'll learn in [Season 3] — she cares more than she even realizes.

She realizes that maybe her caring is a part of her superpower. It's been a thing she's been trying to separate for a while, but in this season, she's starting to see, well, maybe I've had it wrong. So, she's still trying to juggle it all, but she has found a rhythm this season.

I love how “Reasonable Doubt” shows Jax unpacking and confronting all of her childhood trauma and how it affects her adult life. How does that journey impact her actions and relationships in Season 3?

We get to really dive into the relationship between Jax and her father in this season. And I don't think she's expecting some of the things to come out in the way that they do, but she's been willing to dig into it a little bit more than before, because she's doing the work, and she feels a bit more steady with that. She feels in charge, in control, that this is only going to go as far as I allow it to go. I don't think that she's expecting any hiccups in that way, because she believes that she's in control of how far this is going to go with her father. It's a little bit of a juggling process that Jax is doing right now, and that's where Lewis comes in. He's kind of the second set of eyes and trying to make her realize … you have a blind spot here and I need you to kind of recognize it for your own for your best interest, but also for our family.

I feel like a lot of TV shows don't portray going from a toxic to a healthy dynamic. What things did you pick up from Jax and her vulnerability in those moments that you could use in your own life?

I definitely took some things. We get to witness real-time growth between Jax and Lewis, and we get to see them really applying it. We get to see them really trying in those therapy scenes, but also in some of the other scenes where they're going out on a date and having a disagreement, that kind of thing. We really get to see them trying to be present, trying to be their best selves and not falling into some of the same toxic patterns. And that, of course, is going to make you stop and say, “How can I apply some of this? Apply a bit more patience in my relationships, and how I deal with people when I may not be in agreement with how they feel?” And that's one of the great things about the show. I think a lot of people are able to not only see themselves reflected [in it], but they're able to see blind spots in their own lives and say, “You know what, I think I can do better.” When a lot of the couples watch the shows, and they reach out, that's one of the things they say.

In the show, Morris Chestnut’s character kind of challenges Jax's boss. He reminds her that she can't always be in control and kind of just counterbalances her energy. What was your experience like working with him?

It was great, Morris came in ready to play. He was so present. He was so excited about the role of Corey Cash and just the world that had been built. There was so much there, just so much meat on the bones for us to play with. He came in ready to go, and it was a lot of fun.

Is there anything that you can tell me about Season 3 that you haven't told anybody else? Is there any growth in Jax that we might not expect, or some twists and turns that we might not see coming?

Yes, yes, and yes. That's about all I can say. And if you know the show, you know Ramla Muhammad, the writer, she's not going to let you off easily. There's going to be some twists and some turns, all the things, and you get to see Jax try to figure it out in the end. And that's what makes the show, The Show.

We're hoping to see many more seasons of “Reasonable Doubt” in the future, but looking past that, what kind of stories or roles are you most excited to explore?

Oh, there are so many … There's just a never-ending imagination of things that I plan to put into effect. This is just one of the wonderful opportunities, dreams and blessings that have been along this journey of a career. So, there's much more to come.