Film & TV
‘Beyond the Gates’ Brings Must-see Drama, Romance, and Black Excellence To Daytime Television
CBS premiered its brand new show, Beyond the Gates, marking a significant milestone in television history as the first new daytime soap opera to debut on a major American broadcast network in over 25 years. The last time viewers welcomed a daytime soap was in 1999 with NBC’s Passions. Beyond the Gates, however, brings a different kind of groundbreaking energy to the genre through its addictive plot and a brilliant cast comprised of Black veteran actors and newcomers.
The Duprees are a prominent, multi-generational family living in the gated community of Fairmont Crest in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. Storylines have nothing to do with the current political climate but instead with internal family turmoil that slowly begins to taint the image of the Duprees to the outside world.
Tony Award nominee and Broadway powerhouse Clifton Davis (Vernon Dupree) is the head of this family unit alongside Law and Order SVU star Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree). Daphne Duplaix and Karla Mosley co-star as the couple’s daughters (Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson and Dani Dupree Hamilton).
Vernon is the patriarch and a retired senator who played a key role in the Civil Rights movement. His wife, Anita, is a Chicago native and a former singer who gave birth to Nicole and Dani shortly after the two got married.
Viewers can immediately witness the power of the Duprees within their community during the first few minutes of episode one. The initial scene shows a radiant Anita driving into Fairmont Crest’s Country Club in a limousine and exiting the vehicle, revealing an eye-catching shiny trouser suit.
The Dupree matriarch meets with daughters Nicole and Dani, who struggles following her divorce from Bill Hamilton. Later in the episode, Dani is seen at a club with Hayley, Bill’s Fiancee, who had an affair with him during their marriage. To Dani’s surprise, Hayley is there to retrieve the keys to the house on Marigold Road (the same land on which her grandfather built the Fairmont Crest Community). This turn of events is one of many unexpected moments from the series’ first hour.
The first Black female executive producers in all of daytime drama – Sheila Ducksworth and Val Jean – spoke about the significance of ‘Beyond The Gates’.
” I’d say it’s been a couple of decades in the making that I’ve wanted to actually produce and make a soap opera,” Ducksworth told CBS Mornings. “But what I felt was missing was one that centered on the Black experience.”
“I just wanted to see people that looked like me,” Jean told CBS Mornings. “I didn’t want downtrodden Black people. I wanted rich, messy Black people that carry the stories.”
To make the show more realistic of the black experience, a crew of more than 200 people worked around the clock to bring the show to life, including seasoned professionals in Black Hair and makeup.
Fans can discover how the Duprees navigate their new realities by streaming the soap opera on Paramount+ or watching it live on CBS.
Thursday, Nov. 20 – ‘Black Panther’s Chadwick Boseman received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The late actor’s wife, Simone Ledward-Boseman, accepted the honor on his behalf.
Boseman, best known for his roles as King T’Challa in ‘Black Panther,’ Jackie Robinson in ’42,’ and James Brown in ‘Get On Up,’ died in 2020 at the age of 43 after a private battle with cancer. The news of his passing was sudden and came as a shock to many, including Boseman’s collaborators and close friends, who revealed they did not know of his illness.
Ryan Coogler, who directed Boseman in “Black Panther,” and Davis, who co-starred opposite him in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” spoke at the ceremony. Both spoke candidly of who Chadwick was as a human, an actor, and a friend.
Boseman’s co-stars Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan also attended the ceremony, as well as Chadwick’s brothers, Kevin and Derrick.
See photos from the star unveiling ceremony below.
Letitia Wright, Simone Ledward-Boseman, Michael B. Jordan 
Chadwick Boseman’s star 
Viola Davis, Kevin and Derrick Boseman, Simone Ledward-Boseman 
Letitia Wright, Simone Ledward-Boseman, Michael B. Jordan 
Ryan Coogler 
Viola Davis 
Kevin and Derrick Boseman, Simone Ledward-Boseman 
Simone Ledward-Boseman & Chadwick Boseman’s star 
Chadwick Boseman’s star 
Kevin and Derrick Boseman 
Chadwick Boseman’s star 
Chadwick Boseman’s star
For those who wish to visit and pay their respects, the star is located at 6904 Hollywood Blvd., across from the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Film & TV
Peacock To Release a New Docuseries “Tiffany Haddish Goes Off”
Inspired by the film “Girls Trip,” the series follows Tiffany Haddish and her childhood friends on their vacation across the continent of Africa
Three Los Angeles-based screenwriters, Tyrone Perry, Shon Oku, and Joshua Isaacson, filed a lawsuit on July 30, 2025, alleging that Issa Rae-produced “One of Them Days” copied their original screenplay titled “One of Those Days.” The lawsuit claims copyright infringement, idea theft, and conversion.
Specifically, the writers allege that there are 29 similarities in character arcs, plot structure, and overall tone between the film and their script. They shared their script with producer Xavier Charles, who had previously worked with Issa Rae on her HBO series, “Insecure.” After Charles declined to produce their project, Rae’s company announced “One of Them Days” shortly thereafter. The lawsuit claims this proximity in timing, coupled with Charles’s connection to Rae, points to unauthorized use of their material.
The released buddy comedy film, starring Keke Palmer and SZA, centers on best friends and roommates Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who find themselves in a chaotic race against the clock to avoid eviction.
The central conflict arises when Alyssa’s boyfriend blows their rent money on a bad investment. Faced with the threat of being evicted from their Los Angeles apartment, the duo goes to extreme lengths to find the necessary funds before their landlord’s deadline. The film is filled with comical situations and highlights the strength and quirks of their friendship as they navigate the challenges of their “one of those days” scenario.
To support their claims, the writers hired veteran screenwriter John Brancato, who reviewed both scripts and concluded that the similarities were “substantial”.
The lawsuit names Issa Rae’s company ColorCreative, Sony Pictures, TriStar, and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton. It seeks a jury trial, damages, and attorney’s fees. Representatives for Rae and Sony have not yet commented publicly on the allegations.
Chadwick Boseman Honored With a Star On Hollywood walk of Fame (Photos)
Peacock To Release a New Docuseries “Tiffany Haddish Goes Off”
Issa Rae Sued Over “One of Them Days”
DeVon Franklin Marries Fitness Influencer Maria Castillo in Star-Studded, ‘Deeply Spiritual’ Wedding
