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.

Tracker’s season four is underway on CBS, and that means daytime fans will also be able to see soap alums in primetime when Justin Harley continues as series lead Colter Shaw, Jensen Ackles returns as brother, Russell Shaw and Hartley’s real-life wife, Sofia Pernas also returns in the role of Billie Matalon.

Recently, Entertainment Tonight caught up with the trio to discuss how their soap opera roots prepared them for longevity in their careers in primetime and motion pictures, and to talk more about what’s ahead the rest of the season on the popular nighttime drama series.

As soap fans know, Justin Hartley got his start as Fox Crane on NBC’s Passions from 2002-2006 and later went on to play Adam Newman on The Young and the Restless from 2014-2016. Jensen Ackles was the original grown-up Eric Brady on Days of our Lives from 1997-2000 and Sofia Pernas played Marisa Sierras on The Young and the Restless from 2015-2017.

Photo: JPI

WHAT’S MY LINE?

So, what’s the trios take away from working on the soaps? Justin Hartley said, “The ability to memorize lines quickly so that you can then start working on them. I can’t really go to work on a scene until I have it memorized. That’s kind of how I work. So, to have to be able to do that quickly and then be able to start working on it.”

Jensen Ackles echoed his Tracker TV brother, and added it’s all in the lighting too! “I would say yes, memorizing lines, but also the technical aspect of acting that I don’t think a lot of people really think about. Understanding that if you’re not on your mark, that light’s not set up for you. You’re going to be out of focus. So, you’re going to block someone else. You’re going to block somebody else’s light.”

Photo: JPI

WHERE’S MY LIGHT?

“So, I think being very aware of of the technical side of things is something you learn very very early, especially as a soap actor,” shared Ackles. “And then, you don’t have to think about it when you’re doing other things. It just kind of becomes that you’re way more present with your scene partner because everything else you already figured out.”

The trio also spoke to how on the set of a primetime show or movie, when you come in to film your scenes during a hectic day to the actors, crews and producers, its not for them, because of their experience working under pressure, and fast from their time on the soaps.

Justin Hartley explained, “Those chaotic days where you come in and people turn to you and go, ‘You came from soaps as well.’  So, you come to set and everyone’s like, ‘Okay, just so you know, there is a lot going on today. You got to be here, then you got to be here, then we’re going to do this. And it’s just a lot. So, bear with us.’ I’m in my head, I’m going, ‘That doesn’t seem like that much.”‘

Photo: JPI

Tracker returns with an all-new episode on Sunday, November 15 entitled, “Blind Spot” beginning at 9pm ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

Check out Justin, Jensen and Sofia talking Tracker and their soap opera pasts with ET below.

Now, let us know, have you been watching Tracker season 4? Do you agree that former soap actors can handle anything thrown at them in other projects, due to the pace and learning curve working on a daily soap provides an actor? Did you enjoy watching Justin on Passions and Y&R, Jensen on DAYS, and Sofia turning her time on Y&R? Share your thoughts 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.