Do you have a favorite soap opera? Are you planning to watch Beyond the Gates when it premieres on Monday, February 24? Do you love seeing Tamara Tunie rocking silver strands as much as we do? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Are you a fan of daytime soap operas, Sis? If the answer is yes, you already know that watching soaps can offer a guilty pleasure escape from reality (a welcome respite in these turbulent times) to a world immersed in opulence, elegance, romance, adventure and intrigue.
The drama unfolding is even more enjoyable when centered around affluent Black characters residing in elite area codes. That’s why we can’t wait to watch Beyond the Gates, the first one-hour Black daytime drama to ever air on television and the debut project from a joint venture between CBS Studios and the NAACP.
Starring stage and screen veterans Tamara Tunie and Clifton Davis, the show is set in a posh gated community in suburban Maryland, a longtime enclave for wealthy Black folks. The plot twists and turns follow the powerful and prestigious multi-generational Dupree family, with plenty of juicy secrets and scandals waiting to be uncovered.
I come from a family of strong women, right? I also enjoy finding the multiple dimensions of these strong women characters. Because we’re human beings, we also have flaws. So, I’m always interested in finding out what this person’s vulnerability is, what weakness she might have, and what drives her to aspire to be this strong Black woman.
The role of the glamorous, gray-haired matriarch Anita Dupree marks Tunie’s return to daytime television. Soap fans will recall her as attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap As the World Turns, for which she received two NAACP Image Award nominations.
We also remember the captivating actress from her commanding roles as a temptress in The Devil’s Advocate opposite Keanu Reeves, a flight attendant in Flight opposite Denzel Washington, and from her recurring role as formidable medical examiner Dr. Melinda Warner on NBC’s long-running Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Sisters from AARP chatted with Tunie ahead of Beyond the Gates’s Feb. 24 premiere (the show airs weekdays from 2:00–3:00 p.m., ET; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+). Here’s what the stunning 65-year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native had to say about the new show, her strong-willed characters, aging gracefully, and more.
What does it mean to you to be part of the first one-hour Black daytime drama ever to air on television?
It’s historic. Its glass ceiling is breaking, and it feels incredibly thrilling. I’m so delighted and honored to be a part of this show. I honestly can say this would be the only thing that would bring me back to daytime television because of the focus of this show. The central family is African American—a family of influence and affluence. They’re wealthy, they’re powerful. The head writer is Michele Val Jean, an African American writer who’s a legend and has been writing daytime drama for 30 years. [Val Jean] should have been leading a show long before now, but you know, she was never given that opportunity. All of those things have been so important to my decision to say, “Yes, I want to be a part of this.” And I’m coming home to my old network from my As the World Turns days. So, I’m really proud and happy to be here.
Tell us about your character and what we can expect.
My character, Anita Dupree, is the matriarch of the Dupree family. She’s married to Vernon Dupree [Clifton Davis, Amen], a retired senator. She has two daughters, Nicole [Daphnee Duplaix, One Life to Live] and Dani [Karla Mosley, The Bold and the Beautiful], who have their own children. So she’s a grandmother, and she is someone who is vital and a force of nature in her own right. She is a lioness. You know, she is loving but, at the same time, fierce. When she was younger, she had a career with a singing group. And then she went on to have a solo singing career before focusing on her husband’s political career and her family.
Beyond the Gates is set in the DMV (short for District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia). Where do you actually film the show?
We’re filming in Atlanta, which is fantastic. There are so many capable and talented crew members. And I’m just going to talk about behind the scenes or below the line, as we say in the business. The people doing the hair and makeup, building and lighting the sets, running the cameras, the production assistants, et cetera. And there’s a wealth of African American talent here in Atlanta that provides the opportunity to support this show that focuses on an African American family and African American culture. That being said, it is still a diverse cast, which is wonderful. But with our leadership being Sheila Ducksworth with the CBS-NAACP venture and Michele Val Jean—having them lead it and realize their vision with the support of the cast and crew is amazing.
Lena was the role model and example of anything I might aspire to be in the entertainment business...Just watching her give 200 percent every single performance, and she never missed a performance. It set the bar for me...It was like a master’s degree in how to give of yourself to an audience and how to be a professional in this business. So that was a gift.
You got your start in the business singing backup for Lena Horne on Broadway. What was that experience like?
I moved to New York after I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University to pursue my career. And [Lena] had a show on Broadway called Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. It was about a year into her run when I joined the show, and Lena was the role model and example of anything I might aspire to be in the entertainment business. She really impacted my trajectory in how I approach the work that I do. Just watching her give 200 percent every single performance, and she never missed a performance. It set the bar for me to say, “Oh, this is what a professional woman in this industry does. This is the commitment that is required. This is the effort and energy that it takes.” It was like a master’s degree in how to give of yourself to an audience and how to be a professional in this business. So that was a gift.
You portray strong women in many of your roles. Is that something you enjoy?
I come from a family of strong women, right? I also enjoy finding the multiple dimensions of these strong women [characters]. Because we’re human beings, we also have flaws. So, I’m always interested in finding out what this person’s vulnerability is, what weakness she might have, and what drives her to aspire to be this strong Black woman.
You always look effortlessly beautiful, and we especially love how you’re wearing your hair in its regal gray state. What aging gracefully tips can give us?
Thank you so much. And I’m so glad you asked that because when this role presented itself, I said, “I’m going to use my natural hair color.” I am going to be salt and pepper because I want to represent all the women of my age who are beautiful and vibrant, sexy and sensual, and alive. That’s who I want to represent on this show. I come from a family who grays early. But in this industry, as a woman, if your hair is salt and pepper gray, you’re equated with being old, and it impacts the work. So I’ve been dying my hair for the longest time, [but] now I’m at an age where I decided I’m not doing it anymore. And if I do a role where I need not have salt and pepper hair, I can don a wig. But in this show, Anita Dupree is very comfortable in her own skin.
What do you do for self-care?
Sleep, because these schedules can be crazy. I’ve been a yoga practitioner for about 30 years, so I continue to keep that in my regular schedule of self-care. I think it’s important to work out, do some cardio, and do some weightlifting. As we get older, not just our muscles but also our bones require weights. Not bodybuilding, but enough to stay strong. [For] skincare, I’m a lotions and potions kind of girl. I love creams, oils, serums, and all that kind of good stuff. I wash my face, and I take off my makeup every night. And on those days when I don’t require makeup, I don’t wear it. I might put on an eyebrow and lipstick, but I leave my complexion free to breathe.
You turn 66 in March. What do you know about yourself at this age that you didn’t know in your 30s or 40s?
When I was in my 30s and 40s, I was still figuring it out. Now, I would say that I have it figured out, but I still have more to learn.
Do you have a favorite soap opera? Are you planning to watch Beyond the Gates when it premieres on Monday, February 24? Do you love seeing Tamara Tunie rocking silver strands as much as we do? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
