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.
Beyond the Gates
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
As previously reported, kicking off today, is a two-part Beyond the Gates, when The Duprees gather to celebrate Banneker University’s homecoming weekend.
The producers and writers are taking an opportunity to spotlight the rich traditions of the long-held tradition of attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through its fictional university.
The episodes are today on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Friday, October 2 and next week on Monday, October 5, where in true Beyond the Gates fashion, there will be some surprising drama that ensues when someone shows up!
Photo: CBS
BANNEKER REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HBCUS
Sheila Duckworth, (executive producer, Beyond the Gates) spoke to Soaps.com to give some insight on the decision for the series to illustrate the ties that bind with HBCUs.
“It was important that we have this school as almost a character on our canvas, right from the beginning. Beyond even education, HBCUs have been pivotal when it comes to everything from economic progression and fostering a sense of community to the development of leadership skills,” explained Ducksworth. “From the beginning, we wanted to illustrate that what the Duprees are able to do in the world was a direct reflection of the impact HBCU’s have in real life.”
EVERYTHING HAS ITS PURPOSE
The EP talked about how purposeful the elements that integrate Banneker into the overall story of Beyond the Gates are including: the Dupree family door knocker that is a lion, the mascot for the fictional university, plus, the upcoming fight song that the cast will sing together on the Monday, October 5 episode, and the painting the hangs at Fairmont Crest.
That portrait of Vernon Dupree’s (Clifton Davis) father, George Cheeks Dupree, that hangs prominently at the country club, was named after CBS executive George Cheeks (now Chairman of TV and Media, Paramount), and as Ducksworth says of the legacy of Vernon’s father, “He was the architect of Fairmont Crest.”
So, are you looking forward to these episodes honoring HBCU traditions with the Dupree and the Richardson clans? What surprises do you think might be in store come next week? Let us know via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes
Beyond the Gates is set to air two upcoming episodes on Friday, October 2 and Monday, October 5 on CBS, which will feature the residents of Fairmont Crest gathering at the Dupree family home for a spirited tailgate ahead of Banneker’s Homecoming, decked out in the university’s signature crimson and gold.
The episodes celebrate African American heritage by showcasing the longstanding homecoming traditions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) through the show’s fictional Banneker University.
With five generations of the Dupree family having attended Banneker, Homecoming is more than a celebration – it’s a cherished family legacy. For the Duprees and the Fairmont Crest community, it offers an opportunity to honor their shared history, celebrate their HBCU pride, and come together for a special day filled with family, friendship, and tradition.
Photo: CBS
BANNEKER U. FIGHT SONG
The excitement culminates with a spirited bus ride to the game, where the entire group proudly sings “Fight On,” Banneker University’s beloved fight song and we know the cast members of Beyond the Gates CAN SING! Ahead of the episodes, CBS released some promotional photos and more to engage viewers to tune-in to the 15-time Daytime Emmy nominated daytime drama.
The series is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Created by head writer Michele Val Jean, executive producers include Val Jean, Sheila Ducksworth, Julie Carruthers, Tracey Thomson, Leon W. Russell, Derrick Johnson, Anna Saalfeld and Lela Coffey. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Photo: CBS
Beyond the Gates is broadcast weekdays on CBS (2:00-3:00 PM, ET/1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is available to stream on Paramount+**.
*(live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. *Paramount+ Premium subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the episode airs.
So, are you glad to see Beyond the Gates continuing to shed light on Black excellence through its soap opera platform? Is the Dupree family, quickly, if not already, become one of your favorites families in all of daytime drama? Let us know via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
RATINGS: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Inches Closer to ‘General Hospital’ for the #3 Spot in Total Viewers
The ratings are out for the week of September 7-11, 2026 and while all of the long-running daytime dramas were down in total viewers week-over-week, it was the newest soap opera on the block, Beyond the Gates, that showed gains and much promise. Let’s take a look.
According to Soap Opera Network, not only did Beyond the Gates add +12,000 tuning-in for the week, it is narrowing the gap between itself and current #3 soap, General Hospital in total viewers, and tied with the venerable ABC series for actual household ratings share.
Beyond the Gates averaged 1,689,000 for its audience for the week while General Hospital had 1,769,000, that’s just an 80,000 difference that separates the two shows. While Beyond the Gates had a year-over-year increase for the ratings week, GH showed the biggest loss of all the soaps year-over-year with -231,000 and the biggest loss in viewers week-over-week with -142,000.
Photo: CBS
BEYOND THE GATES
In addition, Beyond the Gates once again bested GH in the key 18-49 women’s rating share and also for the week, the women’s 25-54 ratings share, now putting them firmly in the third place. It should be noted that both Beyond the Gates and General Hospital aired an encore presentation on Labor Day, September 7.
Here’s what had viewers tuning-in on Beyond the Gates: Hayley (Marquita Goings) faced mounting pressure as Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) grew suspicious of her lies and a major secret came to light. Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) went through a paranoid spiral noticed by Dani (Karla Mosley), while Heather Armstrong’s (Ashley Jones) behavior became increasingly unhinged, Deanna (Angela Fairley) reached a breaking point under mounting pressure and decided to return to school and Smitty (Mike Manning) was digging deeper into the death of Lia Whitmore.
Courtesy/ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL
On General Hospital, the week in story was highlighted by: Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) admitting she was the other driver in Jordan Ashford’s (Tanisha Harper) accident, leaving Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) furious and demanding answers and ultimately Chase (Josh Swickard) walking out on Brook Lynn!
In addition, viewers witnessed, Anna (Finola Hughes) nearly killing Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud), but instead firing a shot at a hallucination of Peter August (Wes Ramsey) as Jason (Steve Burton) tried to talk Anna down. Meanwhile, Drew (Cameron Mathison) and Ava (Maura West) dealt with the fallout and complications surrounding the disappearance of Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna).
Courtesy/CBS
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Over at B&B, the soap remained in second place behind sister soap, The Young and the Restless for the top spot in total viewers; although it should be noted they continued to close the gap for the race to #1. For the ratings period, The Bold and the Beautiful average 2,695,000 tuning-in, but was down week-over-week -83,000, but with the biggest soap gains year-over-year at this time with +228,000.
In other good news for the show, it came in at #1 for the key women’s 18-49 rating share defeating Y&R, and came in #2 for the women’s 25-54 rating share behind Y&R.
In story for the ratings week: Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) goes into panic-mode after a positive pregnancy and breaks the news to Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor). Katie (Heather Tom) tries to meddle in Will’s (Crew Morrow) love life with Dylan (Sydney Bullock), thus having Katie visit Electra (Laneya Grace) and telling the young woman to try to win Will back. Finn (Tanner Novlan) tries to give surrogacy advice to Carter and Daphne (Murielle Hilaire) unaware of his wife Steffy’s drunken night with Carter, and the true cause-effect of that moment.
Photo: JPI
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
Once again, Y&R remained as the number one most-viewed broadcast television daytime drama of then all, clocking in with 3,059,000 tuning-in, but down -130,000 week-over-week, but still up + 159,000 year-over-year. Y&R also remained in the top spot for household ratings share and atop the key women’s 25-54 rating share.
In story for the week: Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) escaped custody and tracked down Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Meanwhile, Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Victoria (Amelia Heinle) continue their affair and are almost caught by Phyllis (Michelle Stafford). Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) and Marie (Jade Harlow) shared a heartfelt goodbye before she leaves town to continue her recovery. Jack (Peter Bergman) sets a trap for Patty as he collapses at Society.
Of note: Nielsen ratings are based on the Live+Same Day Big Data+Panel model.
So, what do you think about the latest ratings picture and how Beyond the Gates is gaining on General Hospital in total viewers while already besting them in both key demos? Which soap opera is piquing your interest the most? Which is not doing it for you? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
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