Loading AI tools
American TV soap opera From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Beyond the Gates is an upcoming American television soap opera created by Michele Val Jean. The series is the first daytime television soap opera to feature an African-American cast since Generations in 1989 and the first new daytime soap to debut on a major broadcast network since Passions in 1999. It will center around the Duprees, a multi-generational African-American family in the gated community of Fairmont Estates. It is scheduled to debut on CBS, as part of their daytime programming block, on February 24, 2025, replacing the canceled talk show The Talk.
| Beyond the Gates | |
|---|---|
.png) Promotional title card | |
| Genre | Soap opera |
| Created by | Michele Val Jean |
| Written by |
|
| Starring | Starring |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Production locations | |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
Beyond the Gates is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington D.C., and in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States.
Set in the fictional gated Fairmont Estates, located in the affluent Maryland and Washington, D.C. area,[2] Beyond the Gates will tell "the story of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community."[3] At the center of the story will be the Dupree family — Vernon, Anita, Nicole and Dani — described as a "powerful and prestigious multi-generational family" and defined as "Black royalty". Those outside of the gated community will watch close, while navigating their own lives.[1][4]
Cast—listed in alphabetical order—as announced via various press releases.[1][4][5]
On February 23, 2024, it was reported Michele Val Jean was departing The Bold and the Beautiful after having written for the CBS soap opera for 12 years.[6] The following month, it announced she was developing a new daytime soap opera that would follow the lives of a wealthy Black family.[7] It will be produced by a joint venture of CBS Studios and the NAACP, along with Procter & Gamble Studios. Val Jean will serve as head writer and showrunner, and will also executive produce alongside Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner.[8][9] On March 15, 2024, it was reported that the series was under "Accelerated Development".[10] On April 15 of the same year, it was reported CBS ordered the serial, originally titled The Gates, to series for debut in January 2025.[11][12][13]
Beyond the Gates will be the first American daytime soap opera to feature an African-American cast since the 1989–1991 NBC soap Generations, which—aside from being Val Jean's first scriptwriting job—was the first serial to feature a Black family from its inception, and to focus primarily on a family of ethnic minorities.[11] It will also be the first new daytime soap opera to debut on an American broadcast television network since Passions premiered on NBC in July 1999 (it moved to The 101 Network for its final season in 2007), as well as the first daytime soap opera to be produced by Procter & Gamble since Guiding Light and As the World Turns ended their runs on CBS in 2009 and 2010, respectively.[14][15][a]
In July 2024, it was reported soap opera writing and production veterans Robert Guza Jr. and Julie Hanan Carruthers had joined the serial as executive producers, alongside Val Jean.[16] Skyy Sandifer, credited for her work as a script coordinator on Ambitions was announced as a writer's assistant for the serial the following month,[17] along with reports the writers' room had been "set" and would include "some familiar names to the genre."[18]
On November 15, 2024, the writing team was announced. Guza Jr. was named co-head writer, alongside Val Jean. Susan Dansby and Michael Montgomery were named as script editor and continuity producer, respectively. Jazmen Darnell Brown, Cheryl L. Davis, Danielle Paige and Judy Tate were named scriptwriters, while Sara A. Bibel, Ron Carlivati, Christopher Dunn, Gregori J. Martin and Teresa Zimmerman were named breakdown writers.[19]
The names and descriptions of nine series regular roles to-be cast were revealed by TV Insider on August 15, 2024, with note all actors "must" reside in Atlanta.[20] The following month, the website reported the names and descriptions of six additional characters.[21]
On September 19, 2024, the first three castings were announced.[1][22] Tunie was cast as Anita Dupree, a "once famous singer who worked hard to succeed and raised two daughters with her now-retired senator husband."[23] Duplaix and Mosley were cast as Anita's daughters, Nicole Dupree Richardson and Dani Dupree, respectively.[24][22] Nicole is described as a "high-achieving and competitive philanthropist and psychiatrist, and exudes warmth, empathy and compassion", while Dani is described as a "former model turned momager who gave up her career for love."[25] On October 4, 2024, three additional character breakdowns were revealed: one series regular and two recurring.[26]
Ten additional castings were announced on October 25, 2024, with familiar connections to the formerly-mentioned castings: the Richardsons, the Hamiltons and the Thomases.[5][27] Johnson was as cast as Ted Richardson, Nicole's husband and a "brilliant plastic surgeon with an ultra-exclusive private practice". Claybon and Muhammad were cast as Nicole and Ted's children, Martin Richardson and Katherine "Kat" Richardson, respectively. Martin is gay and a congressman, who lives outside of the gated community with his husband and their two adopted children. He is noted for his "ambition to be the first openly gay Black President". Kat is described as "indulged," "spoiled," "entitled" and "dismissive". Rounding out the Richardson family is Freeman as Andre Richardson, described as the "sophisticated nephew of Ted Richardson," who "tragically lost his parents in a plane crash and inherited a double fortune," allowing him to pursue his career at a photographer.[28]
Durrett was cast as Dani's ex-husband, Bill Hamilton. Described as a "charismatic and calculated criminal defense attorney," Bill and Dani share two children: Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne and Chelsea Hamilton. Prepetit and Mantilla were cast as Naomi and Chelsea, respectively. Goings was cast as Bill's "intelligent" fiancée Hayley Lawson, who works as a paralegal at Bill's law firm. Mann-Grant and Michelle were cast as mother-daughter duo Dana "Leslie" Thomas and Eva Thomas, respectively.[5][29] Additional castings, rounding out the main cast were announced four days later.[4][30] Broadway stage legend Davis was cast as Dupree family patriarch, Vernon. A retired Senator, Vernon is described as "gentle, humble and generous". Hordges was cast in the role of Naomi's husband, Jacob Hawthorne. Manning was cast as Martin's husband, Bradley "Smitty" Smith; the names of their teenage children—not cast at the time of the announcement—were revealed as Tyrell and Samantha.[31][32] Jacob was cast in the role of Naomi's best friend Ashley Morgan, a nurse at Washington D.C.'s Garland Memorial Hospital. Gavin was cast as Derek Baldwin, a "devoted" firefighter, in a relationship with Ashley. Buglioli was cast as Nicole's best friend and Dani's neighbor, Vanessa McBride, a "high-end real estate agency owner". Alegria was cast as Tomas "Tom" Navarro, a "handsome and confident young attorney" who works at Bill's lawfirm, and has his eyes on Kat Richardson.[33][34]
On October 30, 2024, an open casting notice was put out for bartending and wait staff roles.[35] Other roles and breakdowns were revealed, via TV Insider.[20][21][26]
In August 2024, it was revealed Beyond the Gates would film at Assembly Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.[36] The following month, it was reported production would begin November 4 of the same year.[23]
On October 30, 2024, cast and crew gathered on set for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and table read-through of the first episode.[37] Cast also contributed signed scripts and letters to their future selves, which were placed in a time capsule and encased on set, to be opened in the future.[38] Production on Beyond the Gates began on November 1.[39]
On November 12, 2024, it was announced Beyond the Gates would premiere on February 24, 2025, at 2pm ET (UTC−05:00) on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.[40][41][42]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
