Beyond The Gates: The Supporting Characters

The soon-to-launch CBS soap Beyond the Gates, the first new daytime drama since the premiere of Passions in 1999 (also the first all-Black serial since Generations went off the air in 1991) is promising sizzling romances, tantalizing secrets, and jaw-dropping scandals surrounding the rich, powerful families residing within an affluent gated community in Maryland — and those orbiting it in neighboring Washington D.C. While we won't be able to see how this multi-generational, mixed class ensemble intertwines until the show starts in late February, there is enough information now to start piecing things together in this deliciously soapy puzzle.

Ready to find out who's Beyond the Gates?

New sudser Beyond the Gates consists mainly of the Dupree, Richardson, and Hamilton families. However, several non-connected characters either factor into those clans — or will likely be affected by them — as episodes start to roll out. Here's a look at who's who in this peripheral bunch:

Dana “Leslie” Thomas (Tricia Mann-Grant) has been a waitress and bartender for many years. She bears an intensity that anyone can pick up on, but only her daughter, Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle), can see something more disturbing in her mom — and apparently, we'll soon find out why Leslie is unraveling. Eva shares her mother's intensity, but it's paired with a purpose: She has resolved to make right something terrible that was done to Leslie. Perhaps, as the assistant of psychiatrist Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphne Duplaix), Eva has the inside track on how this misdeed has plagued Leslie mentally.

Tomas “Tom” Navarro (Alex Alegria) is a confident attorney working at a law firm established by calculating Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett). Tom has a thing for bratty model Katherine “Kat” Richardson (Colby Muhammad) — is the attraction one-sided?

Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli) owns a real estate agency dealing only in luxury property. One would assume this includes the eponymous “gates,” as Vanessa's neighbor is Dani Dupree, a headstrong former model and member of the tract's most prestigious family. Vanessa has a best friend in Nicole and is the loving mother of twins — but there seems to be no love in her marriage to her high school sweetheart. Is her dispassionate hubby Tom, and is that why he's making eyes at Kat?

Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) works with Tom at Bill's law firm — and just happens to be engaged to the boss. While Hayley is charming and self-assured, she is a pariah according to Bill's ex-wife, Dani; in fact, all the Duprees think of Hayley as nothing more than a homewrecking floozy. Did Hayley directly or indirectly have something to do with the dissolution of the Hamiltons' marriage? Despite the dispersions cast upon her, Hayley still wants to win over her naysayers — though she is able to take comfort in the fact that Bill is now hers.

Bradley “Smitty” Smith (Mike Manning) is the husband of Congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and the beloved adoptive father of two children, Tyrell and Samantha. While Smitty has been content being a househusband — and a good one – the former political reporter yearns to get back in the game, though he stops short of pursuing his reawakened ambitions because Martin is happy with the status quo.

Having grown up a latchkey kid, Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacob) has remained cheerful, but those origins have made her resourceful and unafraid to hunker down — resulting in her career as a nurse. Ashley's boyfriend is firefighter Derek Baldwin (Ben Gavin), whose closest pal is detective Jacob Hamilton (Jibre Hordges). Fearless Derek tells it like it is, yet there's almost something personal in his rescues, as he seems to go into a bit of a trance while putting out fires. Could it be that a loved one of Derek's perished in a blaze?

Don't miss more of Soap Central's continuing primer for this exciting new soap – which, based on these tidbits alone, is sure to be groundbreaking. Next up, we'll explore the slightly-more-down-to-earth Hamiltons.

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Find out more about show creator Michele Van Jean here.

Beyond the Gates premieres Monday, February 24, 2025, and will both air on CBS and stream on Paramount Plus.

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