Javicia Leslie has taken Hollywood by storm in recent years. The Hampton University grad got her big break on Carl Weber's The Family Business right here on BET.  And in 2020, she made history by becoming the first Black actress to play the lead role in a live-action Batman TV series. Her next venture is Double Life, a psychological thriller where she plays a woman who struggles to distinguish between reality and a sinister truth. The movie explores themes of identity, infidelity, and the consequences of unchecked desire. Double Life hits select theaters and digital platforms on May 5 and will be available on demand May 19.

In an interview with BET.com, Leslie talks about the new film, the grind of Hollywood, her dream roles and the importance of representation as an openly queer actor.

BET: Tell us about your new film Double Life.

Javicia Leslie: It's a film about an unlikely journey. I play a woman who is in love with this man and he's murdered. When he's murdered, and it gets released in the news, I find out that he's actually married. In the midst of finding that out and that heartbreak, I end up meeting his wife. When we meet, we realize that we both have information that can lead to us finding out who might have killed our man. It has a twist. So I would just say, you have to tune in, but it's a psychological thriller. It's fun, it's action and it's led by women, and it's badass!

BET: As I was watching Double Life, I was reminded of classic thrillers from the 1990s.

Javicia Leslie: Yeah! I grew up watching thrillers in the '90s, women lead thrillers. I'd watch Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, and I would always say, "When I start acting, I want to do those types of projects." When this project came to me, I'm like, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

BET: Speaking of double life, have you ever felt like you had to live a double life, especially in Hollywood?

Javicia Leslie: I think we all do. I think that that's a very common story that we all share. I'm one way in this part of my life and I'm another way in another part of my life. I think that's kind of the cool thing about my character Jo. As Jo, I am exactly who I am, which definitely could rub people the wrong way at times. But also in those circumstances, it is why we were able to give so much forward movement in finding out who the killer was because of who I am. So in that character, I'm completely fearless and living in my truth. In my Javaica life? Yeah, there are double-life elements. We have to separate who we are from not who we are. We have to celebrate separate elements of our personal life, from our career life. It keeps us safe and protected and keeps the people that we love safe and protected.

BET: You have been grinding in Hollywood for a while now. You of course made history as the first Black woman to play Batwoman. What have you learned thus far in your Hollywood journey?

Javicia Leslie: It's a marathon, not a race. That's really important. When I look at the people that I admire in this industry, they've been doing it forever. There are times you're going to hear their name all the time, and there are going to be times when there are projects you may not know about. I think that in our generation of entertainers, everything feels like you got to get it all at once. I love the fact that at this part of my life, understanding the industry, for me is about -- everything happens in flow. There are times when it's really busy. There are times when it's not so busy. What do you do in those times when it's not so busy to add to your life? What do you do in the times when it's so busy, where you help balance out your life? Take advantage of that time. Are you in a class, challenging yourself? Are you learning new things that can add to your artistry? And I didn't know that in the beginning, I definitely take advantage of it now.

BET: You publicly came out in 2020. There was a time when an actor said they were gay or bisexual and it could damage their career. Things have changed a lot, but we're not post misogyny or homophobia. Has being openly LGBT hurt your career at all or has it been a non-issue?

Javicia Leslie: It wouldn't be fair to say I "came out" because I've never had to hide any part of myself. I think that's taking away the credit from people that had to hide who they were. That's not where my journey was and I want to honor people who did have to come out. Nothing really changed, for me. My family, my mom, my friends, everyone is very much accepting of who I am because I've been the same person from the beginning. I would say talking about it on a public level, I realize how empowering it is for people that look like me. It's easy for me because I didn't have anything I had to overcome so I can talk about it all the time. For the people that had to "come out" and haven't been able to, it's beautiful to be able to be their representation in this industry.

BET: You have been on BET's The Family Business from the very beginning. Tell me about this journey with The Family Business.

Javicia Leslie: That show was so different from anything I had ever played before because I've never played such a badass, but also sometimes unlikeable. It creates this dynamic amongst the other actors and also encourages our amazing writer and creator, Carl Weber, to dig deeper into her story of why she's like. It's so much fun to play with -- I think that show has been the project that has allowed me to be as flexible as I've ever been because it has shown every range. I love the show and I'll continue to work on the show.

BET: Do you have a dream biopic role?

Javicia Leslie: I love Assata Shakur's story. People are really silent about what we were doing in the '70s when it comes to being responsible for our community. We had schools, and we had community centers where we were teaching our children, teaching them pride and community responsibility. Then to dismantle us, we were labeled murderers and they touched on it with the Fred Hampton story but I would just love to dive deeper with her permission. I would also love, If she ever gave permission, if she ever gave the rights -- Lauryn Hill's story.

BET: Lastly, why should folks watch Double Life?

Javicia Leslie: If you love thrillers, if you love psychological thrillers, if you like a twist, if you like movies led by black women, if you like me -- watch this film! [Laughs]

See the trailer below: