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‘Beyond the Gates’ Star David Friebe Lami Explains Decision of Name Change to Its Origin ‘Lami’

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/LamiIG

David Friebe Lami who debuted on Beyond the Gates as Isaiah Hawthorne, the brother of Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges), back in 2025, is going into 2026 with a new perspective and change to his acting name and more.

The Beyond the Gates star took to his Instagram to explain why he is shortening his name to just Lami and its origins and significance in his life from growing up until now. Lami debuted on the CBS daytime drama in October of 2025 and has been a love interest for Eva Thomas played by Ambyr Michelle.

The actor started his post with, “I’m changing my name,” before launching into how he came to this decision. Lami is not only an actor/model, but as BTG viewers have seen on his social media account, a very talented musician and musical artist.

Photo: CBS

‘Goodbye David Lami Friebe. Now it’s Lami. Singular,” he explained. “The return to my roots. Lami is my birth name, given to me by my parents. It’s Liberian, named after a relative my father looked up to. I was Lami until about five years old when i woke up from a dream and asked my parents to call me David. They said “aight bet” (don’t quote me on that) and from that point David was my nickname. After we moved to California, throughout school I had a tough time fitting in, and the name “Lami” always stuck out like a pimple. I’d always rush over to ask a new teacher to change the name sheet before roll call, so that they didn’t call my legal name “Lami” out loud. I thought it was embarrassing to be different. So it was David for awhile. Those fears and insecurities stayed tucked in my pocket all the way up until high school.”

Taking us from high school till now, Lami, added, “Then I grew up. I gained a voice. Started putting myself out there. My senior year I released my first EP, and with that release I turned those pockets inside out. I chose myself, and embraced my authentic identity. I released under the stage name LAMI. But I was still David to those around me. Until I met Nia. She was the first person to ignore David and call me Lami until I started introducing myself as such. She was also the one who encouraged me to take acting classes, write scripts, shoot films. I gained a new level of confidence and skills, but I kept the name “David Lami Friebe” for all things film-related to separate that side of myself from my music, still under “LAMI”. That split in artistic personality survived until now.”

Speaking on the challenges of the often unforgiving world of the acting and music world, Lami added “This industry has a way of shaking up your world, throwing unexpected curveballs and f*cking up your plans, and I’ve learned that the best thing you can do to manage the volatility is to stay true to yourself, trust yourself, trust your work, and lean on your loved ones. Who I am is the same when I’m singing or acting, holding drumsticks or operating a camera. My art and expression comes from the same place. So there’s no need for two different stage names. There’s no need for six syllables. We can keep it blunt. Straight to the point. Lami.”

So, what do you think about what Lami had to share about his upbringing and experience which led him to now go by a singular name? Are you enjoying his performances on Beyond the Gates? Let us know via the comment section below.

 

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I can’t tell you the sleepless nights I have endured over this issue. Than k you Lami

That was thoroughly unnecessary snark, but you do you.

Gunta 1. Bougie yotch behind the keyboard… ZERO. Thank u Eva.

Soap rags post just about any type of article related to BTG or anyone associated with it just to help boost ratings.

Pardon me, do you know Dottie? You seem
To travel in the same circles.

Her last name certainly isn’t Angelou, Huh Maya?

I love that he made this decision for himself.

Beyond the Gates

RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Scores Third Most-Watched Week Since Its Premiere With ‘The Young and the Restless’ Crossover Event

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The tornado that ripped through Fairmont Crest and put the lives of the characters of Beyond the Gates and several from The Young and the Restless in jeopardy had viewers tuning-in for the week of June 8-12.

The highly-publicized crossover event kicked off on the Tuesday, June 9 episode of Beyond the Gates where six residents of Genoa City came to to visit the D.C./Maryland country club for a fundraiser for Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon), only no one expected a twister to tear into the proceedings, leading to several storylines intersecting as people were trapped with one another with Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) being the most severely injured and now requiring a liver transplant to survive.

According to the ratings report from CBS and Nielsen ratings and as supplied to Variety, Beyond the Gates brought in on average 1.8 million viewers throughout the wee. That is up 11% from its season-to-date numbers and it makes the crossover/tornado episodes its third most-watched week for the soap since Beyond the Gates premiered back on February 24, 2025.

Photo: CBS

A GENOA CITY TOUCHDOWN

With the strength of the story, its special effects and bringing over cast of the top-rated, The Young and the Restless which included: Eric Braeden (Victor Newman), Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott), Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott), Susan Walters (Diane Jenkins), Melissa Ordway (Abby Newman) and Bryton James (Devon Hamilton), the Thursday, June 11 episode was the week’s most-watched.

According to the numbers, the Wednesday June 10 episode brought in the most total viewers for the week with 1.87 million (up 17% week-to-week), followed closely by the Friday, June 12 episodes which had 1.84 million watching.

Photo: JPI

Over on The Young and the Restless, the week of June 8-12, also saw an increase based on the early return that week of Shemar Moore as Malcolm Winters wrapping up his leg of the story where viewers learned he had a son Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) with Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox), and survived his bone marrow transplant surgery thanks to Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn).

Y&R scored 3.11 million viewers for the week up 2% from its season average with the June 8 and June 9 episodes featuring Moore averaging 3.2 million viewers and up 9% year-over-year.

So, did you enjoy the tornado episodes of Beyond the Gates and seeing the residents of Genoa City crossover to Fairmont Crest? Share your thoughts via the comment section on the latest ratings for the two CBS daytime soaps.

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Beyond the Gates

‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Karla Mosley Weighs-in on Dani Dupree’s Love Life Endgame: Are You Team Bill or Team Andre?

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Last week, viewers of CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates watched as a tornado ripped through Fairmont Crest. In its wake, people were trapped with one another or seriously injured.

For Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley), she found herself stuck in an elevator with her ex-husband, Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). And wouldn’t you know, one thing led to another, and the two gave into their unresolved feelings for one another and did the deed.

Meanwhile, Dani’s current husband, Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) suffered a minor injury to his leg, and was worried sick in the ballroom because he had no idea where Dani was after the twister decimated the place. Eventually, Dani and Bill part ways go back to their families and act like nothing happened.

Photo: CBS

When Dani is reunited with Andre, he professes his love for her even more than ever. As for Bill’s current wife Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings), she could care less because she was making out with Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor, Y&R) in a closet at the country club!

THE TORNADO MAY HAVE CHANGED DANI’S HEART

For months, Beyond the Gates viewers have found themselves torn; rooting for Dani and Bill to get over themselves and get back together, or rooting for Dani and Andre, because its clear he truly loves her, even though their marriage may not have started out as the greatest love affair of all time.

Karla Mosley opened up to PEOPLE on Dani’s romance plight and who the writers of the soap might ultimately pair her with, expressing “I cannot say. I honestly have no idea.”

As it seems now, this triangle of Andre/Dani/Bill is about to heat up even more following Dani’s elevator exploits. However, according to Mosley, the popularity of Dani and Andre came as surprise to the writers, which has led to the romantic drama. “The writers did not think Dani and Andre were gonna pop off the way that they did,” explained Karla. “Originally, they thought Bill and Dani would be back together by the end of season one. And then it was like, ‘wait, what is happening?’”

Photo: CBS

WRITERS ARE TAKING THE PULSE OF THE FANS

The decision to not have Dani and Bill reunite within season 1 or half-way though season 2, Mosley shares is a sign of the times: “The old soap trope is the torn woman who goes back to her man. But I think there are enough women now who are like, I want to see her win.”

In the end, Karla believes that in this case, fans speaking up, can also translate to the writers room and influence their potential decision of who should be the ultimate man for Dani. She tells Beyond the Gates viewers,  “Keep talking about it, y’all.”

Meanwhile, questions remain: Could Dani and Bill’s elevator sex find her pregnant with his child, which would make this whole situation more messy? Stay tuned.

Now, let us know, who do you want to see Dani ultimately with … Bill Hamilton or Andre Richardson? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

Phillip Boyd Makes His Debut on ‘Beyond the Gates’ in Recurring Role of Dr. Miles Arnold

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A new face emerged on today’s episode of CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when actor, Phillip Boyd made his debut in the recurring role of Dr. Miles Arnold.

In story, Dr Arnold is a doctor and surgeon and on the June 16 episode, Miles had to sadly deliver some disappointing new. Neither of Eva’s (Ambyr Michelle) parents, Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) or Leslie Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) is a donor match for the life-saving transplant surgery Eva desperately needs.

Eva, among others, was injured in the tornado that ripped through Fairmont Crest and its devastating aftermath. She sustained critical injuries during the storm and was trapped with her half-sister, Kat Richardson (Colby Nixon).

Courtesy/CBS

Phillip Boyd recently appeared on The McCord List, where he talked about his career between working in Los Angeles and Atlanta and said about his latest acting gig, “Dr, Miles Arnold works in the hospital. There’s something that happens, a natural disaster and a lot of the characters on the show are at this event and something tragic happens and they’re rushed to the hospital.”

The actor is also appearing in the final season of Tyler Perry’s Netflix series Beauty in Black where he shows up in 7 episodes. Boyd previously appeared in short term roles on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives. In primetime, he also played the role of Mitch on 90210 and played Oscar in Tyler Perry’s The Haves and Have Nots for five-seasons.

So, so you think Beyond the Gates might make Phillip Boyd’s role bigger over time on the soap? Will Kat be the match that Eva needs? If not, who? Many people were ruled out on today’s episode. Drop you thoughts and picks for the donor via the comment section.

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