CBS is shaking up daytime TV with its groundbreaking new soap opera, Beyond the Gates, premiering this fall. Dubbed the network’s first historical drama centered on a multigenerational Black family in the 1920s, the show is already making waves. But here’s the real tea: The cast is packed with familiar faces you’ve definitely seen somewhere else. Let’s spill the secrets behind these stars’ hidden resumes!
1. Vivian Carter (Played by Angela Lewis)
If Angela Lewis looks familiar, it’s because she stole scenes as no-nonsense Aunt Louie in Snowfall. But FX fans aren’t the only ones who’ve seen her shine. She also guest-starred in Grey’s Anatomy as a grieving mother and voiced a fan-favorite character in Netflix’s BoJack Horseman. Now, she’s trading South Central for the splendor of the Jazz Age as the matriarch of the show’s ambitious Fontaine family.
2. Marcus Fontaine (Played by Tristan Wilds)
Tristan Wilds is not new to playing heartthrobs. Millennials will scream, “That’s Dixon from 90210!” Gen Z? They’ll recognize him as the brooding cop in Meadowland opposite Olivia Wilde. But did you know he got his start as Michael Lee on The Wire? Wilds brings that same raw intensity to Marcus, the family’s rebellious heir fighting for equality in a divided society.
3. Clara Fontaine (Played by Ryan Destiny)
This rising star’s glow-up is unreal. Ryan Destiny first turned heads as Skye on Star and later as a futuristic warrior in The Tomorrow War. But her breakout role? The singing trio Lionsgate in Lowriders. In Beyond the Gates, she’s ditching microphones for mystery, playing Clara, a sharp-tongued journalist unearthing family secrets.
4. Elijah Fontaine (Played by Malik Yoba)
Soap opera newbie? Hardly. Malik Yoba is a legend. ’90s kids still quote his iconic New York Undercover lines, and Disney fans adored him in Cool Runnings. Recently, he popped up in Empire and Designated Survivor. Now, he’s the Fontaine patriarch serving old-money elegance—and a lot of hidden scandals.
Why Beyond the Gates Is Making History
CBS isn’t just reviving the soap genre—it’s redefining it. The show features television’s first all-Black leading ensemble in a period soap opera, with costumes and sets dripping in Harlem Renaissance glam. Showrunner Lena Boyd teased, “This isn’t just drama—it’s a love letter to resilience, with twists you’ll never see coming.”
Mark Your Calendars!
Whether you’re a soap superfan or just here for the stellar cast, Beyond the Gates promises forbidden romances, shocking betrayals, and plenty of “Wait, I know that actor!” moments. Catch the premiere on September 16th on CBS. And hey, start Googling the cast now—you’ll wanna brag that you knew them before they blew up!