‘Beyond the Gates’: Meet the men reinventing soap operas
“Beyond the Gates,” the CBS original series about an affluent Black family in a Washington D.C., is achieving success in daytime television, where diversity is scarce.
Filmed at Assembly Studios in Doraville, the show is produced by CBS, NAACP, Proctor and Gamble Studios. When it premiered on a major network during Black History Month last year, it was the first new daytime soap opera to do so in more than two decades. It’s also the first soap since NBC’s “Generations” in 1989 to feature a primarily Black cast.
Male leads from “Beyond the Gates” recently spoke about set life and their bond at Brunch with the Brothers, an event at Morehouse College produced under BronzeLens Film Festival, featuring Black men sharing stories about their entertainment careers. The men encouraged one another and gave the audience tips on navigating the television industry.
Actor Clifton Davis portrays retired Sen. Vernon Dupree. In 1971, he made his television debut on “A World Apart,” before starring on hit sitcoms “That’s My Mama” and “Amen.”
Davis said being prepared — crew-wide — has been key.
“We work our tails off. You can’t half step on a show like this. Everybody has to give everything they’ve got. It’s not just the actors but the camera people, makeup and hair,” he said.
Production on “Beyond the Gates” usually means spending long hours on set, shooting scenes out of sequence and memorizing pages of dialogue.
Atlanta native Jibre Hordges plays undercover officer Jacob Hawthorne. He made his acting debut on “The Quad,” a scripted BET series about a fictional historically Black college in Atlanta, in 2018.
Hordges said evolving from prime-time drama to daytime soap gave him confidence in acting. “We go through 100-plus pages a day, but it expands my range. I’m a lot (more) sure of myself after working on the craft,” Hordges said.
“Beyond the Gates” has diversity and inclusion in its story arcs.
Actor Mike Manning, who plays former political reporter Bradley “Smitty” Smith and husband of congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon), is half of the first interracial same-gender-loving couple in daytime television. His first daytime television role was on “Days of Our Lives” in 2020.
Manning, who’s bisexual and got his start on Disney Channel shows, said network executives told him early in his career to withhold his sexual identity.
“I was told to hide certain parts about my personal life, and I was very ashamed of that for a long time,” he said.
Manning adds this role allows him to live his truth at a time when anti-DEI legislation is attempting to roll back human rights. “I wanted to do something impactful and where I can use my art especially right now with what’s going on in the world politically,” he said.
Colombian American actor Alex Alegria plays Tomas Navarro, an ambitious Puerto Rican attorney. Alegria, who is from Queens, New York, said he appreciates landing a role on daytime television that celebrates his ethnic identity.
“He came to this country to try to live the American dream and become more than what he was when he arrived. I came here off the work on my parents’ back, and I get to represent my Hispanic heritage,” Alegria said.
Being on a hit soap opera is making the actors recognizable to viewers.
Robert Christopher Riley plays Carlton Fitzgerald, a cosmetic surgeon, in his first daytime role. The former series regular on the remake of prime-time drama “Dynasty” appreciates fan reactions of all ages.
“I’ve been to 35 countries in the last seven years but it’s nothing like being in Lenox Square mall and having that grandma yell and point at me,” Riley said.
The male cast members on “Beyond the Gates” recognize their appearance on the show is changing the television landscape and inspiring up-and-coming talent.
Davis said his longevity encourages Black and people of color to pursue careers in the arts and entertainment.
“I’ve had just in the last weekend dozens of people come to me and say I’m one of the reasons they got into this business and made them believe they could do it,” Davis said.
“We are making history every day by overwhelming you with our value, worth, commitment and talent.”
About the Author
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.