The ball’s in her court. Demi Singleton is the up-and-coming actress who plays a young Serena Williams in King Richard. The just-released film follows Venus and Serena’s inspiring journey from Compton to Wimbledon, but even if it was the sisters’ journey to the grocery store, we’d still watch for Demi.

Here, we chatted with the Broadway regular (Lion King and School of Rock, FYI) about what it was like working with industry legends, how she channeled her inner Serena, and who’s inspiring her to accomplish even greater things.

What was your reaction after hearing you landed the part?
I was so excited! I was also a little nervous because Serena Williams is huge, so I told myself I really had to do my best. If I was going 100% any other time, I would have to go 200% here, because Serena Williams is going to watch this movie.

Did you get to meet her?
I did! The first time was when I played her for a Super Bowl commercial in 2019, but [we] didn’t really get to speak. The second time was when she and Venus surprised us on set one day. It was a lot; I cried that time… When an athlete is that dedicated to their sport, of course I thought she might be a little intimidating, but that wasn’t the case at all. She’s one of the funniest and sweetest people I’ve ever spoken to. They didn’t speak a whole lot about tennis. We spoke just about life, [like] their early teenage boy drama.

Are you a total tennis star now?
[Laughing.] I’m not a tennis star. I’m just an actress that’s really fast at learning new things, and I did have to learn tennis for King Richard. I think [the sport] is a lot of fun, but it’s much harder than I expected. The pros make it look so easy! The first day I stepped on that court for practice, I thought I was going to die. It was so much work, but I loved it.

What was it like working with Will Smith?
Working with Will was probably one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. He’s accomplished so much in life, but he doesn’t act like it. If you didn’t know who he was and you were speaking to him, you would think he’s like any other person—who just happens to be one of the greatest actors of all time. King Richard was my first film, and he really made it an amazing experience and made sure everyone was having fun all the time. He’s a really cool person to work with.

What other actors would you like to work with eventually?
My top would have to be Viola Davis, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, and Angelina Jolie. I’ve also been in love with Halle Berry since I was like 3. She’s so amazing.

Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?
All the women in my family. They’re strong, independent, and hardworking. My mom has always taught me to just go for it, and I’ve always admired her for that. “Never be afraid to do what you want. You have us, but just know that nothing’s wrong with being an independent woman.” That’s something she always told me. And Beyoncé. Can’t forget Beyoncé.