Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Stars Open Up About How They Landed the Lead Roles of the Duprees
When you set out to launch the first network television daytime drama in over 25 years, and one that will be forever historic featuring a central and wealthy Black family at its epicenter, with predominantly an all-Black cast, you know that casting the key roles is of utmost importance. Such is the case with CBS’ new soap opera, Beyond the Gates.
When the series premieres on February 24 at 2PM ET/1PM PT on the CBS television network and streaming on Paramount+, viewers will be introduced to the Dupree family and the drama that ensues, and of course, the soapy tangled web they weave.
Beyond the Gates is the brainchild of noted soap opera writer, Michele Val Jean and CBS Studios/NAACP venture’s Sheila Ducksworth, and after the series was given the green light, the casting process began to fill the roles of the matriarch and patriarch, Anita and Vernon Dupree, and their two daughters, Dani and Nicole.
Photo: CBS
During a media press conference which included Michael Fairman TV, the stars of the series, Karla Mosley (Dani), Tamara Tunie (Anita), Clifton Davis (Vernon) and Daphnee Duplaix (Dr. Nicole Duplaix Richardson) spoke to how they landed their roles on the series; after Fairman asked about the road that led them to Beyond the Gates. Here’s what each had to share below.
KARLA MOSLEY (ex-Maya, B&B and ex-Christina, GL): “I have been friends with Michelle Val Jean since working on The Bold in The Beautiful. She was always saying, ‘You know, I’d love to rope you in on something.’ But, of course you hear that in the industry time and time again. Then, I saw her at her belated birthday party last spring, and she said, ‘It’s happening. Karla, it’s really happening.’ I was just over the moon for her and so excited. Then she said, ‘It’s shooting in Atlanta.’ I was like, ‘I’m not moving to Atlanta.’ However, a couple months later they sent a script. I read the script and I read Dani. I texted her and I was like, ‘Michelle! I think it’ll be fun because she’s a departure from anything I’ve played before, and that’s really exciting.”‘
Photo: CBS
TAMARA TUNIE (ex-Jessica, ATWT): “At the end of August/early September, I got a call from my rep saying there is a new African-American soap that they’re going to be shooting in Atlanta, and they’d like to offer you the role of the matriarch. I said, ‘Let me read something and then let me sleep on it.’ I woke up the next morning and what was uppermost in my mind was the historic nature, and the glass-ceiling breaking of this project. An affluent African-American family leading a daytime drama for the first time in history was enticing to me. Michele Val Jean sent a lovely little note along with that invitation to join a Zoom call with her and Sheila Ducksworth to get more insight, and for me to also share what was going on in my life right now. Michele and Sheila told me about where the story was going, who my character was, and what was she’s involved with, her history, etc. In the end, I said, ‘If we can work around those things that I have on my calendar, then we can continue this conversation. And so we did, and over a period of time, we came to an agreement.”
Tunie was also instrumental in the casting her leading man, Clifton Davis. She explained, “I sent an email to Michelle and Sheila and said, ‘By the way, I just spent five days with Clifton Davis and Winston Salem international Black Theater Festival. If you’re still talking to him about (taking on the role of) Vernon Dupree, just know we’ve connected. We are friends, we’ve got a nice chemistry, and I’m just throwing it out there. A week or so later, Clifton and I did a camera test together over Zoom, which was fun and the next morning he was Papa Dupree!”
Photo: CBS
CLIFTON DAVIS: “It was in June that my agents called me and said, ‘We just got an availability check to see if you would be interested in doing a daytime drama?’ I had a career of 40, 50 years of primetime television. That being said, I had looked at this and thought, ‘Let them know that I will be available,’ because I had been sitting on my sofa in Florida, and other than that playing golf, I was going crazy, missing work and I just loved to work. I was so grateful to getting the call. They said, ‘We’ll be back in touch with you.’ So, another month went by and another month, and I said, ‘This ship has sailed.’ However, my agents found out that I was still in the running for the part. Then, I heard from Tamara Tunie, and she talked about how she was being offered the role of Anita. As it turns out, a couple weeks later, I did get that call that for the chemistry read with her. I genuinely admire and respect Tamara, and she feels the same way about me. That’s how I got into being on Beyond the Gates. I’m just proud to be here.”
DAPHNEE DUPLAIX (ex-Valerie, Passions, and ex-Rachel, OLTL): “My manager actually had a little birdie tell her about this series getting the green light, right around the summer. She was like, ‘I think this part, it’s yours. I can just feel it’. I was like, ‘OK,’ because of course, that’s what all agents and managers tell you. Then it was the same story for me as Clifton. I hadn’t heard anything. At the end of August, I get the audition. I put myself on tape, and it included two scenes. However, the next day, they asked, ‘Do you have your soap opera reel? We need it right now!’ I was like, ‘No, I don’t. It’s been years, but let me throw something together really quickly.’ So, I did and then I didn’t hear anything. I felt like I was being tortured… every week, every Friday hit, and still I heard nothing. Then one day, my manager sends me a text and he said, ‘Pop a bottle! It’s yours.’ When I really thought about the magnitude of what we were creating with Beyond the Gates, and what Sheila Ducksworth and Michelle Val Jean had put together, I was like, ‘Oh, my God! This is really big.’ I’ve just been so excited and so proud to be a part of this groundbreaking show.”
So, what do you think about the casting of Karla Mosley, Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis and Daphnee Duplaix as daytime drama’s newest major on-screen family? Excited to see their performances when Beyond the Gates makes it debut? Comment below. But first, in case you missed it, check out the most recent extended promo for the series.
Can’t wait for the premiere! The cast sounds fantastic. Clifton Davis is one of my favorites. I saw him on Broadway in “Two Gentlemen from Verona” when I was a teen.
The latest ratings are out for the week of October 26-30, 2026 and the big takeaways include: that CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates was separated by only 23,000 viewers behind third place (of the soaps) General Hospital! For the last several weeks, Beyond the Gates has been closing the gap on this year’s winner for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, and continuing to best GH in the key demos.
According to the latest Nielsen ratings breakdown from Soap Opera Network, the final week of October brought Beyond the Gates 1.790 million on average tuning-in and the show set a season high in total viewers. Meanwhile, General Hospital hit a new season low! The long-running ABC soap had 1.813 million for the week, and once again the series did not go over the 2 million mark.
Meanwhile, in the key Women 18-49 demo, Beyond the Gates was firmly ahead of GH with a rating share of 0.21, while General Hospital had 0.17 rating share.Then, in the key Women 25-54 demo, Beyond the Gates was once again ahead of the ABC soap with a ratings share for that demo at 0.30 while GH came in with 0.26.
Photo: CBS
MORE BY THE NUMBERS
In addition and comparatively, Beyond the Gates +22,000 viewers week-to-week, and had the largest gains in viewership year-to-year in daytime TV with +267,000 from this in 2025.. However, General Hospital seems to be going in reverse. The show was down -56,000 viewers week-over-week and down -22,000 year-over-year .
BEYOND THE GATES
Let’s take a look at some of the storylines that had people tuning-in to Beyond the Gates during the ratings week:
Hayley (Marquita Goings) attempted a massive shocker regarding her pregnancy and tried to use it to extract money from Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Although, Bill saw right through her game, he demanded a paternity test, and made it clear he has no intention of raising the child—planning instead to pay her off to take the baby and leave. Meanwhile, Hayley confided her plan to her cousin Randy (Maurice P. Kerry).
Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) clashed over Jacob’s ongoing investigation into The Impaler, causing significant strain in their marriage. At the same time, Smitty (Mike Manning) considered taking matters into his own hands—including potentially heading to Mexico for evidence—while Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) worried about what comes next.
Photo: ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Over at General Hospital for the ratings period, the story served up included:
Carly (Laura Wright) and Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) teamed up to investigate what really happened to Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna). Later, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) leads them to Jack’s dead body.
Jude (Wil Traval) dropped a bombshell claim to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn); that he is Phoebe’s father, while Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) signed their divorce papers.
Then, Danny caught Rocco (Finn Carr) and Scout (Kayden Brenna Tokarski) sharing a kiss, plus the shocking return of Heather Webber (Alley Mills) capped the week.
Now the questions become; without having much promotional synergy in the ABC day-part to draw more eyeballs it is not helping but hurting General Hospital. It seems Beyond the Gates is also a benefactor of a one-two-three punch of CBS soaps (Y&R, B&B and BTG) and promotion.
However, that still doesn’t take away the fact that Beyond the Gates is close to besting GH in all ratings category as they go head-to-head in some markets across the country.
So, are you excited to see Beyond the Gates climb in the ratings? Are you concerned for General Hospital? Do you think they can stave off Beyond the Gates in total viewers or will the upstart soap overtake them in the next ratings report? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Daytime Emmy Winners Ambyr Michelle and Tamara Tunie to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
Just over a week ago, Beyond the Gates stars Ambyr Michelle and Tamara Tunie broke ground becoming the first performers in the history of daytime’s newest soap opera to win Daytime Emmys!
Michelle became the first, when she took home gold statuette earlier in the ceremonies in the Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series category. Later, Tunie joined her when she took home the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, the first Emmy of her veteran career.
Now, both actresses visit the Michael Fairman Channel live for two separate chats! Ambyr Michelle will be with us on Wednesday, November 11 beginning at 6pm ET/3pm PT, while Tamara Tunie follows the next day on Thursday, November 12 beginning at 7pm ET/4pm PT.
Photo: CBS
Find out what happened on their Emmy night both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, and in the celebration afterwards, plus what’s next for Eva and Anita in story on the CBS soap opera.
AMBYR TOOK A ‘SEAT AT THE TABLE’
Daytime Emmy viewers will recall Ambyr’s heartfelt Emmy acceptance speech, when she shared, “I don’t just see an award. I see every audition, every rejection, every moment I questioned my artistry. And to Eva Thomas, thank you, girl. Playing your pain made me process my own.“
She ended her speech with, “To my beautiful Black women and girls, take up space, be undeniable, create your tables, and fill those seats. When the tables are full, and those seats are full, make the table even bigger. So that the women coming up behind you never have to ask permission to belong.“
Photo: CBS
TAMARA HONORED THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE HER AND HER MOM
Tamara Tunie received a standing ovation when her name was called after her win in an enduring career. Tunie began by sharing, “My heart is so full right now. This is the best welcome back to daytime ever, There is a host of Black actresses who paved the way for me, and I feel them as I stand here tonight, beginning with the legendary Cicely Tyson, the first Black woman to appear on a daytime television show, The Guiding Light.”
Tunie went on to thank her co-stars and everyone at Beyond the Gates and soap opera fans, plus getting to share the screen with the legendary Clifton Davis as Anita’s husband, Vernon Dupree. However, it was Tunie’s mother, who at 92, was with her on Emmy night that she thanked the most.
“There is one person who has been on this journey with me every single step of the way, who has traveled across states, countries and oceans to support my dream,” she expressed. “I would not be who I am as an actor or a woman without her love, support, encouragement and mere presence, She has been my example, my role model and my inspiration. I accept this honor on behalf of my mother … who, at 92 years young, crossed the country yet again to see me take this goal tonight. I love you, mommy!”
HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Make sure to join us in the live chat with your questions for Ambyr and Tamara in what is sure to be emotional conversations.
If you cannot be with us live, but have a question you would like posed to either actress, make sure to drop in the comment section below and we just might pose it during the live broadcasts.
So, were you happy to see Ambyr and Tamara win Emmy gold? What are your hopes for Eva and Anita as the holiday season approaches and with 2027 just around the corner? Let us know in the comment section.
Next week on the Friday, November 13 episode of Beyond the Gates, Yvette Nicole Brown and her real life husband Anthony Davis guest star. In story, Brown takes on the role of Temeka the cousin to Shanice (Ernestine Johnson Morrison).
When Temeka comes to Fairmont Crest she will be accompanied by her husband, Tony, played by real-life hubby Anthony Davis. The castings come as the soap opera continues to expand the family of Shanice. Previously, we met her brothers, Cedric and Lamont.
As Shanice gets ready to head down the aisle with Dr. Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) will the presence of Shanice’s family members actually deter the nuptials from ever taking place?
Photo: CBS
This now makes the third daytime drama appearance by Yvette Nicole Brown. She first popped up on The Young and the Restless in 2016 and 2017 as reporter Lois Thompson.
Then in 2023, she played a nurse on General Hospital when she appeared in the March 29, 2023 episode honoring her real-life friend, Sonya Eddy who past away in real-life in December of 2022, The soap honored her in death when her character, Epiphany died.
Photo: ABC
Brown and Eddy first met in 2003 while testing for an ABC pilot titled “The Four Divas” alongside Octavia Spencer and Carla Renata and became very close friends up until Eddy’s passing.
It was actually Brown’s character, who came forth to Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and shared that Epiphany died saving her life which gave some sort of solace to Elizabeth; knowing Epiphany died doing what she loved, helping people.
As for Anthony Davis, not only is he an actor, but a writer and minister known for TV and film roles including: He Wasn’t Man Enough (2025), The Family Business: New Orleans, and The Upshaws.
Brown is also recognized from her roles on: Community, The Odd Couple, The Mayor, That ’70s Show, The Office, Boston Legal, Chuck, Mom, Big Shot to name but a few.
So, looking forward to see Yvette Nicole Brown and her real-life husband, Anthony Davis on Beyond the Gates? Happy to see more family members from Shanice’s life showing up at Fairmont Crest? Do you remember the heart-tugging episode where everyone learned Epiphany had died on General Hospital and Yvette Nicole Brown’s part in the story? Let us know via the comment section.
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