Emayatzy Corinealdi: From ‘Middle of Nowhere’ to ‘Miles Ahead’

Actress Emayatzy Corinealdi attends the 'Hand Of God' panel discussion at the Amazon Studios portion of the 2015 Summer TCA Tour on August 3, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California
Actress Emayatzy Corinealdi attends the ‘Hand Of God’ panel discussion at the Amazon Studios portion of the 2015 Summer TCA Tour on August 3, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California

*Emayatzy Corinealdi was a fresh face when Ava DuVernay directed her to critical acclaim in 2012’s “Middle of Nowhere.”

The Kentucky-born beauty collected her share of “outstanding” and “breakthrough” acting awards for her portrayal of Ruby, a medical student in Compton who struggles to keep things together after her husband receives an 8 year prison sentence. Typically, what follows such glowing attention in Hollywood is a ton of scripts sent to your agent, as casting directors clamor to bank on a sure thing.

“Some scripts did come in,” Corinealdi said of her 2012 awards season afterglow. “But I did find that it just wasn’t as much of a flood as I thought it was going to be. The analogy I used was, I thought I was going to just burst through the door, but I went to open the door and the chain was on.”

Emayatzy Corinealdi and David Oyelowo in "Middle of Nowhere"
Emayatzy Corinealdi and David Oyelowo in “Middle of Nowhere”

The bar is high when your breakthrough role is under DuVernay, who went on to receive an Oscar nomination for directing “Selma.” It would be a slow grind for Corinealdi to find roles as meaty as Ruby – but her patience is paying off.

In September, Amazon Prime members can see her in its anticipated original series “Hand of God,” opposite Ron Perlman, Dana Delany and Andre Royo. The emerging streaming service (the home of Jeffrey Tambor’s Emmy winning series “Transparent”) asked paid subscribers to decide whether “Hand of God” was worthy of a 10-episode series order after making the pilot episode available in October. According to Amazon, the amount of “yes” votes was overwhelming.

Emayatzy Corinealdi on the set of MilesAhead. ( Photo by @Q102briand)
Emayatzy Corinealdi on the set of MilesAhead. ( Photo by @Q102briand)

The following month, Corinealdi returns to the big screen as Miles Davis’ first wife Frances in “Miles Ahead,” Don Cheadle’s long-in-the-works biopic of the legendary jazz musician. His directorial debut will have its world premiere on Oct. 11, as the closing night film at the 53rd New York Film Festival, where it hopes to land a U.S. distribution deal.

“It was such a blessing, such an amazing experience to work with Don Cheadle – for one, as an actor; and for two, as a director. It was a treat,” Corinealdi, 35, told EURweb exclusively following Monday’s “Hand of God” panel at the Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills.

Frances and Miles Davis
Frances and Miles Davis

Cheadle put Corinealdi in touch with the real Frances Taylor, a former prima ballerina of the world-renowned Katherine Dunham troupe. Davis has pirouetted on stages from New York to Paris. In 1956, she was dancing in Sammy Davis, Jr.’s Broadway musical “Mr. Wonderful” when she ran into Miles Davis on the street. Drummer Max Roach had introduced them months earlier, but it was this chance re-encounter that led directly to the altar. The two were married from 1958-68.

Below, Corinealdi talks more about the real Francis and the type of marriage she shared with Miles Davis:

“Miles Ahead” premieres in New York on Oct. 11. The pilot of “Hand of God” is currently available to subscribers of Amazon Prime. The remaining nine episodes become available on Sept. 4. Watch the trailer below:

YouTube video

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

Sabrina Morrissey - Wendy Williams (Facebook-Screenshot)
50 Cent and Irv Gotti - via Grok AI
rapper GLOrilla
Amtrak
Irv Gotti - Getty
LeBron James (Petre Thomas-USA Today)
Irv Gotti - via Grok AI
Emotional couple
Lynn Whitfield at the AAFCA 2025 Luncheon. (Photo: Sheri Determan / for AAFCA)
The Weeknd
Cherelle Parker - screenshot
Read More
Aaron Pierre - screenshot
Read More
George W. Bush - Donald Trump (Getty)
Read More
WICKED: PART 1
Read More
Jimmy Butler & Kaitlin Nowak - screenshot
Read More
Kanye West and Bianca Censori on Grammy Red Carpet - screenshot
Read More
Damon Wayans
Read More
Otis Williams (Stefan Brending via Creative Commons)
Read More
Denzel Washington - Gladiator II
Read More
“Carl Weber’s The Family Business: New Orleans”
Read More

POPULAR

Sabrina Morrissey - Wendy Williams (Facebook-Screenshot)
'#FreeWendy' Movement Gains Momentum: Guardian Calls for New Testing Amid Public Statements
50 Cent and Irv Gotti - via Grok AI
NO Respect! 50 Cent Trolls and Shades Irv Gotti After His Death: 'I'm Smoking on Dat Gotti Pack' | Check Out Reactions
rapper GLOrilla
Rihanna Names GloRilla as Fenty's First-Ever Joint Partner for Spring 2025
Amtrak
Amtrak's Auto Train Offers Travel with Vehicle Transport Between Virginia and Florida
Irv Gotti - Getty
Music Industry Mourns the Loss of Irv Gotti: The Man Behind Ja Rule and Ashanti’s Success Dies At 54
LeBron James (Petre Thomas-USA Today)
NBA
Luka Doncic Trade Sparks Debate: LeBron James' Influence on Lakers Questioned
Irv Gotti - via Grok AI
Is Irv Gotti 'Brain Dead?' Unverified Reports of Stroke and Critical Condition Surface - Gotti's Family Remains Silent | VIDEO
Emotional couple
12 Common Phrases that Signal Emotional Immaturity
Lynn Whitfield at the AAFCA 2025 Luncheon. (Photo: Sheri Determan / for AAFCA)
Lynn Whitfield, Amber Rasberry, RaMell Ross, and More Honored at AAFCA 2025 Luncheon | EURexclusiveWATCH
1 2 3 8,542