Actress Javicia Leslie of “Batwoman” chatted about her new film “Double Life.”
Leslie stars in this movie alongside such actors as Pascale Hutton, Aaron Douglas, Niall Matter, and Vincent Gale. It will be available on Digital and in select theaters on May 5 via Paramount.
“I loved working with my co-stars,” she admitted. “I had a really great time with them, especially Pascale. That was our first time meeting and we met on set.”
“We immediately had chemistry and we connected. It was a lot of fun with Pascale,” she said.
The synopsis is: A grieving widow learns from her late husband’s mistress that his death was no accident. The two women will form an unlikely alliance to uncover the truth behind his murder and unmask the man they both loved.
Playing the role of Jo Creuzot in “Double Life,” she noted that she was drawn to “the duality of being a badass fighter while also being a protector of the people she cares about emotionally” such as her mother and Sharon (Pascale Hutton).
“I hope viewers come and have some fun,” she said. “I hope they watch this film, which is a fun crime thriller, and it has a twist. It is led by two badass females, and two unlikely friends. Also, we never know who the killer is. It is one great whodunnit.”
Motivations
On her daily motivations as an actress, Leslie remarked, “The need to create and to express.” “Also, to be able to have accessibility and to be vulnerable in a fearless way, those are the things that motivate me,” she explained.
‘Batwoman’ experience
She described her experience starring in “Batwoman” as “amazing.” “It was an honor to be able to play in that role,” she said. “It felt like fulfilling a childhood fantasy.”
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, now with streaming and technology being so prevalent, she said, “I love it, as actors, it gives us so many more opportunities. There are so many more projects to be a part of. If yo love to work, it’s not going to matter because you have so many more opportunities.”
“There are so many more stories that are being told these days, there are so many more perspectives,” she acknowledged.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, Leslie said, “Take your time, it’s a marathon not a race. Studying your craft is the most important focus outside of working. Study. Even when I am not on a set, I am studying. I am always in a class. The most important thing is to know that you don’t know it all yet. Keep learning.”
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Leslie said, “So much more to come.”
Dream acting partner
Her dream acting partner to someday work with on a project is two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett.
On her favorite mottos to live by, she said, “You need to put the daily work into your art.” “Some of the greatest artists do the work every day, even when they are not on set,” she said. “A writer writes every day.”
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, Leslie shared, “Making a living doing what I love. Getting better at it every day, and being happy with doing what you love.”
To learn more about actress Javicia Leslie, follow her on Instagram.
