‘Beyond the Gates' is the 1st Black soap in over 30 years. How the show makes sure ‘everybody's represented'

Yahoo

26-02-2025

There are certain times in life when you pause, take in your surroundings and realize that you're witnessing the start of something wonderful.
Tamara Tunie had one of those special moments when she sat down for the first table read of the new CBS daytime drama, 'Beyond the Gates.'
'The energy and the excitement were just so palpable, and there was just a knowingness that this was different,' the actor tells TODAY.com.
Having spent 15 years on 'As The World Turns' earlier in her career, Tunie is no stranger to soap operas. But once 'Beyond the Gates' began filming, Tunie instantly knew the experience would be unique, especially since she'd grown accustomed to often being the only Black person in a cast.
'It's very difficult being the only one, no matter how well you navigate it. So, to walk into a space where there are multitudes is a relief because when you're only one, you feel like you have the responsibility. But when there are multitudes, it's shared and it's a lighter weight,' she explains.
'Beyond the Gates' is making history as the first-ever one-hour Black daytime soap opera and the first daytime drama since 'Passions,' which premiered in 1999.
But Tunie and her co-stars make one thing abundantly clear while chatting with TODAY.com ahead of the series premiere: This show is for everyone.
'You have not just the Black family, but you have white people, you have Asian people, you have Hispanic people. You have a gay couple. Everybody's represented in this show,' Tunie says.
Daphnée Duplaix, who plays Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson on the drama, echoes her co-star's sentiments while explaining why the show's timing is just right.
'The reality is, there is no race. We are the human race. Our stories are the same. Our struggles might have been different, but our stories are the same. It's a universal show,' she says.
Like other soap operas, the daytime series is chock-full of juicy intrigue, romance and complicated family relationships.
Set in Fairmont Crest, 'Beyond the Gates' is an exclusive gated community in Maryland where multiple generations of the wealthy Dupree family reside.
Vernon and Anita Dupree (Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie) are the patriarch and matriarch of the successful family, which includes their two daughters Dani (Karla Mosley) and Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) and four grandchildren. The Duprees are basically Black royalty and their reputation precedes them around town.
There's plenty of drama at the center of the series premiere, which introduces viewers to the Duprees as they navigate a rather delicate situation: the wedding of Dani's ex-husband Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett). In true soap opera fashion, the story behind Bill's upcoming nuptials is quite scandalous.
As it turns out, Bill cheated on Dani with their daughter Naomi's (Arielle Prepetit) best friend, Hayley (Marquita Goings). The pair hit it off, leading to the dissolution of Bill and Dani's marriage.
Like any tight-knit crew, the Duprees stick together and support each other through ups and downs, so the family unites to face this latest challenge together.
Before 'Beyond the Gates,' a half-hour NBC series called 'Generations' made history as the first soap opera to feature a Black family at the forefront of the show alongside a white family. The show premiered in 1989 and ended in 1991.
Clifton Davis, who plays the Dupree family's patriarch, Vernon, on 'Beyond the Gates,' recalls watching a few episodes of 'Generations' to witness his Broadway co-star Jonelle Allen in action on the small screen.
'That was a half-hour show. This is an hour-long show with the primary family being African American. That's a long way to come from 'Generations,'' he says.
In the years since 'Generations' ended its two-season run on NBC, African American actors have played critical roles in a plethora of daytime soap operas.
Kristoff St. John, who starred in 'Generations,' went on to build a wildly successful career on 'The Young and the Restless' as the head of the Winters family. He joined a host of Black stars who left their mark on the soap industry, including Debbi Morgan, Shemar Moore, Victoria Rowell, and countless others.
Karla Mosley hadn't watched 'Generations' until she landed the role of Dani Dupree on 'Beyond the Gates.' But when she did, she saw a few familiar faces, including St. John, who she worked with before his death in 2019.
Watching "Generations" while preparing for her role in 'Beyond the Gates' was inspiring for Mosley, who has appeared in several soap operas throughout her career, including 'The Young and the Restless,' 'The Bold and the Beautiful' and 'Guiding Light.'
'It emboldens and empowers me in my performance today. I feel like I'm standing on their shoulders,' she says.
Davis, 79, honed his acting career during a period where roles for Black performers were few and far between.
'When I got in television in the early '70s, Melvin Moore and I were the first African American couple to host a variety show on network television, so that was historic. Trust me, there were no Black faces behind the scenes. It was just us. And if there were Black faces, it was because we invited them to be a part of the show,' he recalls.
Looking back on this experience and comparing it to his time filming 'Beyond the Gates' thus far, Davis can't help but marvel at how the industry has shifted toward a more inclusive one.
'There weren't Black producers. There weren't Black writers. There weren't Black cameramen. There weren't Black lighting people. But here we are in another dimension in 2025, where 'Beyond the Gates' has all of the above ... I think we've come a mighty, mighty, mighty long way, and in my 50 some years of television, this is darn amazing," he says.
When Duplaix auditioned for 'Beyond the Gates,' she was excited for the project. But it wasn't until she landed the role of Nicole that she started to realize what the show would mean to her and its future audience.
'I'm laying in bed and I woke up. I'm staring at the ceiling and it just hit me. I was like, 'Whoa, this is huge. This is groundbreaking,'' she recalls. '(I suddenly understood) the weight that we're going to be carrying for everyone. And that's when I got a little nervous.'
Luckily, Duplaix wouldn't have to go it alone. She soon witnessed the extensive support system she'd have on set from her castmates, show creator Michele Val Jean, and executive producers Julie Carruthers and Sheila Ducksworth.
Val Jean previously worked as a writer for 'Generations' and has had a successful career with multiple soap opera writing credits, including 'The Bold and the Beautiful' and 'General Hospital.'
In an 'Entertainment Tonight' special titled 'Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood,' Ducksworth spoke to the significance of her and Val Jean's partnership on the show.
'We're the two first Black female executive producers in daytime television for a soap opera,' she said.
The powerhouse producers, who have known each other over 20 years, also gave some insight into how the show came to be. Ducksworth, a longtime soap opera fan, said she's always wanted to make a soap opera that was 'reflective of people that I knew.'
"Sheila said she wanted to make the soap about a family that lived in a gated community, so I just started thinking about characters and how to populate it and who they were and how they connected," Val Jean said.
'Beyond the Gates' prioritizes representation in front of the camera, but the series has also made diversity a priority behind the scenes with its crew.
'It's comforting when you walk into a building and you know people understand you and they understand how to light you and they understand how to do your hair and you don't have to explain anything,' Duplaix says.
The diversity on set also helps fuel the actors' performances.
'I'm realizing that part of the reason I'm able to play Dani with such freedom and bravery is because I feel so safe in this environment,' Mosley explains.
From writers and wardrobe stylists to makeup artists and hairstylists, each member of the crew is focused on making the show as authentic as possible and making the cast feel comfortable.
'(It's nice) coming in not having to worry about my hair and if someone's gonna be able to know how to do it or not, not having to worry about my makeup, not having to worry about my clothes ... All of those things are elements that I didn't realize I'd been concerned about in the past that I don't have to think about now and that just makes the job so much easier,' Mosley says.
While 'Beyond the Gates' is making history as the first series of its kind, Duplaix hopes the show's premiere is also significant for the soap opera industry in general.
'I keep saying, 'We're the first, but I surely hope we're not the last.' We're not reinventing the soap wheel; we're just making it better. Hopefully, next year there's another new show and the year after that so we can rebuild daytime television,' she says.
Several of the stars of 'Beyond the Gates' have extensive experience in the soap opera realm, but joining a show at its inception is a pretty rare feat.
'The other soaps have been on for decades, so you're jumping on a moving train. We're at the beginning before the train leaves the station and the kind of impact that you can have in establishing the world is really special, and I'm loving being a part of that,' Tunie says.
When Mosley first heard about 'Beyond the Gates,' she thought the series was a no brainer. 'At a time where there's a lot of division in our country and in our world, this can be a place where there's both entertainment and joy,' she says.
While discussing the significance of the show, Tunie reflects on the importance of representation.
'We're not going away and we're not hiding our light. We're shining our light brightly, and this show does that,' she says. 'It shines the light very brightly.'
Twenty regular characters will appear on the show, along with additional recurring characters. The four main members of the Dupree family are front and center, with members of their extended family also playing a vital role in the series. Below, get to know the key players.
Who is Vernon Dupree? He's a former senator and the patriarch of the wealthy and accomplished Dupree family. Vernon's father founded Fairmont Crest, the exclusive gated community in Maryland where his family resides.
Davis on his character: 'He's humble, even though he's reached many heights in politics and in society. He's a strong man. He doesn't have to push. He doesn't have to scream and yell,' Davis says. 'He's a loving, tender father and husband. He's mad about his wife and he's mad about his children and his grandchildren and he'll do anything to protect them.'
Where you've seen Davis before: 'Blue Bloods,' 'Billions,' 'Madam Secretary,' 'Cover,' 'Halloweentown High,' 'Amen,' 'That's My Mama' and more.
What has Vernon taught you about yourself? "It has taught me that I can still deliver. ... That's all I ever wanted was the work. The other stuff is nice. It's extra, though, because the real joy is doing it," he says.
Who is Anita Dupree? The matriarch of the Dupree family was once a famous singer and is married to Vernon. She has two daughters, Nicole and Dani, and four grandchildren: Naomi, Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla), Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Kat (Colby Muhammad).
Tunie on her character: 'She was a singer and an actor. She's won some awards. She fell in love with the rising politician and set her career aside in order to support his career and yet that performer is still in there,' Tunie says. "I saw her as a woman in her sixties who was glamorous, who was sexy, who was vibrant, who was vital, who loved unconditionally, who was all about family. She reminded me of my own mother.'
Where you've seen Davis before: 'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody,' 'A Journal for Jordan,' 'Cowboy Bebop,' 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,' 'As the World Turns' and more.
Why 'Beyond the Gates' is for everybody: 'It's multi-generational. It's multicultural. The stories are human stories that are gonna be entertaining and juicy,' Tunie says.
Who is Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson? She's the daughter of Vernon and Anita Dupree. She is a successful psychiatrist and is married to Dr. Ted Richardson (Maurice Johnson). Together, the couple has two adult children: Martin and Kat.
Duplaix on her character: 'I actually wanted to be Dani Dupree because I knew she was feisty, fiery and she wore her feelings on the outside. Nicole is the complete opposite: she's sweet and soft. And I was like, 'Oh, she's boring.' But when we got into those first couple of scripts, our writers are so amazing. I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna have some fun with her.'' she says.
Where you've seen Duplaix before: 'One Life to Live,' 'Passions,' 'Lost & Found,' 'Pitcher and the Pin-Up,' 'RSVP,' 'Unreported' and more.
On her lifelong love of soap operas: 'I started watching soaps when I was 4 years old and I was hooked just like everybody else.'
Who is Dani Dupree? She's Vernon and Anita Dupree's other daughter and the sister of Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson. Dani, a former model, was previously married to Bill Hamilton and they share two adult children: Naomi and Chelsea.
Mosley on her character: 'I can't wait to see what Dani's gonna do and that's how I felt when I read the script. It's how I still feel when I read the scripts,' Mosley says.
Where you've seen Mosley: 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' 'Burn After Reading,' 'The Young and the Restless,' 'Hart of Dixie,' 'Guiding Light' and more.
What Dani has taught Mosley about herself: 'She's helped me to share more about what's going on the inside ... it's made it easier for me to stand up for myself, to say what I feel is right, to ask for what I want. And that feels good,' she says.
To further emphasize the value of representation on set, CBS Studios and P&G Studios partnered with NAACP Venture to develop the series.
'Historically, the NAACP has been talking to Hollywood about the issue of inclusion for decades. And so finally somebody actually said, 'Ok, yes, let's not just talk about it. Let's do something,'' Tunie says.
The NAACP has lent its voice to enhance the production of the series, but Davis is quick to emphasize that the soap opera isn't 'a social studies show' or 'a documentary.'
'We do touch on the fact that we did marches. We touch on the fact that Anita and Vernon met on a march fighting for civil rights and people mention our activism and we speak to that and they talk a little bit about the history of certain protests. We don't land on it, but we brush by a little bit of that history and so it's not left out,' he says.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com