Connect with us

Beyond the Gates

1

‘Beyond the Gates’ Casts Cecelia Specht as Garland Memorial Hospital Chief of Staff, Dr. Lia Whitmore

By Michael Fairman

Published

on

Photo: IMDb

Casting news on Tuesday had that a new character is coming to CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates, when actress Cecelia Specht begins a 20-episode run as Dr Lia Whitmore; the brilliant and battle tested, Chief of Staff at Garland Memorial Hospital.

In story, Dr. Whitmore steps into the operating room when her life takes a sharp turn, shattering her confidence and forcing her to question everything she has ever stood for and drawing in the Dupree family and others into her web of deceit. Look for Specht to make her debut on the upcoming February 13th episode and currently to be seen through May 26th.

Cecelia an actress, director, writer and producer. She grew up in Santa Cruz, California, and began her professional life in politics before taking an acting class on a whim. It was that very decision that inspired her to audition for and gain acceptance into three New York acting programs, prompting a leap of faith that changed the course of her career.

Photo: CBS

Specht earned her degree in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.  She is a life member of the famed Actors Studio and was in the first graduating class of the Actors Studio’s MFA program at The New School University. She later moved to Australia, where she landed her first television job on the long-running Australian daytime series, Neighbours and cofounded the Australian theatre company Boxing Day Productions, directing, producing and acting in nearly a dozen productions.

Her first American credit was a supporting role in the Disney Channel feature Stepsister from Planet Weird, followed by appearances in numerous television series and films including Star Trek: Enterprise, Las Vegas, Criminal Minds, Zoey 101, Life, Dexter, Parks and Recreation, Revenge, Castle, Scandal, and Being Mary Jane.  

In addition, Cecelia has appeared on daytime soaps on The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives. Specht especially enjoys comedic roles and complex villains that allow her to explore the darker side of human nature.

Specht wrote, produced, directed and starred in the web series Today’s Temp, which received critical attention on the comedy platform Funny Or Die. She is an avid fan of classic cinema, a champion of emerging filmmakers and enjoys attending live theater; she also occasionally performs in live murder-mystery shows in Atlanta.  When time permits, Specht coaches and mentors actors, volunteers at a local animal shelter and has completed four Olympic distance triathlons for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  She currently resides in Smyrna, Georgia.

So, who do you think will be involved in the story with Dr Lia Whitmore? What could be her ‘web of deceit’? Intrigued? Let us know your thoughts and theories via the comment section below.

1 Comment

1 Comment
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Oh! Cecilia Specht! This is wonderful casting! 20 episodes? So it is a firm limited run gig. Interesting.

Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Nicole Plays the Field: Who Is Her Ultimate Love Match?

Published

on

By

Who would have thought that more uptight of the Beyond the Gates Dupree sisters, Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnee Duplaix), would be the one cavorting around with a few different suitors at one time and living it up!  Such as the case of the psychiatrist at Garland Memorial Medical Center.

In story, after her decades-long marriage went bust with Dr. Ted Richardson (thanks to the bombshell by Leslie that Ted and her had an affair the result of which was her having his daughter, Eva), Nicole divorced the renowned plastic surgeon and since that time has two men actively vying her attention, newcomer in town, Dr. Kial Robbins (Greg Vaughan) and Ted’s plastic surgeon partner, Dr. Carlton Fitzgerald (Michael Christopher Riley).

What’s refreshing for daytime is, this is a woman taking control of her personal life, and not making excuses that she is not being mutually-exclusive, She has even explained to both Kial and Carlton that after the stormy ending and the betrayal of her marriage to Ted (Keith D. Robinson), she’s not rushing into anything with any sort of short or long term commitment. So, everyone knows what they are getting themselves into.

For Nicole, let the fun begin and this week on all new episodes of Beyond the Gates come the Friday, May 8 episode while with Carlton, Nicole runs into Food Network Chef, Sunny Anderson who is also a regular contributor and official “Drew Crew” member on The Drew Barrymore Show. Meanwhile, Ted is thinking about another woman who Shanice thinks is Leslie, but doesn’t he just love Nicole and wants her back, try as he might to move on with anyone that isn’t her? Stay tuned.

This week, in the latest promo for Beyond the Gates, things are getting hot and heavy in the bedroom between Nicole and Carlton, while previous she had quite the time with Kial.

Check out the latest video teaser for episodes airing May 4-8 below.

So, who do you think will be the ultimate love match for Nicole? Will she wind up back with Ted, choose to be exclusive with Kial or Carlton, or will no one get Nicole, and she will just continue to be single and happy for the rest of her life? Let us know your picks via the comment section.

Continue Reading

Beyond the Gates

CBS Daytime Preemption Schedule for UEFA Champions League Games: What This Means for ‘Beyond the Gates,’ B&B and Y&R

Published

on

By

Your favorite soaps operas on CBS, have a scheduling shift over the next few days for the network’s fifth annual broadcast for the UEFA Champions League Soccer games in Europe.

This will effect the Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29; and next week’s Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6 line-up of Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless.

First, and the most affected is all-new episodes of Beyond the Gates which will not air today or tomorrow. As well, game show Let’s Make a Deal will also be preempted. The two shows will also be fully preempted on May 5 and May 6.

Photo: UEFA

However, The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful will air as normal for East Coast viewers, but those on the West Coast in Mountain and Pacific Time Zones will have a full preemption. Only, the top-rated The Price is Right will air coast-to-coast with no interruptions because of its time slot of 11am ET/10am PT.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SCHEDULE

The UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, semi-final matches begin airing today on April 28 when  Paris Saint Germain PSG plays a home game in France and goes up against Bayern Munich, and on April 29, viewers can look for Atlético de Madrid plays at home vs. Arsenal FC.

Next week, on Tuesday, May 5, Arsenal FC plays at home in England vs. Atletico Madrid, while Bayern Munich faces Paris Saint-Germain, on Wednesday May 6, in Munich, Germany.

CBS will air a one-hour UEFA Champions League Today before each of the matches at 2pm ET as the matches begin each day of the tournament at 3pm ET.

BEYOND THE GATES PREVIEW

When Beyond the Gates returns this Thursday, April 3o it will be the pick-up of the Monday, April 27 cliffhanger which found the Dr. Lia Whitmore (Cecelia Specht) threatening Grayson (Jordi Vilasuso) and Ashley (Jen Jacob) and Dani (Karla Mosley) becoming even more suspicious of Hayley (Marquita Goings) and her plans for Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett).

Photo: CBS

In addition look for, Leslie (Tricia Mann-Grant) to be confronted by Anita (Tamara Tunie), while exes, Ted (Keith D. Robinson) and Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix) share a close moment witnessed by Shanice.

For those wanting to catch all episodes of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful if you are in the West Coast time zones and usually watch them during the day. you can catch the action via CBS.com, CBS app or Paramount+

As Beyond the Gates heats up with who’s behind and involved in the black market blood plasma snatching story, don’t forget to check out the Michael Fairman Channel’s recent interview with Cecelia Specht on all things Dr. Lia Whitmore below.

So, what do you think of the preemption schedule and how it may affect your viewing this week and next of Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section.

 

 

Continue Reading

Beyond the Gates

Ashley Jones Joins the Cast of Beyond the Gates

Published

on

By

Ashley Jones is the newest addition of CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates.  The veteran soap actress has posted some teasey Instagran stories revealing the intel; especially her latest wearing a Beyond the Gates emblazoned robe while in her dressing room.

As to who Jones is playing that is still hush-hush. Ashley follows other former daytime notables to Fairmont Crest which have included Greg Vaughan (ex-DAYS, Y&R, GH) and Jordi Vilasuso (ex-Y&R, AMC, DAYS and GL).

A spokesperson for Beyond the Gates confirmed the news to Soap Opera Digest expressing, “We can confirm Ashley Jones will be appearing in Beyond the Gates.” It should be noted: Beyond the Gates does tape four months ahead of air.

Soap fans first met Ashley when she played Megan Dennison on The Young and the Restless (1997-2000). She then went on to The Bold and the Beautiful to play Bridget Forrester in her initial run from 2004-2010 and since then making recurring appearances throughout the next 15 years. In addition, Jones appeared on General Hospital in the role of Parker Forsyth from 2016-17.

Earlier this week, Beyond the Gates was renewed for two more consecutive seasons its 3 and 4th by CBS, giving the youngest soap on the air, a big confidence boost. The series debuted back on February 24, 2025 as the first hour-long Black-led soap opera, and which tapes in Atlanta, Georgia instead of Los Angeles, California.

Who do you think Ashley Jones will play on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts below.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

CBS unveils Beyond the Gates season 2 promo and Jordi Vilasuso joins the cast. Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Giovanni Mazza as Gio

General Hospital

Airdate: 12-8-2025

Popular

1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x