Beyond The Gates - Daytime Soap Operas- News, polls

From steamy kisses to sizzling summer nights, here is Swooon’s exclusive look at what’s coming up on Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless.

Kat Richardson (Colby Nixon) and Tomas Navarro (Alex Alegria) leave each other equally stunned.

Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) make up for lost time.

Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) and Shanice Johnson (Ernestine Johnson) find room for romance.

Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) and Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) try to get on the same page.

Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacob) and Grayson Perez (Jordi Vilasuso) update their relationship status.

Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) and Electra Forrester’s (Laneya Grace) relationship is tested.

John “Finn” Finnegan (Tanner Novlan) vows to always put Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) first.

Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) face a devastating challenge in their marriage.

Xander Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) and Kristen DiMera’s (Stacy Haiduk) relationship deepens amid their shared mission to take down EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel).

Chanel Dupree DiMera (Raven Bowens) gets creative for sexy time with Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman).

Eli Grant (Lamon Archey) gifts Lani Price Grant (Sal Stowers) a beautiful necklace as they celebrate their anniversary.

Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) reconnect.

Emma Scorpio-Drake (Braedyn Bruner) and Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) discuss the future.

Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) come to a new understanding.

Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) make time for romance.

Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Newman’s (Melody Thomas Scott) relationship is tested like never before.

Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) lets down her guard with Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn).

Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) continues to wreak havoc with Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Diane Jenkins’ (Susan Walters) marriage.

Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) finds Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) in a compromising position.

Beyond the Gates Joins Tubi: Stream the Historic Soap Opera Starting July 1

Beginning July 1, 2026, Beyond the Gates will be available to stream on the free service Tubi!

The streaming service teases that the series "follows the powerful Dupree family, whose wealth and prestige conceal generations of secrets, scandals, and hidden tensions."

It is currently unclear which episodes will be available on the service, but the series is listed as including episodes from "2025," which would indicate that the service will host episodes from its inaugural season.

Beyond the Gates stars Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie as the patriarch and matriarch of the series, Vernon and Anita Dupree. The series tells the story of their family and those living in the surrounding city of Fairmont Crest.

In addition to Davis and Tunie, the series stars Karla Mosley, Daphnée Duplaix, and an ensemble cast of over 30 actors.

Beyond the Gates premiered in February 2025 and was the first brand-new soap opera commissioned in over 20 years, since NBC's Passions in 1999.

The series is also the first hour-long soap opera to have a predominantly black cast and crew. Following in the footsteps of the NBC half-hour soap opera Generations from 1989 to 1991.

Beyond the Gates was created by Daytime Emmy winner Michelle Val Jean in collaboration with Sheila Ducksworth. The series is a joint venture between the NAACP, Procter & Gamble, and CBS.

The soap opera was recently renewed for an additional two seasons, guaranteeing the series' future through December 2028.

Beyond the Gates is also currently streaming in full on Paramount Plus, with episodes also streaming on Pluto TV's dedicated 24/7 Beyond the Gates FAST channel.

‘The Young and the Restless’ Crossover Gives ‘Beyond the Gates’ Its Third-Best Week of Ratings Ever

Meanwhile, “The Young and the Restless” also saw a slight uptick during the week of June 8, with 3.11 million viewers — up 2% from its season average (3.06 million viewers) thanks to a visit from guest stars Shemar Moore and Vivica A. Fox.

The “Beyond the Gates” crossover, first announced in January, centered on six characters from “Young and the Restless” (Eric Braeden, Michael Mealor, Peter Bergman, Susan Walters, Melissa Ordway and Bryton James) appearing for the multi-episode event.

As a result, “Beyond the Gates” scored its most-watched Thursday (on June 11, 1.83 million viewers, up 11% from the previous week) and Friday (June 12, 1.84 million viewers, up 11% from the previous week) ever.

The show’s Tuesday (June 9, 1.80 million viewers, up 16% from the same day in 2025) was its most-watched Tuesday since February 24, and its Wednesday (June 10, 1.87 million viewers — up 17% from the previous week) was its most-watched Tuesday since Feb. 24.

Here was the logline for the crossover: “Longtime friends Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis, ‘Beyond the Gates’) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden, ‘The Young and the Restless’) reunite at a high-profile political fundraiser, with the event transporting six iconic residents from Y&R’s Genoa City that included Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters), Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor), Devon Winters (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) into BTG’s posh gated community, Fairmont Crest, culminating in a shocking tornado.”

As for “The Young and the Restless,” Moore and Fox appeared on the June 8 and June 9 episodes. The Monday, June 8, episode averaged 3.2 million viewers — up 9% from the same day in 2025, and the Tuesday, June 9, episode averaged 3.01 million viewers.

Beyond the Gates Star Clifton Davis Reveals the Secret to Looking Great at 80

The Beyond the Gates star recently chatted with PEOPLE ahead of the CBS drama's "landmark" crossover with The Young and the Restless, revealing his top tips to looking amazing at 80 years old. Davis, who has nearly six decades of acting experience to his name, tells PEOPLE that while his age "snuck up" on him, he's fortunate enough to have several things to keep him "hanging in there."

"First of all, forget that you're 80. Don't think about it. It snuck up on me actually," he says with a laugh before revealing the trick to his youthful looks. "I just keep working [and] keep my mind working. And, I'm fortunate enough to have a loving wife who takes excellent care of me and makes sure that if I need medicine, I have it and I take it."

He adds, "And I try to stay active. I fight those things that come on normally because you've lived 80 years and by God's grace, I'm still hanging in there."

Davis stars as Vernon Dupree, a retired senator and mighty patriarch of the Dupree family, in Beyond the Gates. The story follows all the twists and turns the family endures in Fairmont Crest, a fictional predominantly Black gated community located in a Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, D.C.

After portraying Vernon for over 350 episodes, Davis told PEOPLE that he's learned a new life lesson with each script. Overall, Davis says Vernon has taught him a deeper understanding of the boundlessness of love.

"I'm learning every day, and I believe that all actors should learn something more every day," Davis explained. "With Vernon, I've explored a deeper sense of love, actually. I love my family and I love my children and I love my wife, but there's something about Vernon's love for Anita that is different in a sense."

"They have a connection on the level of entertainment and of philosophy and politics and ideology. They can finish each other's sentences on many subjects," he continued. "And so, that relationship I've not had on stage before, [and] I thank my wife for helping me to understand what that kind of love is."

Davis also shared that when it comes to his legacy, one of the things he wants people to remember the most about him is how deeply he loved God, his friends and family, and others.

"I would like them to say that in the body of my work, first of all, that he is a good actor, but more than that, that I love the Lord with all my heart and that I love my fellow man. I think that's my obligation," he said. "So, in each character that I try to play, I want to bring that kind of passion, that kind of devotion, that kind of truth some way into that character."

"It's not necessarily Vernon Dupree's theological conceptions. No, not at all," Davis concluded. "But I want to somehow reflect the love of God somewhere in me, and I want to somehow reflect my love for my fellow men, my family, and for others."

The Amen alum stars alongside seasoned soap opera stars, such as Tamara Tunie, Karla Mosley and Daphnée Duplaix, and newbies, like Brandon Claybon, Colby Muhammad, Ambyr Michelle and RhonniRose Mantilla, in the hit daytime drama. While reflecting on his earliest days filming the show, Davis shared with PEOPLE that he didn't know Beyond the Gates would be "such a hit" when he joined the cast, attributing its success all to the hardworking cast and crew.

"I didn't expect this and for it to be such a hit," Davis said. "The lovely thing for me is that it is so diverse, and everybody is giving so much of themselves. We all contribute the best we can as much as we can."

"Everybody, from the soundman, to the grips, to the lighting, to the cameras, to the actors, to the hair and makeup and wardrobe, all the executive producers and whatnot. Everybody's doing the best they can, and it is evidenced by the fact that CBS picked us up for two more years already," he added. "So, I thank God and I thank CBS."

Beyond the Gates’ Karla Mosley Reveals Why Dani’s Love Triangle Isn’t Going as Planned

“I cannot say,” Mosley, 44, says with a laugh when asked whether Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) or Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) is endgame for her character Dani. “I honestly have no idea.”

Beyond the Gates follows the powerful and complicated lives of the Dupree family, a wealthy Black dynasty at the center of a gated suburban community in Maryland, as they navigate love, legacy, betrayal, ambition and long-held secrets.

The CBS daytime drama has leaned fully into audience energy this season, especially as Dani’s romantic triangle started to take unexpected turns. Mosley says the writers didn’t even predict how strongly fans would respond to certain pairings.

“The writers did not think Dani and Andre were gonna pop off the way that they did,” she explains. “Originally, they thought Bill and Dani would be back together by the end of season one. And then it was like, wait, what is happening?”

For Mosley, that reaction says a lot about where viewers are right now — and what they want from soap storytelling.

“It speaks to where women are now,” she says. “The old soap trope is the torn woman who goes back to her man. But I think there are enough women now who are like, I want to see her win.”

Still, she’s not picking sides. Instead, she’s encouraging fans to keep the conversation going because it might actually matter for the plot.

“I do think the energy that you all give does influence that writers' room,” she says. “So keep talking about it, y’all.”

And that fan-driven momentum is part of a bigger philosophy for Mosley, both on and off screen.

“Bet on Black every time,” she says. “Bet on stories, bet on passion, and bet on people committed to showing real life in all its forms on your TV.”

While romance drama fuels much of the buzz, Mosley is equally energized by the show’s expanding universe, including its crossover event with The Young and the Restless.

“I keep saying over and over again, the writers have killed it so hard,” she says, pointing to recent storylines building toward the event.

“It’s not a dinner party,” Mosley teases. “We’re not just sitting around.”

Fans hoping for a simple meet-and-greet between soaps, however, are in for something bigger.

“There’s a tornado and even crossover drama between the shows,” she says. “It only expands the world, and hopefully it’s the start of many.”

Beyond the Gates has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4. All episodes can be streamed on Paramount+.

Beyond the Gates Star Brandon Claybon Talks 'Abrupt' Move from Los Angeles to Atlanta: 'I Couldn't Believe It'

The rising soap opera star, 37, tells PEOPLE that the move was "so abrupt" for him, sharing that he didn't share his exciting news with any of his friends in Los Angeles until his birthday party, a week before he was set to move to Atlanta. Claybon, who portrays Martin Richardson in the daytime drama, says the birthday celebration doubled as a going-away party and was filled with a mixture of emotions.

"It was so abrupt for me, especially because I didn't really tell any of my friends until I had a birthday party," Claybon, 37, tells PEOPLE. "[I'm] telling my friends about the show and everything, and they're super excited, but at the same time they're like, 'What? Oh my God.'"

"I had a friend crying. I had friends singing. I was like, 'What is going on?' " he adds. "And I had to tell them, 'I'm leaving in a week,' and especially with me living in [Los Angeles] for 10 plus years, they just couldn't believe it. Hell, I couldn't believe it."

The actual transition from the West Coast to the South, however, was "pretty smooth" for Claybon. The Tennessee native previously spent time in Atlanta at the beginning of his career as a model with Elite Model Management while in college at the University of Tennessee. Although he knows the city very well, Claybon admits there has been a lot of changes since he's been away, adding that he found some great people to reintroduce the city to him.

"I had some great people to take me under their wing, especially our stage manager at the time, showing me the city, showing me good people [and] good food," he explains. "And it's been immeasurable because some of those people that I met when I first got here are my friends to this day. I'm just so excited because I'm on a different path, a new journey."

Looking back on his first day on the brand new set over a year ago, Claybon shares that he was "just nervous" and focused on learning his fellow costars' names and personalities. Despite the initial nerves, he says he "just felt good" being there.

"I remember going to my dressing room and seeing 227. I was like, '227, no place like home,' Claybon shares. "I said, 'I got it. I got it.' I'm a person that follows the signs, and I knew then that I'm where I'm supposed to be."

Beyond the Gates, which premiered in February 2025, follows the very accomplished and wealthy Dupree family in the predominantly Black gated community of Fairmont Crest, a fictional town located in a Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, D.C. The daytime drama is known for its unique ability to cover heavier topics, prioritize inclusivity and bring in an intergenerational audience.

According to Claybon, the goal of the show is simply to portray the realness of humanity, showing the good, the bad and everything in between with its characters.

"In actuality, we want to portray real people, and guess what? People go through things," he says. "You can't just label everyone the villain or the hero or bad or good. They are people and they are flawed sometimes, but also the love of family."

"I think it's important to be true to reality," Claybon continues. "Of course, we want to give you the glitz and the glam, but it's not always sunny and roses. Sometimes life has storms and rain, but those storms don't last always."

The truth embedded in the storylines is what Claybon believes allows the audience to resonate with the show.

"I think the audience has been through so much in their lives as well," he admits. "People have had to deal with this in their lives. So of course you see something that reflects you, you'll be touched."

Beyond the Gates Star Brandon Claybon Shares How Acting Alongside Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie Elevates Him

While speaking with PEOPLE ahead of the new CBS soap's historic crossover with The Young and the Restless, the rising soap opera star shares that having Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie portray his character Martin Richardson's grandparents Vernon and Anita Dupree has presented him with an extraordinary opportunity to learn from "legends."

Claybon, 37, explains when they are on set, he simply listens to the "wealth of knowledge" they have, soaking up every tidbit from their life stories.

"They've been around for so long and done so much from Broadway to movies [and] TV. They have such a wealth of knowledge, so sometimes we're just soaking it in as they walk onstage," he says. "Even before then, even when we're in hair and makeup, we're listening to some of their stories."

Claybon goes on to say that Davis, 80, and Tunie, 67, typically think the stories they tell are normal. However, he explains that he, along with the rest of the cast, often learns so much from them.

"They think they're just stories for them, but you have to think they're talking about legends. They're mentioning names and we're like, 'What? What are you talking about?' " he says. "So we learned so much from them."

As far as acting with them on set, the Zatima star explains both Tunie and Davis set the standard for how the other actors and actresses show up.

"They set the bar for us, and we're just trying to elevate as much as we can to meet them," Claybon explains.

The crossover between Beyond the Gates and The Young and the Restless, which was first announced back in January, officially kicked off on Tuesday, June 9. For Claybon, the opportunity to work with another industry legend Eric Braeden, who plays business titan Victor Newman on Y&R, was a full-circle moment.

He not only auditioned for a role on the long-running soap opera, but also grew up watching it with his grandmothers. He shared getting the chance to work with The Young and the Restless cast on Beyond the Gates felt "amazing," adding he's so "grateful and thankful" for where his career has taken him.

"It feels amazing, especially because my grandmothers had passed on, but I know they're looking down and I know that they're proud of how far I've come and where I am, and where I'm going," Claybon told PEOPLE. "It's still mindboggling for me. I still have to pinch myself because of course I know all the hard work I put in to get here, but it's not always a given and I'm so grateful and thankful."

In addition to Braeden, the multi-episode crossover saw Peter Bergman (Jack Abbott), Bryton James (Devon Hamilton), Michael Mealor (Kyle Abbott), Susan Walters (Diane Jenkins) and Melissa Ordway leave Genoa City to spend some time in the exclusive Maryland suburbs to attend the high-profile fundraiser for Martin's political campaign.

Reflecting on the experience filming with the Y&R cast, Claybon said it was "so nice" working with them on set and hearing their stories.

"We were so excited for The Young and the Restless cast to come, and they were just so nice and so sweet," Claybon said. "It was so nice meeting with them, so nice working with them and hearing their stories throughout the years, so it was great."

Clifton Davis Reveals the Life Lesson He’s Learned After 350 Episodes of Beyond the Gates

The veteran actor, who has nearly six decades of industry experience to his name, recently reflected on his earliest days on the set of the newest CBS drama while talking exclusively with PEOPLE ahead of the show's multi-episode crossover with The Young and the Restless. During the conversation, Davis reveals he experienced a "bit of a challenge" when it came to one key component of soap opera acting.

"When I first started, I found the memorization a bit of a challenge. I made sure I took all the time I needed to be prepared for the next day's work and scenes, but it took some time," Davis, 80, tells PEOPLE. "Now that ... almost two years has gone by, you develop muscles in those areas and it's not a big challenge anymore. You just do it."

"We're getting those lines. We're coming out there ready," he adds. "Part of it is, by this time, knowing who your character is and you have a sense of how they communicate, how they feel about each other and how they feel about ideas and concepts. And so, those emotions come quickly to the surface and we're able to do the performance that is called for."

As far as stepping into the role of the mighty patriarch, the Amen alum says the pages of dialogue he receives from the writers give him a strong understanding of Vernon Dupree.

"The script tells him what he says and describes the character and the actions that they have me performing in the script define who he is as a person," he explains. "I just wrestle with that from a performance standpoint and try to embody what they've written on the page."

Davis tells PEOPLE that his on-screen portrayal of the script is a hodgepodge of many different influences in his personal and professional life. He explains that he draws the way he speaks and carries himself on-screen from his father, who was a preacher and an orator, while he pulls Vernon's compassion and love from his mother. And, the way that Vernon cares about others and his strong desire to make a difference comes from his wife Monica Durant, whom he married in 2000.

The soap opera star adds that the professional aspect of Vernon comes from politicians that he's interacted with in life, while his darker side stems from previous roles from earlier in his career.

"I'm not so much acting as I'm drawing from truth inside of me and my experience," says Davis.

The Godfather of Harlem star, who has portrayed the character for more than 350 episodes, reveals that every day and every new script gifts him with a new life lesson. Overall, Davis says Vernon has taught him a deeper understanding of the boundlessness of love.

"I'm learning every day, and I believe that all actors should learn something more every day," Davis explains. "With Vernon, I've explored a deeper sense of love, actually. I love my family and I love my children and I love my wife, but there's something about Vernon's love for Anita that is different in a sense."

"They have a connection on the level of entertainment and of philosophy and politics and ideology. They can finish each other's sentences on many subjects," he continues. "And so, that relationship I've not had on stage before, [and] I thank my wife for helping me to understand what that kind of love is."

Davis says he also learns the most from acting alongside Tamara Tunie, who plays his wife Anita Dupree.

"Each time we have a scene together, sparks fly for me and for her too. She gets excited about working with me and I with her because she's such a fine actor and so experienced," he says. "And they've written us so well that we love the work that we have to do together."

Reflecting on his legacy, Davis says he wants people to remember all the passion, devotion and truth he pours into his roles. He adds he wants them to know how deeply he loved God, his friends and family and others.

"I would like them to say that in the body of my work, first of all, that he is a good actor, but more than that, that I love the Lord with all my heart and that I love my fellow man. I think that's my obligation," he says. "So, in each character that I try to play, I want to bring that kind of passion, that kind of devotion, that kind of truth some way into that character."

"It's not necessarily Vernon Dupree's theological conceptions. No, not at all," Davis concludes. "But I want to somehow reflect the love of God somewhere in me, and I want to somehow reflect my love for my fellow men, my family, and for others."

Clifton Davis Says He Didn’t Expect Beyond the Gates to Be ‘Such a Hit,’ But Is ‘So Thrilled’ About Its Future

The soap opera veteran, who stars as patriarch Vernon Dupree in the hit CBS drama, recently spoke with PEOPLE ahead of the show's upcoming "landmark" crossover with The Young and the Restless. During the conversation, Davis admits that he didn't know the show would be "such a hit" when he joined the cast, attributing its success all to the hardworking cast and crew.

"I didn't expect this and for it to be such a hit," Davis, 80, tells PEOPLE. "The lovely thing for me is that it is so diverse, and everybody is giving so much of themselves. We all contribute the best we can as much as we can."

Beyond the Gates, which premiered in February 2025, doesn't shy away from heavier topics. From Anita Dupree's (Tamara Tunie) on-screen cancer journey to Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) and Vernon's traumatic run-in with racism, the drama consistently delivers bold, relatable storylines. To Davis, the show's ability to address more serious topics on-screen provides them with a "golden opportunity" to speak directly to the audience, contributing to the show's overall appeal.

"It gives us a golden opportunity to reach out to a very special audience and speak to their needs, speak to their emotions, [and] speak to their experience," he explains. "We wrestle with those issues as though they are real in our lives. We take it personally and pass that on to each character."

"Those stories are interesting," adds Davis. "All of those things are so fascinating to me, and I'm so glad we got them because it keeps the audience watching."

Another aspect of the show's magic comes from how keenly aware everyone involved is about the historic impact of the daytime drama. Beyond the Gates made history as the first Black soap opera in 35 years following Generations, which ran for 13 months and concluded in 1991. It is also the first new soap opera to premiere in decades since Passions premiered in 1999 and the first-ever, hour-long daytime drama led by a Black cast.

Davis explains that the knowledge of the show's impact coupled with the legacy of those who paved the way for them, like James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson, instills a sense of pride in the cast. "We are proud that we're the first soap opera in [35 years]. We're proud that we're the first hour-long, Black-centered soap opera, and we're proud of what went before," he says.

Looking ahead toward the future of Beyond the Gates, Davis shares he's "so thrilled" to see what "surprising ideas" the writers are able to bring to life. Without revealing too much about what's ahead for the Dupree family and the residents of Fairmont Crest, he adds the soap opera, which was already renewed for two more seasons, has some special things coming that "excites" him.

"I am so thrilled that we have such great writers who bring surprising ideas to life in the scripts," he says. "The hair department get an advance notice [of the storylines] because they have to prepare a character [for what's] coming. They know a lot more than we do as performers, so, I'm sitting in hair and makeup, and I'm trying to overhear a little conversation."

"I can't give it away," he continues, before adding, "But [the storyline] excites me, so I know it's going to excite you."

ON SET of The Young and the Restless & Beyond the Gates CROSSOVER

Casting Daytime Dramas | The Business | SAG-AFTRA Foundation

The Business panels provide multiple viewpoints from directors, producers, writers, agents, managers, casting directors and industry experts on a wide range of topics. Through this program, actors receive first-hand tips and strategies from established creators and leading professionals who know how to navigate the complex landscape of the entertainment industry. This panel took place on May 23, 2026, at the Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists in Los Angeles.

The views expressed in the presentation materials and films, and by the guests and moderators are solely those of the organization and/or individual providing them and do not reflect the opinions of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, its staff or Board of Directors.

Beyond the Gates: Ashley Jones Debuts in Surprising New Role!

A spokesperson for BTG confirmed Jones’s casting to Soap Opera Digest back in April, but declined to give details about the character she would be portraying. The actress, who also recurs on The Bold and the Beautiful as Bridget Forrester, has also appeared on The Young and the Restless as Megan Dennison and on General Hospital as Parker Forsyth.

As the episode began, Joey was waiting for a potentially dangerous face-to-face meeting with The Impaler, and was surprised when his female visitor dropped the cloak concealing her face and he realized who had come to see him. He wondered if the woman was there as The Impaler’s emissary, or perhaps his wife or his right-hand woman.

She changed the subject, marveling at how long it had been since they’d last seen one another. As Joey and Heather’s reunion continued, he admitted that he thought he would never see her again, and she pulled him into an affectionate hug — then referred to him as her big brother! She told him that she lived in London and he continued to press her about her connection to The Impaler. That’s when she lowered the boom, purring, “Oh, my dear brother. I am The Impaler.”

He howled with laughter and dismissed her claim. She took offense at his skepticism, explaining that she allowed people to believe that The Impaler was a man as a tactic. It quickly dawned on Joey that Heather was not pulling a prank on him. “I’m not the little girl you have to protect anymore,” she told him. “I’ve found my power.”

Heather credited him and their late father with teaching her well. Mention of their dad touched a nerve in Joey, and Heather acknowledged that he had borne the brunt of the man’s propensity for physical violence. However, she noted, she had dealt with his sexism. She scoffed at how their father had wanted her to “find a man, start a family — leave the business to the boys.”

Joey questioned Heather about why she had come to town. She told him that she wanted to work with him side by side, combining their illegal enterprises. “You like to keep your hands clean and I don’t share those sensibilities,” she declared of why she felt they would complement one another. He turned her down and without attempting to persuade him further, she moved to leave. Heather told him to take care of himself and pulled him into a hug. Joey implored her to stay in touch. “Don’t worry,” she smiled. “I intend to.”

Later, Joey told Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli) about his surprise encounter with his kid sister, admitting to his lover that he wasn’t sure what Heather’s endgame was — even as he concealed from his lover that Heather and The Impaler are one and the same.

SDSA TV Awards Nominations

Covering the year between June 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026, the SDSA Awards for TV recognize outstanding work by set decorators on a wide range of small-screen productions.

Founded in 1993, the SDSA is an international nonprofit professional association dedicated to promoting excellence and preserving the legacy of the art of set decoration in motion pictures and television.

Beyond The Gates
Set Decoration by Cynthia Slagter with Production Design by Bruton Jones

The Bold and the Beautiful
Set Decoration by Prim Rosales, Beth Wooke, Prerna Chawla, Charlotte Garnell, Chelsea Mondelli, Michelle Hall, & Linda Louise Sheets with Production Design by Lou A. Trabbie III

Days Of Our Lives
Set Decoration by Adele Caine & Sarah Holmes with Production Design by Tom Early & Dan Olexiewicz

General Hospital
Set Decoration by Jennifer Elliot with Production Design by Andrew Evashchen

The Young and the Restless
Set Decoration by Jennifer Haybach, Justine Mercado, Maria Dirolf, & Monica Lowe with Production Design by David Hoffmann

Inside the Explosive ‘Y&R’ and ‘Beyond the Gates’ Crossover With the Casts

The storyline centers on a fundraiser for Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) in Fairmont Crest that draws several of Genoa City’s most prominent residents to town, including Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman), Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters), Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor), Devon Winters (Bryton James) and Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway).

“When they told me this was going to happen, I responded so quickly,” says Peter Bergman. “It’s always fun to go play Jack somewhere else, so I said, ‘Yes, I’d do it for free … Oh, did I just say that out loud?’ They didn’t make me do it for free, but it’s such a kick.”

Bergman says he was immediately struck by the enthusiasm of the BTG cast and crew. “They’re so proud of their show, and they should be,” he adds. “I loved that spirit and I loved being around that. Clifton Davis [Vernon Dupree] jumped to welcome me. Tamara [Tunie, Anita Dupree] was doing As the World Turns [as Jessica Griffin] when I was on All My Children [as Cliff Warner], so we knew of each other, but didn’t know each other. But it was very easy to connect there. And everyone else was somewhere between, ‘I don’t know who he is,’ or, ‘I watched you with my grandmother.’ I just felt like a guest at a very special party.”

Susan Walters had a very different reaction when she first received the call about the crossover. “It was a funny thing because I was on my way to a hike and I get a phone call from Danielle [Unger, vice president, current programming, CBS] and Josh [Griffith, Y&R‘s head writer],” she recalls. “And I’m thinking, ‘Oh, God, I don’t know if this is good news.’ So, it was a little nerve-racking. But then I was super excited because I grew up two miles from the studio. And I’ve worked on Teen Wolf and Vampire Diaries in Atlanta when we lived here briefly, so I’ve already seen crew members that I’ve worked with on both those shows and it’s great.”

She was equally impressed by the energy on daytime’s newest soap. “The atmosphere of this show is like that first year on a series where everybody’s really together and enthusiastic,” Walters observes. “Not that Y&R isn’t, but here it’s new, and you still smell the paint. It’s very exciting to be part of it.”

Walters offers a hint about what brings Diane to Fairmont Crest: “She’s there in support of Martin, and I don’t know — maybe she’s looking around since she and Jack are having marital problems. She’s got some options.”

Michael Mealor was surprised when he learned Kyle would be in the mix. “Honestly, I was blown away,” he says. “I was honored that they wanted me to come. I mean, they have rolled out the red carpet for this entire crossover, and it’s so much fun. CBS has really pulled out all the stops.”

As an Atlanta native, Mealor says his family was especially excited to hear he’d be working in town. “They were like, ‘Come sleep at home. Come sleep in your own bed,’” he shares. “I was like, ‘They’re getting a hotel for me. I think I’ll sleep there.’ [Laughs]”

Kyle plays a key role in the plot — not only do he and Martin know each other from the past, but he also makes a new acquaintance in Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings). “Story-wise, Kyle and Martin were friends back when they were both living in New York,” explains Mealor. “Kyle was a bit of a cat; he did what he wanted. And Martin seemed to be the voice of reason for everything. He was on the straight and narrow and tried to calm Kyle down, but they were still the best of friends.”

Goings says she was caught off-guard by the connection Hayley and Kyle make at the fundraiser. “I was surprised more than anything when I read what was actually taking place,” she teases. “Just with the interactions and stuff like that with Hayley being a married woman. I’m just going to leave it at that.”

She adds that the crossover held special meaning for her as a longtime viewer. “I love Young and the Restless, just from growing up,” Goings explains. “My grandmother and my great-aunt watched it together.” Seeing Eric Braeden was a particular highlight. “Just to be on set with him, knowing that I was watching him since I was, like, five years old with my grandmother, was just a full circle moment.”

BTG‘s Keith D. Robinson (Ted Richardson) had a similar reaction. “I grew up watching Young and the Restless after school, seeing Victor Newman,” he says. “So, to get a chance to work with him was like a full circle moment for me. He was laid back. He was cool. He was OG. I felt by him showing up with our cast, he kind of gave us the stamp. He’s the guy in this genre, so for him to pull up and play with us was a big deal.”

Sean Freeman (Andre Richardson, BTG) admits he was starstruck, too. “I’m a huge fan of the whole cast, but of course, the OG, the Victor Newman, I freaked out,” he relays. “I was texting production like, ‘Wait, is this the Victor?’”

Braeden more than lived up to the hype when they were in scenes together. “It was an amazing, amazing moment,” reports Freeman. “I was just staring at him like a deer in headlights, like, ‘Hello, my name is Sean. What’s yours?’ It was great.”

Freeman’s on-screen wife, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), already had ties to Y&R. In 2021, she briefly filled in for Mishael Morgan (Amanda Sinclair) during Morgan’s medical leave, and had a good catchup with her former costars. “I was so excited,” Mosley enthuses. “I was able to be on their show for a couple of weeks, and so I was just happy to be able to play with Bryton again. But also, this group of people coming here, who are all icons themselves and have been working on the show for so long, is a really big deal, so it’s an honor to have them here.”

For Bryton James, the crossover marked a return visit to BTG, where he previously appeared in August 2025. “It’s definitely an honor to be asked back to do any kind of work, and I’m happy to do it,” he says. “Seeing the success of the show, being in their second season, knowing you’re part of daytime history, I feel even more at home.”

Devon has his own reasons for going back, James reveals. “Well, he’s donating to the campaign. He’s rich. All the rich people from Genoa City are here, so I think his wallet has brought him here.”

Joining Devon is his wife, Abby Newman, played by Melissa Ordway, who also hails from Atlanta. “I was so excited when they called and asked me to be a part of it because I grew up right down the street,” she explains. “I actually would drive by these studios, which used to be a General Motors plant, because my pediatrician was down the road. But I love this show. It’s such a groundbreaking show, so to have anything to do with it is super exciting.”

Ordway admits she had some concerns before stepping on set. “I was so nervous because at Y&R, we do camera blocking in the morning, and then we rehearse and then film,” she relays. “Here, everything moves faster, and I messed up one time, and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh — I can’t mess up on a new show! I want to do the best I possibly can!’ So, I was definitely nervous. But everyone’s just so cool, and they were like, ‘Don’t be nervous! We’re nervous to have you here.’”

At the center of the crossover storyline is Brandon Claybon, who grew up watching Y&R, and says filming the fundraiser sequence was an unforgettable experience. “To be honest, it felt like I had won the presidency,” Claybon muses. “As soon as I got to the podium, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ And that’s outside of the character. That’s Brandon in my head.”

And Claybon promises viewers fireworks as the main event spirals into disaster. “We had the cotillion, and now we have the fundraiser, and they’re not going to be ready for this,” Claybon previews. “It’s going to be a huge one-two punch, and it’s going to be awesome.”

Eric Braeden Reflects on Landmark ‘Y&R’-‘Beyond the Gates’ Crossover and Victor’s Future

In the storyline, Y&R‘s Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) travels across the country at the invitation of his close friend, BTG‘s Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis). Victor has backed Vernon’s political campaigns over the years, while Vernon has championed legislation benefiting Newman Enterprises. Now, Vernon asks Victor to deliver the keynote speech at Martin Richardson’s (Brandon Claybon) political fundraiser.

For Braeden, agreeing to go to Atlanta to film the episodes was an immediate yes. “Danielle Unger [vice president of current programming, CBS] asked me, and I like and respect her, and I said, ‘OK,’” recalls Braeden. “I think a Black soap is sorely needed; it’s about time, so I said, ‘Let’s go.’”

TV Insider was the exclusive press partner on the set, and one sentiment came up repeatedly from the BTG cast: excitement over sharing scenes with Braeden. “That’s so nice to know,” he demurs. “I am happy to hear it, but I don’t let it really sink in because I’ve known people who have allowed that to happen and it changes them too much. I will be damned if that happens to me, so I don’t take it too seriously. I have seen some dreadful stories where you don’t recognize someone anymore after they believe all the publicity. They don’t remain who they are.”

Stepping onto another soap studio stirred memories of the years before Y&R made him a daytime icon. “When you’ve been around for as long as I’ve been, since 1962, I did a lot of guest-starring in a lot of shows before I did Y&R,” he recounts. “The only thing you get tired of is the travel and the location. You go to another city, another hotel, and that all plays a role in how comfortable one feels. It starts with assistant directors or production managers or wardrobe people, and they were all wonderful on Beyond the Gates. They’re really very warm, wonderful people, and that makes you feel good.”

Even in unfamiliar territory, Braeden says he felt completely at ease. “No nerves at all,” he reports. “The only thing that every actor has nerves about is when he has to learn all the dialogue. But I trust it by now. I trust myself by now, and that is really the only thing that I’m concerned about: get it done and do it as believably as one can.”

Braeden says he thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the landmark episodes. “I think they did a wonderful job,” he cheers. “And I must say, they were a joy to work with, all of them. Steve Williford [who directed] had been a director on our show, so I knew him, and I felt comfortable. But everyone was really very nice down there, and they have a great studio, great cameras, great set. I was amazed. I thought, ‘This is much more up to date than what we have here at TV City.’ I was impressed.”

Even after decades in the business, Braeden’s enthusiasm for the work hasn’t faded. “I love making this stuff real,” he explains. “I love it when we do a scene written by writers who sit in different parts of America. I don’t know them, they don’t know me, and yet somehow, we make it work. I still enjoy that. Had I stayed at nighttime, I would have directed, and I would have enjoyed that as well.”

Meanwhile, life in Genoa City has kept Braeden busy both emotionally and professionally. The actor appreciates the story being told with Nick Newman’s (Joshua Morrow) fentanyl addiction and was especially moved by the moment where Nick finally came clean to Victor about his struggles. “It was a wonderful scene,” Braeden praises. “It was one of those scenes where you finish it, and you say, ‘OK, that’s what it’s all about. I love this because it was real.’ That’s what one does it for, really. And the money.”

Victor’s family tensions haven’t been limited to Nick. Victor and Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) have also been at odds, a dynamic Braeden still gets a kick out of playing 42 years after the characters first wed. “Victor doesn’t back down,” he notes. “But the point with the Victor and Nikki story is that it’s simply about the green monster. It’s jealousy. In other words, Victor doesn’t trust that she sees Jack Abbott [Peter Bergman] to consult him, to commune with him. He suspects they had something to do in the hotel room [in 2024, when Jack helped Nikki detox from alcohol]. Victor is pissed off about that, and she keeps on seeing Jack, so it’s a constant rubbing of salt in the wound. That’s what that is about. He thinks it’s disingenuous on Nikki’s part to pretend that everything is fine. No, it’s not, because Victor still suspects they had something to do in that hotel room, period. He has never been convinced otherwise.”

Amid Victor’s personal frustrations, the patriarch is also fighting to reclaim Newman Enterprises from Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford), reigniting familiar instincts. “It made him go back to what Victor’s always been,” Braeden points out. “He goes after things, and he’s tough, and he’s ruthless, and he has to be. He’s a man who doesn’t trust anyone. Because of his time in an orphanage and having been left by his parents and his mother, that’s a deep wound. So, all the success afterwards covered the wound a little bit, but he’s in a place of survival mode, and where he fights for his life. So, this only makes him stronger.”

More than four decades into his run, Braeden remains grateful for the material that continues to challenge him. “Josh Griffith [head writer] is doing a great job,” Braeden says. “One plays what one is given by the writers, so you really have to look at the writers for coming up with these storylines. We just interpret them, and he has done a great job. That’s all there to it.”

Soapy S3 EP14: Soap Opera's Reigning Queen Tamara Tunie

New CBS Daytime Campaign Parodies ‘Afternoon Delight’ While Reminding Viewers They Can Watch Soaps Anytime

The centerpiece of the campaign is “Anytime Delight,” a twist on the 1976 Starland Vocal Band hit “Afternoon Delight,” sung with new lyrics and voals by a number of CBS daytime stars. Among those singing in the spot: Karla Mosley (“Beyond The Gates“), Nathan Owens (“The Young and the Restless“) and Murielle Hilaire (“The Bold and the Beautiful“).

The “Anytime Delight” campaign will hit broadcast, cable, social, streaming, audio and digital starting June 1.

The campaign comes in advance of the upcoming multi-episode crossover between “The Young and the Restless” and new soap “Beyond the Gates.” That event, which will feature six “Young and the Restless” stars appearing on “Beyond the Gates,” will take place June 9 through 12.

According to Mike Benson, CBS president and chief marketing officer, TV Media, the hope is to target both new viewers and current viewers on the ability to find or catch up on the three CBS soaps (“The Young and the Restless,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Beyond the Gates”).

“Our daytime dramas are an important part of the CBS line-up, and we saw a real opportunity to drive tune in momentum during the comfort of the summer season,” Benson said. “The ‘Anytime Delight’ campaign reinvents the iconic hit song ‘Afternoon Delight’ with our show talent to captivate our loyal audience and attract a new generation of viewers to CBS soaps. It’s a fun, playful and provocative campaign meant to indulge and delight fans alike, while also reinforcing that viewers can watch CBS soaps live on CBS or streaming on Paramount+.”

CBS announced the “Young and the Restless”/”Beyond the Gates” crossover in January. Set to appear from “Y&R” on “Beyond the Gates” are Eric Braeden, Michael Mealor, Peter Bergman, Susan Walters, Melissa Ordway and Bryton James.

In April, CBS announced that “Beyond the Gates” has been renewed for two more seasons and will air through the 2027-2028 broadcast season. In 2024, CBS renewed “The Young and the Restless” for four years, also keeping it through the 2027-2028 season. And “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which recently launched an app boasting every episode (more than 9,000!) since launch, also has “B&B” through 2007-2008.

What’s Next for Soap Couples in June on ‘GH,’ ‘Y&R,’ ‘Beyond the Gates’ and More

From steamy kisses to sizzling summer nights, find out what’s next on Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless over the course of June. The heat is certainly getting turned up in more ways than one.

Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) and Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) update each other on the current state of their romantic relationships.

Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) and Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) need to rely on each other.

Hayley Lawson (Marquita Goings) ends up in close proximity to someone surprising.

Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) and Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace) have an incredible Malibu summer night together.

R.J. Forrester (Brayan Nicoletti) and Missy Dylan (Sydney Bullock) heat up the dance floor and the bedroom.

Remy Pryce (Christian Weissmann) wants Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) to understand how much he supports him and his career dream.

Ridge Forrester (Thorsten Kaye) and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) do their best to support Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Katie Logan (Heather Tom) as the Logan feud rages on!

Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) and Shawn Brady (Brandon Beemer) acknowledge their growing feelings for each other.

Belle Black (Martha Madison) and Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) are caught on the Kiss-Cam.

Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) and Ari Horton (Vico Escorcia) share a steamy kiss.

Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen) and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) reminisce about the past.

Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) returns home and reconnects with Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox).

Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) breaks a promise to Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope).

Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) notices a connection between Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) and Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver).

Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) causes problems for Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters).

Cast of CBS daytime drama "Beyond the Gates" discusses series, American Black Film Festival

Beyond The Gates Meets The Young And The Restless In Epic Daytime Crossover

So, what brings these two titans together? Why, a high-profile political fundraiser at the Fairmont Crest country club, of course! And it all begins when Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) asks his longtime friend Victor Neman (Eric Braeden) to serve as the keynote speaker at a glitzy campaign event for his grandson Martin (Brandon Claybon).

According to CBS, "over the years, Victor has backed Vernon's political campaigns, while Vernon has championed legislation benefiting Newman Enterprises, an alliance built on loyalty, influence and mutual gain."

Martin also invites Kyle (Michael Mealor) to attend the fundraiser, as they were apparently close friends in New York City after college; Martin extends that invitation to Kyle's parents, Jack (Peter Bergman) and Diane (Susan Walters). Abby (Melissa Ordway) and Devon (Bryton James) also find themselves on the VIP guest list, with the latter also "fielding an unexpected business opportunity" from Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie).

But in true daytime fashion, things don't go as planned. "As the evening unfolds, a shocking event occurs, abruptly derailing the fundraiser and triggering dramatic consequences that will impact every guest in attendance," CBS warns.

New episodes of "Beyond the Gates" air weekdays at 2/1c on CBS, available to stream next day on Paramount+. Scroll down for more exclusive first-look photos from the epic crossover event, then drop a comment with your thoughts.

(Photo: Victor and Vernon) Pictured from left: Eric Braeden as Victor Newman and Clifton Davis as Vernon Dupree

(Photo: Devon, Abby, Jack, Diane, and Kyle) Pictured from left: Bryton James as Devon Winters, Melissa Ordway as Abby Newman, Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott, Susan Walters as Diane Jenkins Abbott, and Michael Mealor as Kyle Abbott

(Photo: Victor, Anita, and Vernon) Pictured from left: Eric Braeden as Victor Newman, Tamara Tunie as Anita Dupree, and Clifton Davis as Vernon Dupree

‘Beyond the Gates’ Twist! Derek Baldwin’s Shocking Fate Explained by Ben Gavin

“It was definitely a shocker,” Gavin recalls of getting the news in late December 2025 that his character would be killed off. “They made it pretty clear this was something that they needed, and for the sake of the story, it couldn’t just be anyone. It had to be someone that they started to really care about to hook the audience, and I understood that.”

Gavin says executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers personally explained how Derek’s exit would unfold. In the storyline, Derek took a bullet for Jacob [Hawthorne, Jibre Hordges] during the climax of the long-running blood plasma sting operation, then died at the hospital. “She made it pretty clear that, ‘You’re gonna die a hero,’” he recalls. “And Derek’s got a hero complex, so it’s only fitting. I get the nature of it, but it didn’t make it any less difficult to swallow.”

Even so, Gavin admits he could see the writing on the wall when it came to his alter ego’s future. “Derek didn’t have a family, didn’t have parents around, and he didn’t have a job, so I knew there was a chance of being an expendable character,” he points out. “But also, they really did a lot in the second season to boost the character’s value. I’ve noticed the audience in the second season has turned for the better for Derek. He’s not a pushover anymore, which I appreciate.”

Gavin says filming Derek’s final episodes was a memorable experience. “It was awesome,” he relays. “It was not the typical day on set of a soap. We were doing multiple takes, and I’m glad they put that time and effort into it. I know it’s a big storyline in general, but being that it was my character’s farewell, I’m glad there was a lot of attention put into it. It really felt like they cared about it.”

That emotional weight carried into Gavin’s last day on set, particularly during Derek’s goodbye with ex-girlfriend Ashley, played by Jen Jacob. “The very last shot I did was where I tell Ashley to not be afraid and that I love her,” he says. “They really took their time with it, which I appreciate, because there are not many opportunities on a soap where we can really take our time with moments; it’s run and gun. So, I’m lying on this gurney, and I’m going through all the mental stuff before the shot, and then nothing’s happening, and I’m kind of like, ‘Alright, let’s do this.’ And then everyone came out onto the stage, and they said, ‘You’re wrapped.’"

Afterward, Gavin’s time on the series was celebrated. “They had a big send-off for me, and actors who weren’t even working that day showed up,” he shares. “I mean, the tears that were flowing from my castmates and crew family were really heartwarming. It left me feeling like I made the impact on the people of this show that I could only hope to make. They weren’t just sad for Derek, they were sad to lose me as a castmate, as a colleague, and that meant a lot. I told them on that day, ‘Being a part of this show is a badge of honor that I’ll wear for the rest of my life. I’m truly blessed.’”

Looking back on his time with the soap, Gavin says the relationships he built behind the scenes remain one of the most rewarding parts of the job. “The highlight off-screen was just getting to know and love my castmates and the crew,” he reflects. “The time spent in the hair and makeup room, you can’t beat that. If you’re having a bad day or you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you go in that hair and makeup room, and next thing you know, you’re smiling. Also, my castmates — Jen [Jacob] and Ernestine [Johnson Morrison, Shanice Johnson], I love those people, I truly do. Ernestine’s still one of my closest friends. And then getting to work with Ambyr Michelle [Eva Thomas], and Trisha [Mann Grant, Leslie Thomas], those were probably some of my highlights on screen. I noticed a lot of the fans were saying, ‘Hey, finally we got someone who will put Leslie in her place,’ so that was fun for me. I enjoyed that, for sure.”

Although Derek may not have always been a fan favorite, Gavin says he deeply appreciates the passion viewers brought to the character and the show as a whole. “I thank them for sticking with it, and for all their wonderful criticism and their wonderful support,” he offers. “That’s what feeds this medium — them saying, ‘Oh, I hate this guy,’ ‘Oh, I love this guy,’ ‘I can’t believe he did that,’ and ‘I wish he would do this.’ That tells me that they’re invested, and that’s all you can ask for. I’ve never been on a soap before. I never even did a day player on a soap, and I’ve never seen a fan group so highly invested in the characters. It’s amazing.”

Now turning the page professionally, Gavin is already focused on new opportunities. “I produced a television pilot called Cougar that we’re shopping around right now, where I play the title character,” he reveals. “It’s based off a movie that I did that just released called Winterset. You can find that on Amazon [Prime Video]. The character is far different from Derek Baldwin. I’m putting my all into these new projects that are coming my way. I’m using Joe Reitman as an acting coach, who helped me through the end of the show, and just growing as an actor.”

And given soaps’ long history of surprise resurrections and secret relatives, Gavin says he would gladly return if asked back. “Oh, sure,” he says. “I mean, on the last day after we filmed the last scene, one of the directors came up to me and was like, ‘I’ve been doing soaps for 30 years. Evil twin brother, you just never know.’ And I was like, ‘Hey, I’m open for it.’ If they want to do a dream sequence for a day, I’ll be there. That’s my family, and they changed my life for the better. If they call my name, I’ll be there.”

What’s Next for Soap Couples in May on ‘GH,’ ‘Y&R,’ ‘DAYS’ & ‘Beyond the Gates’

From heartfelt anniversary celebrations to long-awaited first kisses, here is Swooon’s exclusive look at what’s coming up on Beyond the Gates, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless in May 2026.

Nicole Dupree Richardson (Daphnée Duplaix) reconnects with Carlton Fitzgerald (Robert Christopher Riley) and confides her fantasies to Kial Rollins (Greg Vaughan).

Tyrell Richardson (Jaden Lucas Miller) and Jessica Harris (Camryn Jade) slip away for their first time together.

Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom) steps in it with Vanessa McBride (Lauren Buglioli).

Shanice Johnson (Ernestine Johnson) gives Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) her decision on the future of their relationship.

Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) and Vernon Dupree’s (Clifton Davis) night of romance is interrupted.

Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans) reminisce with memories of their 40 years together.

Ari Hernandez (Vico Escorcia) and Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) share their first kiss.

Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) and Shawn Brady (Brandon Beemer) seem to be rekindling their romance.

Xander Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) and Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) have a rough and wild tumble together.

Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) has a romantic surprise for Elizabeth Baldwin (Rebecca Herbst).

Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) make a decision about Phoebe.

Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr) and Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) enjoy a night out together.

Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) and Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) share a charged moment.

Claire Newman (Hayley Erin) lets her guard down with Holden Novak (Nathan Owens).

Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) and Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) ponder their future.

Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) cozies up to Noah Newman (Lucas Adams), much to Sienna Bacall’s (Tamara Braun) chagrin.

Soapy S3 EP8: Brandon Claybon on Building Beyond the Gates Legacy

Soap Vet Ashley Jones Joins the Cast of Beyond the Gates

Jones made her daytime debut playing Megan Dennison on Young and Restless from 1997-2000, and earned two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for her work. She then went on to play Dr. Bridget Forrester on Bold and Beautiful from 2004-10, returning for additional appearances over the years that followed, notching another Daytime Emmy nomination in 2024, this time in the Outstanding Guest Performance category.

From 2016-17, Jones moved over to ABC Daytime, where she played the recurring role of Parker Forsyth on General Hospital from 2016-17. The actress has also appeared in numerous prime time series like True Blood, 90210, and Major Crimes, as well as in movies like Homekilling Queen and Saving My Daughter.

Eagle-eyed fans first spotted Jones in a video posted to X/Twitter by BTG cast member Maurice P. Kerry (Randy) of the cast and crew celebrating the soap being renewed for two more seasons by CBS. The actress can be seen standing next to Kerry wearing the same black sleeveless top she has on in an Instagram Story where she was talking to the camera about still being at work after a long day. In a subsequent Story, Jones showed off her late-night pizza dinner, noting that she was “all by myself somewhere in Atlanta.” BTG tapes at Assembly Studios in Atlanta, GA.

The first new daytime drama since Passions in 1999, BTG premiered on CBS on February 24, 2025, and by May, had already been renewed for a second season. In April 2026, the network announced that the soap had been renewed for another two years, taking it through the 2027-28 television season. This role will reunite Jones with her former B&B co-star, Karla Mosley, who used to play Maya on that soap before taking on the role of Dani Dupree starting with BTG’s first episode.

‘Beyond The Gates’ Renewed For Seasons 3 & 4 At CBS

That’ll take the soap opera through the 2027-28 season, which is a great sign of confidence from the network as Beyond the Gates continues to air its second season.

“Beyond The Gates immediately improved the time period, has enthusiastically been embraced by the daytime community and is getting good critical acclaim in the press,” CBS Entertainment boss Amy Reisenbach told reporters during a press briefing on Wednesday.

CBS did not provide any updates viewership stats on Beyond the Gates, but the series did come out swinging. The premiere episode of the daytime drama, which is the first to premiere since Passions in 1999, grew to 2.28M viewers in L+3 last year, up 78 percent from The Talk the year prior.

The series appears to be attracting attention on streaming as well. CBS said last year that L+3 streaming provided a boost of 13.6% over the show’s linear-only audience, which was better than The Young and the Restless (10.9%) and The Bold and the Beautiful (12.6%). The latter two are still among CBS’ top daytime dramas and buoy the daytime lineup that also includes long-running hits like The Price is Right and Let’s Make A Deal.

Beyond the Gates is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, DC, in one the most affluent African American counties in the United States; a posh gated community with winding tree-lined streets and luxurious mansions to call home. At the center of this community are the Duprees, a powerful and prestigious multi-generational family that is the very definition of Black royalty. But behind these pristine walls and lush, manicured gardens are juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered. And those who live outside these gates are watching closely. These are the places where our characters live, love, work and play. Those who have “made it” and those who haven’t are all trying to navigate life … and some with more grace than others.

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.

CBS Renews Beyond the Gates for Two More Seasons

What’s Next for Soap Couples in April on ‘GH,’ ‘Y&R,’ ‘B&B,’ ‘DAYS’ & ‘Beyond the Gates’

As we inch closer to summer, the soaps are going to be turning up the heat — in more ways than one. From breakups to pregnancy tests, here is Swooon’s exclusive look at what’s coming up on Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, and The Young and the Restless.

Tomas Navarro (Alex Alegria) surprises Kat Richardson (Colby Muhammad) on her birthday.

Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit) and Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges) spend their anniversary apart, but remember their love story from their first date to their wedding vows.

Shanice Johnson (Ernestine Johnson Morrison) and Ted Richardson (Keith Robinson) discuss their evolving romance.

Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) isn’t thrilled to see Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe) and Kat catching up.

Tyrell Richardson (Jaden Lucas Miller) and Jessica (Camryn Jade) talk about the future of their relationship.

As Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) and Deacon Sharpe’s (Sean Kanan) relationship becomes public, many people have feelings about it.

Once thought to be perfect for one another, two people bring their love story to an end.

Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) take their relationship to the next level, as do Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) and Brady Black (Eric Martsolf).

Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) chooses Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) over Dimitri von Leuschner (Peter Porte)… but Javi has a new boyfriend.

Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) continue their dalliances.

Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) and Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) share a close moment.

Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) and Emma Scorpio-Drake (Braedyn Bruner) have a romantic evening.

Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) come to an agreement.

Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) make a serious commitment.

Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) reunites with an old flame, Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox).

Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) and Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) make plans for their future.

Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) causes problems for Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters).

Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Newman’s (Melody Thomas Scott) relationship is challenged.

Cady McClain and Jon Lindstrom Settle Divorce

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Cady and Jon informed the court of the deal this week.

The former couple wed on February 14, 2014, and separated on December 11, 2023. They did not have any children.

According to the settlement, Cady and Jon both waived their right to collect spousal support. The actress will keep her furniture, personal property, and all assets in her possession and in her name. Jon will walk away with all property in his possession and his separate assets. They're now just waiting on sign-off from the judge to make it final.

Cady and Jon announced their split on April 27, 2024, via a joint statement, saying, “We are taking this opportunity to make a short statement about our relationship status. It may be obvious to some based on our posts that we’ve taken some time apart. After serious consideration, we have decided that our goals have been taking us in different directions and to end our marriage."

Soapy | S3 EP4: Ron Carlivati on Building His Prolific Soap Career Creating Characters & Plotlines

‘Beyond the Gates’: Tamara Tunie on Anita’s Devastating Cancer Low Point

“The chemo is taking its toll on her body and her spirit, and she’s hit a wall,” begins Tunie. “She’s at a crossroads, and she’s wondering, ‘Is it worth it? Can you live the rest of your life like this?’ I know when we filmed the scenes, how emotional it was, but I understand that our editors, who are all men, were just weeping as they were editing the scenes together. They had to walk out of the room. So, I think it’ll be pretty powerful.”

That emotional weight was something Tunie felt from the very beginning, when she first learned about Anita’s diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer. “My initial reaction was trepidation,” she reveals. “I knew how important a story this was, how important this issue was, how so many people have been impacted by this situation, and I was very concerned about how we were going to approach the story. If we were going to do it, I felt that we should do it absolutely right, with no half-stepping. I was very concerned about getting too preachy, too soapboxy about it, but I have great confidence in our writers and knew that it would be handled in a way that would really have the impact that we all were hoping to have.”

Taking Anita to such a fragile place also pushed Tunie in new ways as a performer. “It was humbling, and at the same time, wonderful to play,” she offers. “To the outside, someone might look like their life is perfect, and their health is perfect, and everything is perfect, and we all know that everything is not always perfect. So, when you get in those situations where you can show vulnerability, I think it allows people to say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.’”

Because of the intensity of the material, Tunie was intentional about how she separated herself from the role once filming wrapped. “I tend to leave work at work, but when you are investing your entire being in a role like this, where a character is going through something like this, it does take its toll on your body and on your spirit,” she explains. “It’s very emotionally taxing, but I was trying to be as proactive as I could about taking care of myself physically, sage-ing myself after the more intense scenes. People might think that’s all woo-woo, la, la, la, but I believe in energy, and I believe in the energetic responses that we have. I would say out loud, ‘I don’t have cancer,’ because I’m an empathetic person and I take things in, so I had to remind my body that I was playing a role, that it was a character, and that it was not me.”

Onscreen, Anita’s diagnosis has had ripple effects throughout the canvas, which has deepened the drama. Both Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) and her daughter, Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne (Arielle Prepetit), discovered they’re carriers of the BRCA gene mutation, which significantly increases the likelihood of cancer. “The cast and my Dupree family, we have gotten so close in real life, and we genuinely care about each other,” notes Tunie. “When we’re playing these scenes where we’re having these heavy conversations, it’s as real as it can possibly be. We hug after because as women, we just innately know and connect and care on that level, and I think that’s what really comes across. When we look into each other’s eyes as we’re playing these scenes, we see each other, and we feel each other.”

The storyline has also impacted the audience, which Tunie has experienced firsthand. “People are sharing their stories with me,” she says. “I have a colleague who texted me right after Anita’s diagnosis, and she said how realistic the process was and thanked me for doing the story. I said to her, ‘Am I misremembering? Did you have a cancer scare several years ago?’ And she said, ‘No, I didn’t, but I was diagnosed with breast cancer the same day as Anita was,’ and I was like, ‘Whoa.’ I’ve had people through social media say, ‘I hadn’t had a mammogram in so long, and I’ve made my appointment to go,’ and just being proactive about their health, which was the point of this story. Yes, it’s great drama to watch, and you invest emotionally and everything, but it’s a bit of a public service message that tells women to take care of themselves. Put yourself first.”

That blurring of fiction and reality extended to a recent set of scenes, where Anita, who is a famous singer, appeared in a scripted segment with CBS News anchor Gayle King, revealing her cancer diagnosis. “The Gayle King interview was a little confusing,” Tunie shares. “It got posted on social media, and it was just me talking to Gayle King, and unless you read closely, you didn’t see, ‘Beyond the Gates: Anita goes to see Gayle King.’ So, I was getting messages and phone calls, saying that people were praying for me, and they know I can beat this and all that, so I was like, ‘It’s the character, it’s not me.’ And they’re like, ‘Thank goodness, OK, great.’”

Ultimately, Tunie is proud of the reaction the story has generated so far and appreciates that it’s been so well-received. “It’s sparking conversation, and that’s what I hope art will always do: make people ask questions, make people think, and make people active,” she reflects. “So, I’m really proud, and I feel so blessed for all of this — for the show, for the storylines, for the actors that I’m working with, the directors that I’m working with, the crew, everybody. It’s really unique and wonderful, and I feel really, really happy at this point in my life that this is what I’m doing.”

‘All My Children’s Cady McClain Looks Back at ‘TV Marriage’ to Michael E. Knight

Recently, McClain has been reminiscing about her career in soaps, looking back at moments like her Daytime Emmy win and the first time Tad and Dixie got married. She shared a sweet photo of Tad and Dixie on their wedding day, a memorable moment for the beloved couple.

“Also me. 1990? First TV marriage to ‘Tad’ on ‘All My Children.’ I think we were married three times, lol. Not sure who to credit for this photo. Thank you, ABC, for your belief in me and support of my work,” she wrote on Instagram.

Dixie and Tad actually got married in December 1989, so McClain wasn’t too far off! The couple got divorced a few months later in 1990, but they reconciled. Dixie and Tad were planning on getting married again when he was caught in an explosion and presumed dead. Tad was actually alive, and he reunited with Dixie years later.

They married again in 1994, but they divorced… again. The couple wed for a third time a few years later, which was followed by yet another split. They were in the process of reuniting for a fourth time when Dixie was involved in a car crash and was believed to be dead. There was a whole Dixie spirit storyline in there, but we later learned that Dixie was alive and being held captive by David Hayward (Vincent Irizarry). Talk about a long story for another day. Dixie and Tad married for a fourth time in 2013.

Back in 2023, McClain and Knight reflected on Dixie and Tad’s love story and how their very first kiss changed everything. “I remember the scene that we did with the yarn and the first kiss. I was knitting, and you were going to have to kiss me,” McClain said in 2023, per SoapHub. “I think you were rolling the yarn into a ball, and I was knitting, and we were on a sofa. We had to do that first kind of very tender kiss. And I remember after that — like just the vibe and the whole studio and the camera people were like, ‘Oh yeah, this is, this is it.'”

Knight is gearing up for his annual break from General Hospital. The actor has played Martin Grey, who is now off to Reno to work a new case, since 2019. McClain has had a recurring role on Beyond the Gates since 2025.

2026 Daytime Emmys Unveil Major Changes for Nominee Submissions

Among the changes: Submissions will now be episode-based, which it calls a “primetime format,” allowing programs to enter multiple submissions for different episodes and potentially receive several nominations.

Also, NATAS has opted to determine how many nominations a category will get based on a scale of how may submissions there were, much like what happens at the Primetime Emmys. There’s a new threshold for when you’re eligible for guest actor in a daytime drama. And the science and nature programming category has been eliminated in Daytime, as programs will now have to submit in Primetime, News & Doc or Children’s & Family, depending on eligibility.

Episode-Based Submissions: In the past, a team-based structure allowed a show’s full team to be awarded on a single submission. But now, with an episode-based submission for craft categories, “A program is therefore eligible to enter multiple submissions for different episodes and potentially receive multiple nominations within the same category.”

Joint Drama/Non-Fiction Categories: Daytime dramas and non-fiction programs will now enter alongside each other in categories except writing and directing. The categories will be split again if both the daytime drama and daytime non-fiction tracks have at least 10 submissions each.

Science and Nature Programming: With the elimination of the Daytime Emmys having a science and nature category, shows that previously landed here (including the offscreen/voiceover narrator) will now relocate to either News & Doc or Primetime. Also if the show is geared to viewers under 15, it would move to Children’s & Family Emmys. As a corollary to this, programs produced by a platform’s documentary department are not eligible for a Daytime Emmy (submit them at News & Doc Emmys or Primetime Emmys instead).

Last year’s winner in the category was Apple TV’s “The Secret Lives of Animals.” Other nominees included “Living with Leopards” (Netflix), “National Parks: USA” (National Geographic), “Secret Lives of Orangutans” (Netflix) and “Secrets of the Neanderthals” (Netflix).

Guest Performer In a Daytime Drama: “To be eligible for the guest category, you must be seen in a maximum of 19% of episodes aired/streamed for the first time during calendar year 2025. Otherwise, you must enter in categories eligible only in the Leading, Supporting, or Emerging Talent categories.”

Previously, that definition was, you could submit in the guest category if your performance was “in a limited role with a definitive beginning and end to the story arc.”

Redefining Multi-Cam and Single-Cam: All categories that used to be tracked as “multi-cam” or “single-cam” are now classified as “studio or non-studio.” That means “programs featuring both filming styles must a) choose to enter categories featuring the predominant style and b) may NOT enter certain crafts in one style and other crafts in the other style. Predominant is defined as 50.1%. This applies in non-fiction directing, technical direction and editing categories.”

Members-Only Judging – Judges must now be members of either NATAS, the Television Academy, or dual members will automatically be approved to judge. “Members in applicable categories will be assigned, at the discretion of competition administrators, to the appropriate category or categories, as outlined in our judging guidelines,” the org said. And if there aren’t enough eligible judges, NATAS will consider prior Emmy Award winners, prior Emmy Award nominees, and “those who otherwise meet the published membership criteria for their respective Peer Group but have elected not to join at this time.”

10 – 29 submissions: 5 nominations
30 – 59 submissions: 6 nominations
60 – 89 submissions: 7 nominations
90 – 119 submissions: 8 nominations
120 -149 submissions: 9 nominations
150 or more submissions: 10 nomination

If there are fewer than ten submissions in a category, the default number of nominations is 50% of the category’s submissions, rounded up to the nearest whole number. Categories with three or fewer submissions have no nominations, “though the National Awards Committee may proceed with an award based on a standard of excellence if the category is not otherwise merged or eliminated.”

20 – 80 submissions = 5 nominations
81 – 160 submissions = 6 nominations
161 – 240 submissions = 7 nominations
> 240 submissions = 8 nominations.

A Historic Milestone: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Secures Its First-Ever Win at ‘Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards’

The series was nominated alongside other television series including Tyler Perry‘s Beauty in Black, Forever, and Reasonable Doubt, the later of which recently won Best Drama at the NAACP Image Awards.

Now in its 19th year, Essence Black Women in Hollywood celebrates Black women who are shaping the future of television and film through their work both in front of and behind the camera.

Actress Tamara Tunie and Sheila Ducksworth, executive producer on Beyond the Gates, were among those who attended the event.

Ducksworth wore a tailored caramel-colored pantsuit, pairing the blazer and trousers with a fitted black top. She completed the look with leopard-print pointed-toe heels, adding a subtle pop of pattern to the outfit.

Tunie opted for a monochromatic white ensemble featuring a structured blazer with shimmering sequins detailing along the shoulders and sleeves.

Showrunner Michele Val Jean confirmed the news on social media, posting a photo of Ducksworth and Tunie accepting the award and thanking the fans who voted for it.

In addition to the Essies Choice Award, this year’s ceremony also honored several prominent figures in entertainment including actress and producer Kerry Washington, actress and director LaTanya Richardson Jackson, creative executive Zinzi Coogler and entrepreneur Chase Infinitie, along with the cast of Sinners.

In recent weeks, Beyond the Gates has also received additional recognition, including a nomination for Best Drama series at the NAACP Image Awards as well as the ACE Awards. The series also received a nomination for Best Daytime Drama at the Writers Guild Awards.

Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS with episodes streaming on Paramount Plus. Viewers can catch up on all of the drama of Season 1 of Beyond the Gates on Paramount Plus or on Pluto TV’s dedicated 24/7 Beyond the Gates FAST channel. The series has begun reairing from the beginning on BET each Thursday as a part of their T.G.I.G. (Thank Goodness Its Gates) programming block.

Karla Mosley Talks 'Big Adjustment' Moving Family to Atlanta for Beyond the Gates: A 'Sinking Feeling'

The soap opera veteran tells PEOPLE that landing the role came with a mix of emotions. Mosley, who's mom to two daughters Aurora Imani, 7, and Willa Josephine, 4, with partner John Rogers, says leading a daytime drama was something she "worked so hard" to achieve. But along with "complete joy and excitement," also came the realization that she'd have to move her family of four from Los Angeles to Atlanta.

"[Nothing] against Atlanta, I just hadn't been there. It wasn't on my radar that that's where I was going to move. And I've moved so many times in my life as an actor, but never with a family," Mosley explains. "It was a big adjustment for everybody."

After spending over a year in the bustling Southern city, the doting mom says that her family has adjusted to the move. In fact, Mosley, who grew up in New York, admits that life in Atlanta has "grown" on her.

"The people are dope," she says. "We have got great community. My kids love their schools, so I'm like, 'Okay, there is a plan. God had a plan, [and] it's bigger than mine.'"

For Mosley, making the change was "worth it." She tells PEOPLE that seeing her face on the poster as one of the leads of Beyond the Gates alongside Clifton Davis, Tamara Tunie and Daphnée Duplaix is a "honor" that she will never take for granted.

"On those nights when I'm really tired and I have two scripts the next day, but I have to put my kids to bed, and I'm like, 'How am I going to get it all together?' I have to dig deep and figure out how to do it and to continue to do good work, because the thing about soap operas is it is very easy to get into a rhythm and to feel you don't have to do quite as much, but you get as much as you give," Mosley explains.

"That's a lot of material, and we only get one or two takes, so you're going to have some moments that don't quite go where you want them to go, and you have to be able to let those go," she adds. "But I want to have as few of those as possible because that's what it means to lead."

With every script she reads, Mosley says she sees herself in the pages and understands the impact of sharing authentic stories with the world. However, nothing reminds her of the importance of her role quite like meeting people who were positively impacted by what they saw onscreen.

"When I go to church or to the grocery store or I'm traveling and people come up and they reflect on their experience with the material... When they talk about their family members or their own journeys, those are the moments when I realized how important the work that we're doing is," she says.

With the soap opera in its second season, Mosley believes her character is exactly where she's supposed to be. She also teases that viewers will get to see a different side to Dani Dupree as the season progresses.

"She is kind of settling into the life that she's always wanted, what she imagined life would be like with Bill [portrayed by Timon Kyle Durrett], what she gave up her career for, she's now having all these years later," she shares. "She gets to have her career on her terms as someone who's more settled in her skin and she gets to have this love that's deep and fun and exciting, but also committed. And then she's also getting to be there for her mother."

"While Nicole [portrayed by Duplaix] is becoming a little bit more of the wild child, Dani [has] always felt like a black sheep in the family, the sort of unreliable one [and] the emotional one," she adds. "And now she gets to connect with her mother, .. and I think those moments are so special and really deeply important to her."

Beyond the Gates' Karla Mosley Shares Major Lessons She Learned from 'Titans' Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie

While speaking with PEOPLE about the show's groundbreaking first year, the soap opera veteran opens up about working with Tunie, 66, and Davis, 80, who portray the matriarch and patriarch of the mighty Dupree family. Mosley says it's been "divine" sharing the screen with stars, who she's admired since she was a kid.

"I still sometimes step outside of myself and pinch myself at the fact that these two people are not only my colleagues, but now also my friends," she tells PEOPLE. "That is so divine."

With over 300 episodes under their belt, the cast and crew of Beyond the Gates have spent a lot of time together on set. Mosley tells PEOPLE that during that time, she's been able to learn the true meaning of work ethic and being a leader from both Davis and Tunie.

"[When it comes to] digging deep, how to lead, how to take things seriously and not compromise anything, how to hold yourself to the highest standard, [Tunie] models that every day, and also knows how to have a good time," she says of her onscreen mother. "It's that both of those things can exist. When it's time to play, we can play. And when it's time to work, we are going to work, and demanding excellence."

"And with Mr. Clifton, he teaches the same thing, but with a quiet power, a quiet respect, and a quiet joy, and also a twinkle in his eye. He has a good time, but you know he's going to be there," says Mosley. "He just turned 80 years old. I'm like, 'If this man can come with his lines done, I sure as heck better know my doggone lines when I'm standing in front of him.' "

The daytime drama's ensemble blends together soap opera veterans with newbies, offering a nice mix of seasoned industry professionals and rising talent. According to Mosley, this mixed cast and crew operates more like a family, creating the organic chemistry that plays out onscreen. She adds they even marvel at how much they have started to look alike on set.

"Sometimes I'll walk on set and I'll see, sort of out of the corner of my eye, RhonniRose [Mantilla] and Arielle [Prepetit] in a scene, and I'm like, 'Is that my face?' " she says, referring to the actresses who star as her daughters Chelsea and Naomi. "And I don't think of us as actually looking that much alike, but there are just some moments where it's there."

From her ex-husband Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett) to her newfound love with Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman), Mosley's character, Dani Dupree, has many ties throughout the predominantly Black gated community of Fairmount Crest. However, she considers her connection with Daphnée Duplaix, who stars as her sister Nicole Dupree, to be "one of the greatest love stories on our show."

"Daphnée and I are very close," Mosley says of the duo's connection. "I think that Dani and Nicole's sisterhood is one of the greatest love stories on our show."

"I think that they have a connection and an unspoken commitment to each other that resonates with many sisters, not all, but they're very lucky to have it, and I think that they know that," she tells PEOPLE. "And I think that we both feel that too."

Writers Guild Awards 2026 Winner

Beyond the Gates, Writers: Sara A. Bibel, Jazmen Darnell Brown, Ron Carlivati, Susan Dansby, Cheryl L. Davis, Christopher Dunn, Robert Guza Jr., Gregori J. Martin, Lynn Martin, Danielle Paige, Judy Tate, Michele Val Jean, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS

General Hospital, Head Writers: Elizabeth Korte, Chris Van Etten; Writers: Cathy LePard, Emily Culliton, Nigel Campbell, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Kate Hall, Stacey Pulwer, Ryan Quan, Louise Rozett, Scott Sickles, Micah Steinberg; ABC

The Young and the Restless, Associate Head Writers: Jeff Beldner, Marla Kanelos, Dave Ryan; Writers: Susan Banks, Amanda L. Beall, Marin Gazzaniga, Rebecca McCarty, Madeleine Phillips; CBS/Paramount + (WINNER)

BET Launches ‘Beyond the Gates’ Throwback Block

Beginning Thursday, March 5, 2026, BET will air the first season of Beyond the Gates in a three-hour block, giving viewers a chance to revisit the series from the beginning.

The rebroadcast gives viewers another opportunity to catch up on the drama in Fairmont Crest. Episodes are also available to stream on Paramount Plus and via a dedicated 24/7 FAST channel on Pluto TV.

Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) reacts to a wedding invitation from Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett)and the Dupree family rallies to support her.

Ashley’s (Jen Jacob) first day as a nurse includes a surprise visit from her boyfriend Derek (Ben Gavin) as well as an old friend.

Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) tells Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla) she is done with their father.

Karla Mosley Says She 'Really Can't' Believe Beyond the Gates Is Celebrating Its First Year, Says It Feels 'Surreal'

The soap opera veteran, who stars as Dani Dupree on the daytime drama, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that despite having a front-row seat to all the drama in the predominantly Black gated community of Fairmount Crest, a fictional town located in a Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, D.C, she "really can't" believe the show has reached this historic milestone. For Mosley, reaching this huge accomplishment with her cast and crew members all feels "surreal."

"We've done so much work and I'm incredibly proud of how far we've come," Mosley, 44, tells PEOPLE. "It's gone so fast. I can't believe that just a year ago, we were at the Image Awards, saying the show's coming out tomorrow and doing the whole press tour. It's unbelievable."

From relationship drama and secret affairs to undercover schemes and murder plots, Beyond the Gates has kept viewers entertained every day from the first episode. According to Mosley, the show keeps viewers invested throughout the many twists and turns thanks to the creative genius of Michele Val Jean and CBS Studios president and executive producer Sheila Ducksworth.

"I'm so astounded by the depth of storytelling, the intricacy, the way that [Val Jean's] weaving all of these characters [together]," she says. "I think the show wouldn't exist without her brain and imagination and care."

"And then Sheila is just a pioneer woman. She doesn't take no for an answer. She has vision, [and] she also has years of experience," Mosley continues. "So the two of them together have created something magical."

Beyond the Gates, which premiered last February, made history as the first Black soap opera in 35 years following Generations, which ran for 13 months and concluded in 1991. It was also the first new soap opera to premiere in decades since Passions premiered in 1999 and the first-ever, hour-long daytime drama led by a Black cast.

Rounding out the cast with Mosley are seasoned soap opera stars, like Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis and Daphnée Duplaix, and newbies, like Colby Muhammad, Ambyr Michelle and RhonniRose Mantilla.

"I've never experienced a family like this," she tells PEOPLE. "It's almost a year and a half in and we still are going to each other's birthday parties. We spend a lot of time together. We don't have to be hanging out on the weekends, but we really do."

"We support each other. We support each other's creations. We champion each other," adds Mosley. "It's an ensemble. And that, I think, is the magic."

The Dupree family has been through a lot over the past year, but Mosley promises that the show is only getting started. The actress tells PEOPLE that what's coming next is "so wild," adding that the only thing she can say is that every devoted "Gatekeeper" and newcomer alike should "expect the unexpected."

"[There's] so many twists and turns, but nothing that belies character. It's not going to go to a place where you're just like, "Wait, what?" It all makes sense within the world," the mom of two explains, echoing early sentiments from creator Val Jean about the series. "And what I love about our show is how it balances drama with heart, so you have both of those things working all the time."

For Mosley, who previously starred as Maya Avant, one of the first transgender characters on daytime television, in The Bold and the Beautiful, stepping back into the soap opera world, especially into the role of wild child Dani Dupree, was a transition for her.

"It had been a while since I'd done soaps. I'd been in mom mode for a long time, so I was like, 'Do I even have the brain capacity to step back into this amount of dialogue and this amount of work? I don't know,' " she says, adding that she ultimately decided to take her time with the character and let herself "sink into the script."

When asked if she ever feels a heavy weight on her shoulders when diving into the deeper topics that they highlight on the show, Mosley tells PEOPLE she simply takes each moment "as seriously as possible."

"I never want someone to feel I'm being flippant with an experience that they might be having," she explains. "I will say that there are times when I don't know how something will resonate [or] when there are things that will upset an audience or hit an audience in a deep way."

With an epic crossover with longtime daytime soap opera The Young & the Restless — which Mosley also briefly starred on in 2021 — set for June, the actress promises that many viewers' questions will be answered.

"So many of the storylines that you want to be tied up are going to be tied up, and then more will be revealed. More questions will pop up," she tells PEOPLE. "I saw Michele [Val Jean] post something on Instagram along the lines of, 'Just trust us.' She's like, 'I see your comments. I've seen [them], but just trust. We have a plan."

"And they sometimes astound me with the plan," Mosley continues. "I'm like, 'Wait, what? Oh, okay. And they brought this back. How?' So, they don't forget. They're not just leaving things hanging. And I think there are payoffs that the fans will really enjoy this year."

Beyond the Gates’ Chief Sheila Ducksworth Reflects on Year One of the CBS Soap, ‘The Young and the Restless’ Crossover and Gayle King’s Guest Shot

“Launching a soap has been the most different thing that I have ever done in all of my years of producing,” Ducksworth told Variety’s “Strictly Business” podcast. “This is something that I knew needed to be built to last.”

Ducksworth, who is also president of the CBS Studios/NAACP content partnership, traced the show’s origins to her childhood, when watching “General Hospital” left her wanting more representation on screen. That desire eventually pulled her from New York to Los Angeles with a singular mission: make a soap opera. The show, which centers on the wealthy Black Dupree family living in a gated DMV-area community, officially launched in February 2024 and has aired more than 230 episodes across two seasons.

A major highlight coming this June is a crossover event with CBS’s long-running “The Young and the Restless,” bringing six cast members from that serial into the “Beyond the Gates” universe. “Bringing the Newmans and the Abbotts together with our patriarch and matriarch — it’s going to be a great week,” Ducksworth said.

More immediately, CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King will guest star alongside actress Tamara Tunie in an episode addressing breast cancer awareness, produced in partnership with nonprofit Know Your Lemons. “I truly believe this episode will be changing lives,” Ducksworth said. “It will be saving lives.”

The show also has a cotillion episode planned for May and an unannounced Tony and Grammy Award-winning guest star set for an Easter episode.

Ducksworth developed the show through the CBS Studios-NAACP content venture, alongside head writer Michelle Val Jean and producing partner Procter & Gamble, which has been involved since early 2021. She said reaching this anniversary reflects years of quiet persistence toward a vision she never abandoned.

Inside Chelsea & Madison’s Historic ‘Beyond the Gates’ Proposal

The engagement marks the first for the soap — which will celebrate one year on the air on February 24 — a milestone that holds particular significance for Mantilla. “It is super cool to be a part of that,” says Mantilla. “Especially to be the youngest of the Dupree grandchildren. I kind of knew it was going to be Chelsea because she and Madison are so in love, and Chelsea is just so like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!’ They’re just very excited to live life, and it’s great for it to be two women, and two women of color. Truly, that’s just the most beautiful thing to me.”

Bringing that pivotal moment to life carried deep weight for the actress. “It was nerve-wracking,” Mantilla admits. “It was super emotional because of their really intense journey with Chelsea’s kidnapping and Madison being by her side the whole time and finding her and rebuilding after that and then dealing with Chelsea’s grandmother [being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer] and how helpful she’s been with that and Chelsea’s mom [Dani Dupree, Karla Mosley] getting the BRCA gene. Madison has been through it all with Chelsea and this is just a culmination of their short but very wild love affair. I’m really excited for them. I’m looking forward to their future and Chelsea is just over the moon.”

Though their engagement may feel a bit early in their love story to some, Mantilla sees it as a natural extension of Chelsea’s growth over the past year. “Chelsea, as we know, is still coming into her own and finding what she wants, what she doesn’t want,” points out Mantilla. “And I think that she’s really found what she’s been chasing and what she’s been looking for in Madison. She really just doubles down on that and won’t take no for an answer.”

Off-camera, Mantilla and McNeil have worked to make their connection as strong as it can be. “We’re friends,” says Mantilla. “I don’t know how she juggles it, but she actually has a job outside of this. With our schedules, we try to have brunch and lunch and talk about our characters and our relationships. She’s just the absolute best. She’s super patient, so professional, and she just comes with an absolute open heart, so how can you not love her? As Madison and as Kenjah, she’s perfect.”

That bond has translated seamlessly to the screen. “We work really fast, and sometimes you’re just kind of thrown in, and it’s like, ‘Act like you’re in love,’ and that’s just what you have to do,” notes Mantilla. “But it’s been really easy with her.”

As the show approaches its anniversary, Mantilla marvels at how dramatically her life has changed since the premiere. “I mean, it’s insane in the best way,” she reflects. “It has been life-changing for sure. It still feels new — this is my first on-screen job ever — but I have had the absolute grace to learn from Tamara Tunie [Anita Dupree] and Clifton Davis [Vernon Dupree]. They’re wonderful and have been helpful with everything. I really built a family here, and it’s probably the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it’s the most rewarding, and it’s such a blessing to bring Chelsea to the screen and bring her to life.”

That sense of purpose has extended to the show’s heavier storylines, including its current cancer arc. Playing it out has meant a lot to Mantilla. “I feel like everyone in the world has a connection to cancer,” she says. “I’ve lost aunts to cancer so it’s definitely close to home and playing that my grandmother on the show has cancer is heart-wrenching. When I read it, I was like, ‘This is awful and heartbreaking,’ but it’s so necessary and I’m glad we’re bringing more attention to this topic.”

Mantilla says she’s been bolstered by the enthusiastic fan reaction to the soap, the characters, and the storylines. “I got my first piece of fan mail the other day, which was really exciting,” she shares. “They printed out some pictures of me to autograph, so I’ve sent those out, and it’s just wonderful to see people reacting online and on social media. My followers have gone up. I was never a social media girl before this, and now, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God — I need to post more.’ That’s definitely been the biggest thing, and it’s just really exciting for people to watch our show and really be invested in it.”

At the center of it all is a character Mantilla has come to adore. “I love the fashion, of course,” notes Mantilla. “I feel like she is the mini-me of Dani, so she gets to say some pretty outlandish things. She’s very adventurous, and she is super passionate, and that’s what I love about Chelsea. Whether she thinks before she does something or thinks before she speaks, whatever she’s going to do, she means it wholeheartedly.”

Looking ahead, Mantilla hopes her alter ego has a chance to enjoy the life she’s dreamed of. “Chelsea and Madison are engaged now, and I just want our girl to just be happy and be satisfied with herself,” she concludes. “It’s kind of funny because Kenjah and I were just saying, ‘Okay, they’re happy now. What’s going to happen?’ Because there’s always something that goes wrong. I’m hoping that they can be happy for a while at least. We will see.”

‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Reveals Major Life Change

The actor, formerly known as David Lami Friebe, shared on Instagram that he has legally changed his name to Lami, explaining the deeply personal reason behind the decision.

In the caption, Lami wrote, “- I’m changing my name – Goodbye David Lami Friebe. Now it’s Lami. Singular. The return to my roots.”

The actor explained that Lami was actually his birth name, chosen in honor of a relative his father admired.

“I was Lami until about five years old, when I woke up from a dream and asked my parents to call me David,” he said. “ They said “aight bet” (don’t quote me on that) and from that point David was my nickname.”

He also opened up about the stress his legal name caused while growing up, particularly after his family moved to California. “After we moved to California, throughout school I had a tough time fitting in, and the name “Lami” always stuck out like a pimple. I’d always rush over to ask a new teacher to change the name sheet before roll call, so that they didn’t call my legal name “Lami” out loud. I thought it was embarrassing to be different.”

“So it was David for awhile. Those fears and insecurities stayed tucked in my pocket all the way up until high school.”

That is when things began to change, “Then I grew up. I gained a voice. Started putting myself out there. My senior year I released my first EP, and with that release I turned those pockets inside out. I chose myself, and embraced my authentic identity. I released under the stage name LAMI. But I was still David to those around me.”

He shared, that all changed when he met his future wife, Nia Renee, “She was the first person to ignore David and call me Lami until I started introducing myself as such. She was also the one who encouraged me to take acting classes, write scripts, shoot films.”

The actor shared, “I gained a new level of confidence and skills, but I kept the name “David Lami Friebe” for all things film-related to separate that side of myself from my music, still under “LAMI”. That split in artistic personality survived until now. This industry has a way of shaking up your world, throwing unexpected curveballs and —-ing up your plans, and I’ve learned that the best thing you can do to manage the volatility is to stay true to yourself, trust yourself, trust your work, and lean on your loved ones.”

Lami wrapped up his post with a simple message, adding, “Who I am is the same when I’m singing or acting, holding drumsticks or operating a camera. My art and expression comes from the same place. So there’s no need for two different stage names. There’s no need for six syllables. We can keep it blunt. Straight to the point. Lami.”

Since the actor posted, many of his co-stars responded with their support. Sean Freeman shared, “Yo momma named you Lami, so ima call you Lami! #RESPEK lol” while Jibre Hordges added, “Yessirrrr”

Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS with episodes airing weeknights on Paramount+. Viewers can catch up on the series from the beginning on Paramount+ as well as Pluto TV’s dedicated 24/7 Beyond the Gates FAST channel.

CBS Sets ‘Beyond The Gates’ & ‘Young & The Restless’ Multi-Episode Crossover Event For June

The crossover will feature Y&R’s Eric Braeden, Peter Bergman, Bryton James, Michael Mealor, Susan Walters, and Melissa Ordway, who will appear on Beyond the Gates in episodes scheduled to air in June.

In the episodes, longtime close friends Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) and the powerful patriarch of the Newman family, the legendary Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), arriving in grand style at Fairmont Crest, reunite at a high-profile political fundraiser.

Over the years, Victor has backed Vernon’s political campaigns, while Vernon has championed legislation benefiting Newman Enterprises, an alliance built on loyalty, influence, and mutual gain. Now, Vernon has asked Victor to serve as the keynote speaker for his grandson Martin’s (Brandon Claybon) fundraiser.

Also in attendance are Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Martin, friends who first bonded in New York City after college. Martin extended the invitation to Kyle, who arrived alongside his parents, Jack (Peter Bergman) and Diane (Susan Walters). Abby (Melissa Ordway) and Devon (Bryton James) are also on the VIP guest list, with Devon fielding an unexpected business opportunity from Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie). As the evening unfolds, a shocking event occurs, abruptly derailing the fundraiser and triggering dramatic consequences that will impact every guest in attendance.

The crossover between CBS’ daytime soaps happens a year after the premiere of Beyond the Gates, which airs weekdays at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. The series is produced by CBS Studios, as part of the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, in partnership with P&G Studios

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays at 12:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT. The show is produced by Bell Dramatic Serial Company in association with Sony Pictures Television.

CBS Plans ‘The Young and the Restless’ Daytime Crossover With New Soap ‘Beyond the Gates’

Set to appear from “Y&R” on “Beyond the Gates” are Eric Braeden, Michael Mealor, Peter Bergman, Susan Walters, Melissa Ordway and Bryton James.

Here’s the logline for the episodes: “Longtime close friends Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) and the powerful patriarch of the Newman family, the legendary Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), arriving in grand style at Fairmont Crest, reunite at a high-profile political fundraiser. Over the years, Victor has backed Vernon’s political campaigns, while Vernon has championed legislation benefiting Newman Enterprises, an alliance built on loyalty, influence, and mutual gain. Now, Vernon has asked Victor to serve as the keynote speaker for his grandson Martin’s (Brandon Claybon) fundraiser.”

The explainer continues: “Also in attendance are Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Martin, friends who first bonded in New York City after college. Martin extended the invitation to Kyle, who arrived alongside his parents, Jack (Peter Bergman) and Diane (Susan Walters). Abby (Melissa Ordway) and Devon (Bryton James) are also on the VIP guest list, with Devon fielding an unexpected business opportunity from Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie). As the evening unfolds, a shocking event occurs, abruptly derailing the fundraiser and triggering dramatic consequences that will impact every guest in attendance.”

Making the crossover unique is that the two soaps are produced by different companies: “Beyond the Gates,” which launched in February 2025, comes from the CBS Studios/NAACP Venture, with P&G Studios a partner, while “The Young and the Restless,” which launched in March 1973, comes from Sony Pictures TV and Bell Dramatic Serial Company.

“Beyond the Gates,” which airs weekday afternoons at 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT, was 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 Young and the Restless,” which airs weekdays at 12:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT, comes from exec producer/head writer Josh Griffith and co-exec producer Sally McDonald.

Also Tuesday, CBS shared a new cast photo for the full “Beyond the Gates” ensemble, as seen above. The cast includes, in the front row: Najah Jackson, Brandon Claybon, Colby Muhammad, Daphnee Duplaix, Tamara Tunie, Clifton Davis, Karla Mosley, Arielle Prepetit, RhonniRose Mantilla, Laura Buglioli.

And in the back row: Jaden Lucas Miller, Mike Manning, Keith D. Robinson, Alex Alegria, Marquita Goings, Timon Kyle Durrett, Trisha Mann-Grant, Ambyr Michelle, David Lami Friebe, Sean Freeman, Jen Jacob, Ben Gavin, Jibre Hordges, Kenjah, Jon Lindstrom.

‘Young and the Restless’ & ‘Beyond the Gates’ Historic Crossover: Everything We Know So Far

Multiple characters from Y&R will be making their way to the lavish gated community for what’s sure to be an unforgettable moment in soap history. TV Insider has all the latest updates about the Y&R and BTG crossover, including when it will air, who’s crossing over, and more.

The crossover episodes will air in June. CBS did not announce the specific June dates yet. However, the crossover event will consist of multiple episodes.

Genoa City heavyweights are headed to the DMV. Y&R stars confirmed to appear in the crossover include Eric Braeden as Victor Newman, Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott, Michael Mealor as Kyle Abbott, Susan Walters as Diane Jenkins, Melissa Ordway as Abby Newman, and Bryton James as Devon Winters.

What will The Young and the Restless and Beyond the Gates crossover be about?

In the episodes, Vernon (Clifton Davis) and Victor reunite at a high-profile political fundraiser. Over the years, Victor has backed Vernon’s political campaigns, while Vernon has championed legislation benefiting Newman Enterprises, an alliance built on loyalty, influence, and mutual gain. Now, Vernon has asked Victor to serve as the keynote speaker for his grandson Martin’s (Brandon Claybon) fundraiser.

Also in attendance are Kyle and Martin, friends who first bonded in New York City after college. Martin extended the invitation to Kyle, who arrived alongside his parents, Jack and Diane. Abby and Devon are also on the VIP guest list, with Devon fielding an unexpected business opportunity from Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie). As the evening unfolds, a shocking event occurs, abruptly derailing the fundraiser and triggering dramatic consequences that will impact every guest in attendance.

Beyond the Gates creator Michele Val Jean isn’t ruling out future crossovers. “Right now, we’re so new. And we’re establishing our own characters and our own world. So, I mean, the door is always open to possibilities like that. But right now, as a writer, I want to concentrate on building up our own… the community that we exist in right now,” she told press, including TV Insider, at the CBS TCA Winter Tour presentation.

‘Beyond the Gates’ New Cast Photo: Who’s There & Who’s Missing?

Featured prominently on the couch for Season 2 are the members of the Dupree family — (l-r) Najah Jackson (Samantha Richardson), Brandon Claybon (Martin Richardson), Colby Muhammad (Kat Richardson), Daphnee Duplaix (Nicole Dupree Richardson), Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Clifton Davis (Vernon Dupree), Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Arielle Prepetit (Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), RhonniRose Mantilla (Chelsea Hamilton) — plus Laura Buglioli (Vanessa McBride).

The back row features the rest of the regular cast, including (l-r) Jaden Lucas Miller (Tyrell Richardson), Mike Manning (Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Keith D. Robinson (Ted Richardson), Alex Alegria (Tomas Navarro), Marquita Goings (Hayley Lawson Hamilton), Timon Kyle Durrett (Bill Hamilton), Trisha Mann-Grant (Leslie Thomas), Ambyr Michelle (Eva Thomas), David Lami Friebe (Izaiah Hawthorne), Sean Freeman (Andre Richardson), Jen Jacob (Ashley Morgan), Ben Gavin (Derek Baldwin), Jibre Hordges (Jacob Hawthorne), Kenjah (Madison Montgomery), and Jon Lindstrom (Joey Armstrong).

Not pictured are the latest additions to the cast — soap vets Jordi Vilasuso (Grayson Perez) and Greg Vaughan (Kial Rollins). Also absent is Ernestine Johnson Morrison, whose character, Shanice Johnson, is in a burgeoning romance with Ted, as well as June, played by Jasmine Burke, the biological mother of Samantha and Tyrell Richardson. Darryl W. Handy’s Marcel Malone, whose surprise relationship with Leslie is heating up, is also missing from the photo.

The inclusion of Kenjah seems to indicate that Madison’s romance with Chelsea will go the distance. Plus, Ben Gavin, who was recently taken off contract for season 2, appears to be sticking around.

And look for some additional casting news, teases creator Michele Val Jean. “We might have something coming up,” she shares. “Something I’m excited about, so we’ll see.”

Val Jean couldn’t be more thrilled about the cast and crew that has brought the soap to life over the past year. “They’re committed,” she praises. “This company is, like, the best company ever put together. I love them all so much. They just work their butts off to get the show on the air every day, and they’re excited. And we’re busy writing, plugging away.”

Of the success of the show so far, she marvels, “Thirty years in the business, and I never really thought I would end up here, but I’m grateful and happy to be here and just doing my best. And I will keep doing my best.”

Writers Guild Awards Nominations

‘Beyond the Gates’ 2026 Preview: Nicole’s Love Triangle, ‘Big’ Musical Guest, Anita’s Recovery & More

“It blows me away,” Val Jean marvels. “It still blows me away that the show ever got on the air, and that it’s been around now for a year. We’re into writing Episode 300, and it’s just like, ‘Wow, this really is happening.’”

That sense of awe is matched by pride in the show’s swift cultural impact, including recent NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Hair Styling. “People are noticing,” she points out. “The NAACP Image Award nominations were such a fine surprise to wake up to. I’m very proud.”

Just as meaningful to Val Jean is the audience’s passionate response. “I’ve worked half my life for this,” Val Jean says. “And to have the fans so intense about it and so invested in it — ‘I hate this person,’ ‘I love that person,’ and all of that, which is part of the whole soap experience — when it’s your show, it lands a little differently. I’m just so grateful that people are watching it and loving it and hating it and loving to hate it. It’s humbling.”

As the one-year mark approaches, Val Jean has a heartfelt message to the viewers who have been along for the ride. “Thank you so, so very much,” she says. “Please keep watching. Please keep caring about us. Know that I’m so grateful.”

Looking ahead, Beyond the Gates is leaning into some of its most emotionally weighty storytelling yet. This year kicked off with a trying time for the Dupree family, as Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) discovered she had Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and her daughter, Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) and granddaughter Naomi Hamilton (Arielle Prepetit) have both tested positive for the BRCA gene. Look for that multigenerational tale to continue as the year progresses.

“It just felt right, like it was time to do something like that, because the canvas is now there; people are familiar,” Val Jean explains. “And Anita is such a matriarch. Whatever happens to her, it just flows out to everybody else on the canvas, so she was the obvious choice to me. Plus, there was the opportunity to talk about cancer and how it affects Black women and talk about the BRCA gene and tell a really emotional story at the same time.”

Here’s Val Jean’s exclusive preview of what’s coming up in the months ahead.

“We’re going to see recovery. We’re going to see what happens and what you have to go through, and we’re going to go through all the stuff. It’s going to be hard. There’s pain involved, but it’s going to be a true representation of what a cancer survivor goes through to get to be a survivor.” Look for Vernon (Clifton Davis) to be a constant support for Anita (Tamara Tunie). “He’s there for her through thick and thin, always, and even when she gets to a point where it’s hard for her to hang on, he is her strength.”

“The cancer story is going to bring Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) a little closer and back into the Dupree family, so we’ll see where that goes. It’s always going to be complicated. Bill and Dani have a 30-plus year connection, and he is familiar to her, even though he is also toxic for her. He’s her go-to sometimes when things get really, really tough, but at the same time, she loves Andre (Sean Freeman) with her whole entire heart. And why wouldn’t she? He’s wonderful. So, it’s your classic soap opera triangle, where you root for the one couple and the other one, you’re just screaming, but you want to see it.”

Hayley (Marquita Goings) is still determined to kill Bill and get his money, even though the Dupree drama has thrown a wrench into her plans. “It’s the longest scam she’s ever had to do, and she is over it. She’s irritated. She’s a very determined young woman. Once she invests that much time and energy, she expects her payout.”

With Naomi keeping mum about the fact that she tested positive for the BRCA gene, “Either it’ll bring them closer or it’ll tear them apart. My guess is there will be a controversy between them, but Naomi’s got to do what Naomi’s got to do, whatever that happens to be, and Jacob (Jibre Hordges) knows that about her. Their love is solid, so we’ll see.”

“Nicole [Daphnée Duplaix] is a busy girl right now, busy having fun. And it’s really interesting, because the two men are so different, and she gets different things from both of them. With Carlton [Fitzgerald, Robert Christopher Riley], she feels safe and secure. With Kial [Rollins, Greg Vaughan], he’s exciting and new. Carlton’s kind of always been there, waiting on the sidelines, and Kial is this guy who just came in, and he has no expectations, no judgment, and he’s just a lot of fun. So, be like Nicole.”

“It’s going to be interesting. Ted [Keith D. Robinson] and Shanice [Ernestine Johnson] have a journey that they’re going to go on together.”

“Chelsea [RhonniRose Mantilla] and Madison’s [Kenjah] love affair continues.”

“Kat’s [Colby Natasha Nixon] very much in love with Tomas [Alex Alegria]. She is still very much involved in the marketing of the purse line, and we’re going to see some movement there. And she just might end up close to, in a friendship way, another guy on canvas, when she runs into a few issues with Tomas.”

“Eva’s [Ambyr Michelle] very happy with Izaiah [David Lami Friebe]. It was fast, and it was sparky, but something’s going to happen soon that brings an unlikely foursome together.”

“Smitty’s [Mike Manning] career is going to be resparked by a new series of features that he writes on a particular thing that’s going to be going on. And Martin [Brandon Claybon] is trying to reinvigorate his career because he’s being challenged. Their home life is still really good together.”

“They love each other. It’s a surprise to Joey [Jon Lindstrom], because Joey has sort of put that part of himself in a little box. Because she never gave up, she was so annoying and so frustrating for him, he finally just couldn’t fight it anymore. So, it’ll be interesting to see if Vanessa [Lauren Buglioli] gets what she wants, which is basically to be a full partner with him. She wants to be mob girl, and he’s trying to protect her from herself. He tries to, anyway.”

“Leslie [Trisha Mann] is going to have a new business venture with Joey, and she’s going to keep having fun with Marcel [Malone, Darryl W. Handy], but Ted is always it for her. He’s going to be a hard habit to break. And she’s not happy with the whole Shanice thing.”

“Ashley [Jen Jacob] and Grayson [Jordi Vilasuso] are going to spark and they’re going to face an obstacle pretty quickly afterwards.”

Look for a surprise engagement, plus, “There’s a lot of love in the afternoon. There’s one couple in particular goes to a place sexually that is totally unexpected.”

“We’ve had musical guests before, like Kenny Lattimore and Keke Wyatt, and we’re going to have another musical guest. I’m not at liberty to say who, but it’s big. And I love that we have music in the show, because music is my first love. and I’m excited about this, this Easter show.”

Talk Show Appearance

Sunny Anderson takes Drew on a behind-the-scenes tour of "Beyond the Gates." And films a cameo.

“Beyond the Gates” PSA Campaign Spotlights Know Your Lemons’ Important Initiatives

In the storyline, Anita’s breast cancer diagnosis has been confirmed as triple-negative (TNBC), which is most commonly found in Black women. After revealing the news to her husband, Vernon (Clifton Davis), and daughters, Dani (Karla Mosley) and Nicole (Daphnee Duplaix), the storyline will continue to unfold in months to come as viewers follow Anita’s chemotherapy journey and witness the emotional impact on the family as they navigate genetic testing for both the women and men who must confront the realities of the disease. Viewers will see the physical and mental effects of chemotherapy on Anita, including hair loss and the impact of the results of the BRCA gene test on her daughters and grandchildren.

The campaign not only raises awareness for the character’s breast cancer journey, but it also showcases what it means to be positive for the BRCA gene and how that ripples through families and communities. Anita’s journey offers a heartfelt, realistic look at a tragically common situation. Despite a 44% decline in breast cancer deaths since 1989, there is a mortality gap between Black and white women. Access and awareness are often barriers to Black women getting the care they need. In partnering with Know Your Lemons, BEYOND THE GATES takes a step to bridge this gap.

BEYOND THE GATES executive producers Michele Val Jean and Tracey Thomson, said, “Our goal is to tell a story that raises awareness about the prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer and the importance of regular screenings to aid in early detection. Beyond that, we want to encourage and empower women to take an active role in their own breast health. You are your own best advocate,”

Dr. Corrine Ellsworth Beaumont, CEO and founder of the Know Your Lemons Foundation, said, “So often we don’t learn about breast health until we have a breast problem. In partnership with BEYOND THE GATES, we can educate about the 12 symptoms of breast cancer and share an app that has saved many lives through early detection of breast cancer. Including us in the promotion of Anita’s diagnosis is a meaningful way to not only raise awareness among viewers but also encourage them to get screened, report a change and feel more confident about their health. We’re thrilled to be working alongside the show team to bring this education to everyone.”

Follow self-exam audio guides to understand what feels normal and how to report a change

Get reminders and earn badges to stay on top of screening and monthly self-exams

About the Know Your Lemons Foundation: The Know Your Lemons Foundation is a global nonprofit founded by designer and educator Dr. Corrine Ellsworth Beaumont, PhD, MFA, dedicated to improving early detection of breast cancer through creative, inclusive education. Their Know Your Lemons campaign and award-winning app have reached over 2 billion people worldwide, helping to make breast health knowledge accessible, visual, and the reason why many lives have been saved from breast cancer.

57th NAACP Image Awards Nominations

Outstanding Drama Series
Bel-Air (Peacock)
Beyond The Gates (CBS)
Forever (Netflix)
Paradise (Hulu)
Reasonable Doubt (Hulu)

Outstanding Hair Styling (TV or Film)
“All’s Fair” – Valerie Jackson (Hulu)
“Bel-Air” – Terry Hunt (Peacock)
“Beyond the Gates” – Wankala L. Hinkson (CBS)
“Reasonable Doubt” – Deaundra Metzger (Hulu)
“Sinners” – Shunika Terry (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Meet Grayson on ‘Beyond the Gates’: Jordi Vilasuso Details Character With a ‘Good Heart’

Since getting his daytime start as Tony Santos on Guiding Light in 2000, Vilasuso has built an impressive résumé that includes playing All My Children‘s Griffin Castillo, Days of our Lives‘ Dario Hernandez, and, most recently, Rey Rosales on The Young and the Restless. Now stepping into his fifth soap role, the Daytime Emmy winner is keenly aware of how rare such opportunities have become. “I’m grateful to work in a time where jobs are few and far between,” he says. “It’s a privilege nowadays to work on a TV show, and I’m so encouraged by there being a fifth soap on the air. When I started 25 years ago, there were 10 soap operas. It shows you the viability. The people want these stories. There’s still an audience for them, and it keeps us actors employed.”

The timing of the new role has been especially fortunate for the Vilasuso family. Beyond the Gates films in Atlanta, and the family moved to Nashville last year, a change he says has been nothing but positive. “I left L.A. for a reason, because I knew I didn’t have to be there to work, and my family had an opportunity to go to Nashville, which we’re just loving,” Vilasuso explains. “It’s a three-and-a-half-hour drive to the studio, not bad at all. Sometimes my call time is at 2 p.m., and I’ll leave Nashville at 8 a.m., come here, finish, and then go back, and I get to see my kids.”

Upon arriving on the BTG set, Vilasuso says he was immediately embraced by his new castmates. “It’s just such a great group,” he enthuses. “And it’s so interesting to be on a show that’s just starting. Everybody’s here helping something grow and wanting it to do really well. There’s a lot of loveliness in this place. Sometimes you don’t feel that family dynamic, and on this show in particular, I feel like everybody is just so friendly and welcoming. That’s been really encouraging and just a positive work environment.”

Like AMC‘s Griffin, Vilasuso is once again donning scrubs. “He’s a lab tech, and he’s got a very good heart,” relays Vilasuso of Grayson. “He’s been raised by a single parent for some time, and now the roles have changed because he has to take care of his mother. And he goes to great lengths; I’ll just leave it at that.”

The role also places him in story with Jen Jacob‘s Ashley Morgan, a collaboration he was immediately excited about. “She’s super talented,” he praises. “When I did the chemistry read, I was like, ‘Wow, this would be so great. If I get to work with her, I’m going to be happy.’ And it worked out. She’s just such a pro, works very hard, and I’ll be honest, that hasn’t always been the case with costars, and that just makes the dynamic a lot of fun, and makes coming to work great. She’s reading the scripts and saying, ‘Okay, your storyline is getting so good.’ So, she’s excited, and that’s really what we should be. When you have that, and you’re all able to all be in that place, you’re like, ‘OK, cool.’”

Beyond the creative camaraderie, Vilasuso is enjoying the perks of the show’s production setup. “They actually have craft services here, too, which, by the way, is nonexistent on other shows,” he adds. “It’s a new studio, which is nice. The dressing rooms are great. It’s new sets, which are really nice, too. I’m shooting in Georgia, which I’ve never shot in Georgia, and it’s a beautiful place to shoot. It’s definitely a vibe.”

Outside of his Atlanta commute, Vilasuso has kept plenty on his plate. “It’s funny, when I got this role, I actually booked a movie, I booked a commercial, and I got funding for my project, all in the same week,” he marvels. “It was insane. It was such a blessing. And I had to say no to the commercial, and they moved the dates for the movie so I could do this show, which had never happened to me in my life. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, you can move the dates for me? That’s amazing.’”

Reflecting on the past year, the actor notes just how dramatically his circumstances have shifted. “This time last year, I was definitely in a much different place,” he says. “And I just have a lot of gratitude in my life. I’m feeling good. I’m feeling really, really excited. I feel like there’s an opportunity here for Grayson to go in a lot of different directions.”

Vilasuso also remains deeply appreciative of the viewers who have supported him throughout his career. “I have fans that have become like friends,” he concludes. “I feel so blessed for the fans that I still have that watch me, that are always asking me, ‘When are we going to see you on TV again?’ And I’m so grateful that I have a really great answer for them now and a really great show. So, I can’t wait, and I’m hoping that we can keep this audience growing and alive, and that this is just the beginning of bringing soaps back to TV and broadcast television.”

Beyond The Gates Season 1 Returns To Paramount+ After Viewer Uproar

Fans were in an uproar when they discovered that the show’s first 200 episodes were no longer available for viewing. While it is standard practice for Paramount+ to remove the entirety of a previous season upon the dawn of a new one (this practice has also affected the service’s back catalog of Bold and Beautiful and Young and Restless episodes), watchers who had fallen behind on BTG during the busy holiday season and appeared no longer to be able to catch up on what they had missed were particularly taken aback.

On his official Facebook page, BTG star Sean Freeman (Andre) emphasized with upset viewers, writing, “A quick update for BTG fans: My castmates and I were just as surprised as you to find out that Season 1 is no longer available on Paramount+. Our cast group chat is going up right now lol! Apparently, this is a common practice— Paramount willsometimes remove past seasons to make way for new ones. We’re currently working on finding the best place for you to watch those final episodes. Please hang tight! In the meantime, don’t miss the new episodes airing on CBS— Season 2 has officially begun, so be sure to tune in or record them. Thanks for your patience and support! Signed, Your self-appointed team rep who goes by the name of Andre Richardson.”

Paramount+ has not issued a statement about its decision, but the news was met with celebratory messages from fans across social media platforms. Freeman also cheered the news, exulting on Facebook, “JUST IN: All season one episodes of Beyond The Gates are back up. The drought is over!!!! Run it up!!!! Thank you, Paramount+.”

Mike Manning (Smitty) joined in the happy chorus celebrating the restoration of the episodes as well. On X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “Hey #BeyondTheGates fans, Season 1 should now be back on @paramountplus. As a brand new show, we know how important it is to make episodes accessible to as many as we can. Thanks for sticking w/ us!” Replied user @@JammiLGeter, “Yay. Glad to hear they are back up. I’m still working on catching up! Love the show.”

The series’s first season is also available to watch on Pluto TV, which launched a dedicated BTG channel back in August 2025.

Jordi Vilasuso Poised For Daytime Comeback on Beyond The Gates!

Vilasuso burst onto the soap scene 25 years ago when he was cast as Tony Santos on Guiding Light. He exited the show in 2003, the same year he nabbed a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor. His next daytime gig was on All My Children, where he portrayed Griffin Castillo from 2010-11. After AMC’s cancellation, it was revived online for a spell in 2013, and Vilasuso returned as Griffin for the reboot. Next, from 2016-17, he played the role of shady Dario Hernandez on DAYS. On Y&R, his Rey was in a popular romance with Sharon, played by Sharon Case, when the character was unexpectedly killed off.

When Soap Opera Digest broke the news of his exit, the actor told us exclusively, “Playing Rey Rosales on The Young and the Restless for the past 4 years has been an incredible experience that has brought me immense joy as an actor,” and he voiced his gratitude tot he show’s head writer/executive producer, Josh Griffith, for “the opportunity to sink my teeth into storylines that were some of the highlights of my career in this genre.”

That the actor has landed on BTG was revealed in the promo for the soaps’ second season, which is premiering on January 2, 2026. In the trailer, the actor can be seen — albeit briefly — interacting in an amorous way with Jen Jacob’s Ashley. A rep for the show confirmed that Vilasuso does appear in the promo, but stayed mum about the name of the actor’s new character or his exact first airdate.

Soapy S2 Ep 8 | Michele Val Jean & Jeresa Featherstone

Procter & Gamble Backs New Soap Opera Consisting Entirely of Micro-Episodes

The consumer-products giant behind household staples like Tide, Crest and Pampers has been entwined with daytime serials for nearly a century, helping to produce radio dramas like “The Guiding Light”; daytime TV mainstays including “As the World Turns”; and a recent revival of the format called “Beyond the Gates” that airs on CBS. Now the company hopes to reach digitally savvy consumers with an intriguing twist on the old formula.

In January, P&G will launch “The Golden Pear Affair,” a 50-episode “microsoap” that will be made available initially via social media and, later, a bespoke mobile app. The idea, say backers of the new program, is to reach people who are used to giving content a swipe on a mobile phone, rather than those who sit back and passively swoon in front of a more traditional screen.

Will fans of the original concept flock to new one? The bite-sized episodes “are serialized dramas. They are soapy and there are going to be some elements that are a little out there,” says Anna Saalfeld, head of P&G Studios. But the new series — some people behind the scenes refer to it as a “short opera” — is “definitely social-first. It is optimized for viewing on your screen. It is very snackable. There are key differentiators” from old-school programs.

“The Golden Pear Affair” is meant to highlight Procter’s Native line of personal-care products. A new collection of “Global Flavors” products sport fragrances from around the world, and will likely get some nods during all the action in “Pear.” “It’s got romance. It’s certainly got adventure. And it’s a lot of fun,” says Geneva Wasserman, global executive vice president of entertainment IP strategy and investment at Dentsu, the agency that has worked with Procter & Gamble on creating the series.

Native may have more room for such play. The brand was founded in 2015 with a commitment to clean formulae for its products. P&G acquired it in 2017 — a nod, perhaps, to the growing clout of start-up consumer brands such as Dollar Shave Club, Honest Co. or BodyArmor. Native is no Tide or Old Spice, which are instantly recognizable and potentially harder to slip into a piece of programming without distracting the viewer.

“Golden Pear Affair” stars Nick Ritacco and Aloyna Real, two actors who have played roles in other microdramas. The Native products being spotlighted will be available only via the brand’s website and in Target stores. The hopes is that viewers will swipe their way through the whole production.

“We want you to have a little smile and a laugh, but also a shock, and ask ‘What’s going to happen next?’” says Wasserman.

Procter is the latest to enter the growing frenzy around what is known as “microcontent,” or programming with stories and plots that are told over the course of dozens of episodes that may last just a minute or two (some parts of “Golden Pear” may go as long as two and a half minutes). In recent months, several companies have begun to supply bite-sized dramas and serials for venues like TikTok or Meta’s Reels. In China, the content capsules have already proven quite popular. Microdramas could generate as much as $11 billion in 2026, according to estimates from Omdia, a London consultancy.

Already, U.S. media companies are trying to woo adherents of shorter stuff to their own venues, well aware that a rising generation of viewers is growing accustomed to having more control over the content they watch. Viewers can now swipe away instantly if they’re bored with something.

Spanish-language giant TelevisaUnivision in 2025 offered sponsorships tied to a new wellspring of “microdramas”– as many as 30 different titles. But the company plans to increase its production to as many as 100 in 2026. The company recently produced a Spanish-language microdrama for the large retailer JCPenney.

Others are courting similar (short) attention. When ESPN unveiled its much-ballyhooed new “ultimate” streaming service earlier this year, it did so along with a new interactive version of “SportsCenter” that is perfect for young sports aficionados with limited time. “SportsCenter for You” doesn’t feature anchors or intros. It serves up quick, consecutive clips — a key play, a short report from a correspondent — all narrated by Hannah Storm or handful of other ESPN personnel, boosted by A.I. ESPN calls its rapid-fire clips “verts.” Meanwhile, the new Fox One streaming service features “shorts” that let users dive into their favorite topics or programs with a series of attenuated video vignettes.

“Golden Pear” drama starts from the first second of the program. The heroine is marrying a crime boss, and things pick up from there, says Jonas Barnes, founder of Pixie USA, a Georgia-based microdrama studio that produced the new series. The hope is that any nods to Native won’t get in the way of viewers enjoying the show. “What’s really important is making the product part of the story where it’s instrumental. and not just on the table. Or the character picking it up and saying, ‘Look what I got.’”

Procter & Gamble wants to get Native into the hands of young consumers. To do so, the company needs to connect with them in the venues where they get their content — and accommodate their behaviors. “A lot of our growth is going to come from multicultural consumers. A lot of our growth is going to come from younger consumers, says Saalfield. “This format really affords us” an opportunity to speak with them in ways they might appreciate.

Executives believe viewers will stick around for the high production values of the series, as well as some of the humor and sudsy antics. Procter will be counting the length of time people interact with the episodes, and how many they watch, among other behaviors.

Add up all the views, says Wasserman, and they may just equal something bigger than the sum of its parts “If you watch it all, you’ve got an hour, maybe an hour and a half of content — like a feature film.”

63rd ICG Publicists Awards 2026 TV Nominees

Maxwell Weinberg Award for Television Publicity Campaign
Andor - Walt Disney Studios, Lucasfilm/Disney+
Beyond the Gates - CBS Studios/CBS
Nobody Wants This - 20th Television/Netflix
The Pitt - Warner Bros. Television/HBO
Stranger Things 5 - Netflix/Netflix
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox - 20th Television/Hulu

Beyond The Gates: Greg Vaughan Is Ready To 'Ruffle Feathers' In Fairmont Crest — And Ignite Sparks With Nicole

At least that's how Vaughan describes Dr. Kial Roberts to TVLine, adding that he was a little nervous when "Beyond the Gates" creator Michele Val Jean, with whom he previously worked on "General Hospital," first described the role.

"I was taken back a bit when I asked Michele what the character was and she said, 'You're going to be a doctor, but that's all I can share,'" Vaughan tells TVLine. "I've never portrayed that, and I've probably always feared that a little bit, just because it comes with big verbiage, words that are unfamiliar to me, not my everyday vocabulary, so I knew I was going to have my work cut out for me."

Fortunately, as a father of "three boys that spend a lot of their time injured, and the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree," Vaughan found specializing in orthopedics to be a natural fit. "This is right in my lane," he says. "It's not like I'm playing a heart surgeon or a brain surgeon."

So, what do we know about this mysterious new doctor? "He's a widower, a traveler — a nomad, if you will — who goes from hospital to hospital," Vaughan explains. "So he's never in town for too long, but always long enough to make a dent, and really make his presence known."

Of course, no daytime leading man would be complete without a love interest, and it's already clear which of Fairmont Crest's eligible bachelorettes will be booking a physical with the good doctor — Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix)! Don't even pretend like you don't feel the chemistry between them in the clip below, which ends with the pair's first kiss... on the hand.

Vaughan isn't ready to give away the future of Kial's love life, but he does confirm that "a lot of things are blossoming." Vaughan started filming in early November, so a lot has happened that viewers have yet to see.

And since "Beyond the Gates" technically exists in the same universe as "The Young and the Restless" (via the multiple crossovers we've seen so far), we couldn't help but reminisce about Vaughan's time on "Y&R," where he played Diego Gutierrez from 2002 to 2003. Would he ever step back into the role, more than 20 years later?

"If that was something that happened, I would totally embrace it," Vaughan says. "But that was so long ago. I don't even know if that character would be remembered."

Greg Vaughan Previews His New Beyond the Gates Character: ‘He’s Reshaping His Life’

Joining the cast of BTG came about when the new soap’s head writer, Michele Val Jean — who was a script writer at GH during Vaughan’s tenure as Lucky — called him up out of the blue. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t spoken to Michele in a long time,” Vaughan recalls. “I pick it up, and she’s like, ‘Hey Greg, it’s Michele.’ And I’m like, ‘What do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?’ And she’s like, ‘I have a role, so give me an answer.’ And I’m like, ‘What do you mean?’ And she’s like, ‘I have a role that I want you to take, so yes or no,’ and I’m like, ‘Well, what is it?’ And she’s like, ‘It’s a yes or no conversation right now, okay? I’ve written it, it’s for you. Do you want it? Because if you come, I’m going to write this. Yes? Okay, done. I’ll have people call you.’”

Despite not knowing exactly what he had just gotten himself into, the actor was excited to be getting back to work. “I mean, it’s been 15 months,” says Vaughan, referring to the end of his time on contract at DAYS (he has subsequently popped in for visits as Eric). “I took time off and I embraced it, but now I’d love to get back into the game because, if you know the industry well enough, there’s not been a lot of work going on.”

And he did eventually get a little hint as to the character he’d be playing before the actual scripts started rolling in. “Another week went by, and I’m like, ‘You know that conversation we were supposed to have? Because I’m now getting contracts that I need to be there in Atlanta without scripts,’” he recounts with a laugh. “So I was like, ‘Can you send me some kind of a synopsis?’ And she’s like, ‘You are a traveling sports orthopedic surgeon. Widower. Father of two boys.’”

The idea of playing a doctor spouting medical jargon was daunting, but Vaughan was up for the challenge. “This is the fear that I have had to be in this medical world, this dialogue that one would share with another doctor,” he admits, “but when she gave me that it was a traveling orthopedics doctor, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m a father of three boys [real-life sons Jathan, Cavan, and Landan]. I’ve been hurt a lot, they’ve been hurt. I’ve spent a lot of time recently in the ER because of my sons and their motorcycles, so I can do this.’”

Already familiar with Val Jean from GH and aware that BTG had made quite a splash since it premiered in February 2025, Vaughan’s anticipation to begin working was soon growing. “I knew the success as it was launched was picking up,” he says of the fledgling soap. “I saw a lot of articles going on about the show. But then a few of my former co-stars that I worked with on Queen Sugar [as Calvin] were there [such as Timon Kyle Durrett, Bill, who played Davis], and I reached out to them, trying to get a pulse on the temperature out there, and they were like, ‘Bro. You need to come! I can’t wait.’ They were sending me emojis of like, confetti flying everywhere [to show] how excited they were if I would come. So I just leaned into it. This was an opportunity to do something outside of what I had been accustomed to doing the last 10 years. So it was refreshing, and it’s been fantastic.”

Vaughan teases that fans who are familiar with him from his previous soap roles are about to see him in a whole new light, as Kial is completely different from his other daytime characters. “He’s been more introverted as he’s getting the lay of the land in a new environment, a new hospital,” the actor previews. “He’s not aggressive with his approach. He’s just embracing it and a sponge, if you will, soaking it up. And he’s a nomad, because he’s a traveling orthopedic surgeon, so he’s never rooted in one place. He’s just kind of reshaping his life, and I’m reshaping a character that hasn’t been established. So I’m just enjoying this journey.”

The actor hopes that fans of his from the other soaps tune in to check him out on BTG. “My grandmother was the biggest CBS watcher, so I did Young and the Restless for her,” he says. “But let me tell you, Beyond the Gates is so fresh, so well written, and so much talent for such a new show. I’d say this is already, like, veteran quality television, and I’m just happy to be a part of it. And I hope this character is somebody that each and every one of these fans will be excited to see and wanting more.”

Vaughan is confident that his storyline will be a hit with fans. “You’re gonna love it,” he predicts of what Kial gets mixed up in. “It’s got drama. It’s got everything you’d want a soap to have.”

Jon Lindstrom Breaks Down His ‘General Hospital’ Return as Kevin Collins

For the actor, who is currently playing Joey Armstrong on Beyond the Gates, it was a matter of working out his schedule. “It’s just been difficult to find the time,” explains Lindstrom, who shoots the new CBS soap in Atlanta.

Looking back, Lindstrom says the decision to trade Port Charles for Fairmont Crest wasn’t a tough one. “In all fairness to me, it had whittled down to about one or two shows a month, so Kevin had been fairly inactive for a long time,” he points out. “I haven’t seen him have a really active story since the show Port Charles, or unless Ryan [Chamberlain, Kevin’s twin] was around, so it was kind of a no-brainer.”

Still, he knew taking the job on BTG would impact his GH appearances. “When I called Frank [Valentini, GH’s executive producer] to tell him that I would be going to do Beyond the Gates on Election Day 2024, he asked me, ‘Can you do both?’” relays Lindstrom. “I said, ‘Well, technically, yes, because I’m not under contract. The only stickler is that they’re 2,000 miles apart.’ So, there were just logistical problems along the way over the last year where they would reach out every now and again and ask if I was available for one episode or another episode in the middle of a week, and that’s impossible for me to do from out here because Gates takes up a lot of my time.”

Even so, GH found a way to make a visit work. “To their credit, they came to me and said, ‘What if we stack a bunch of shows up over a couple of days? Will that be worth your while to make the trip out?’” he shares. “And the short answer is, ‘Yes, of course.’ Besides, I think Genie [Francis, Laura Collins] is getting tired of talking to a disembodied Kevin on the phone.”

Returning to the soap he first joined in 1993 carried emotional weight for Lindstrom. “I love those people,” he says. “I love all of them. So many great things in my life are a direct result of my association with General Hospital. Coming back, the beautiful thing is a lot of people don’t know you’re coming back, so they see you in the hallway, and they’re really happy to see you. It was like, ‘My God, Jon, how long has it been?’ And then you walk on the stage, and they can’t believe that they’re actually seeing you, so it’s great. It’s like coming back to see old friends and a great reunion around it.”

Among those reunions, reconnecting with Francis was a standout. “I love working with Genie, and she and Jonathan [Frakes, her husband] have become really close friends,” he notes. “I hadn’t seen them in over a year, so to be able to just sit down and hang out in the dressing room with Genie and catch up and talk about life and how things are, I was really excited to do that. I also ran into Maurice [Benard, Sonny Corinthos], and we had a little bit of work together. I love Mo.”

Once back on set, slipping back into character as Kevin proved effortless. “Like putting on a comfortable old suit,” Lindstrom reports. “It did feel like going back to my hometown. I haven’t lived in my hometown since 1978, but I still have that feeling whenever I step off the plane into the Medford, Oregon, terminal. It’s like, ‘Wow, I’m home. This feels really familiar.’ And it’s a good feeling. They say you can’t go home again. I don’t know if that’s true.”

Story-wise, Kevin will quickly get caught up to speed about Laura turning to Sonny for help in the wake of Professor Henry Dalton’s (Daniel Goddard) death. “Genie, who never slouches, never walks through a scene, is just terrific in this story,” he praises. “Kevin doesn’t love her relationship with Sonny, but he also understands it. Being the shrink that he is, he understands the value of human connection.”

While Kevin’s return will be impactful, Lindstrom is also energized by his work on BTG. “I’m absolutely loving it,” he declares. “Michele Val Jean [BTG’s creator] has written really great characters for me in the past — she wrote all the great Ryan and Kevin stuff back in the day — so when she came to me and said, ‘Oh, by the way, I threw your name out to the network, and they approved you,’ I was stunned. I haven’t had a character this good, this layered, this interesting, this much fun to play since I played Ryan Chamberlain the first time around.”

And in a twist that amuses him, Joey resembles a GH fave. “I was with Michele at the GH Emmy party, and we were talking to Maurice, and Mo goes, ‘So what’s this character that you do?’” Lindstrom recalls. “And Michele laughs and goes, ‘He’s you. He’s the Sonny of the DMV.’ And I said, ‘I think Joey has a much better sense of humor than Sonny Corinthos.’”

Part of the thrill of being on BTG, he adds, is working with a clean slate. “One of the reasons I really love doing this show is because it’s new,” he says. “It’s because of that energy of everyone wanting it to work and be seen and enjoyed by a lot of people. It’s hard to get a show off the ground, but that energy and focus of trying to find the rhythm of something that doesn’t know its rhythm yet is hard to beat. And to have that feeling at this time of my career and my life is such a gift to me. Boy, I’ll tell you, Mick Jagger was right when he said, ‘Do what you love, it keeps you young.’ I get up every morning ready to go to work. I want to go to work. I want to be a part of this, and it’s really wonderful.”

Outside of acting, Lindstrom is juggling multiple creative projects. His next book, Hollywood Payback, will be released on April 14, 2026, and he’s the host of a new pilot, The Bible on Trial, but he’d be open to another appearance in Port Charles. “It all comes down to scheduling,” he says. “I’ll do GH anytime. I just don’t know if we can work it out. I’m busier than I’ve ever been, and I thought I’d be retired by now!”

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