Jennifer Holliday, the original Effie White from the Tony-winning Broadway musical Dreamgirls, is set to guest star on Beyond the Gates next week. Plus, we now know who is playing the matriarch of the Hawthorne family. Here’s the breakdown of BTG guest stars and recurring players for the week of March 30-April 3, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Darlene Hawthorne finally arrived in Fairmont Crest, shaking up family dynamics.
- Jennifer Holliday guest-stars as herself during a festive Easter brunch performance.
- Ernestine Johnson appears, Greg Vaughan returns, and other familiar faces resurface across Fairmont Crest.
Brand New Face to the DMV
BTG fans have been hearing about Darlene Hawthorne for roughly a year now. The police dispatcher is Elon’s wife and mother to Jacob (Jibre Hordges), Izaiah (Lami), and Luke. And during the week of March 23, she met up with Izaiah at Orphey Gene’s.
Monique Mosee is the actress cast as Darlene. On Instagram, Mosee announced her debut. In her post, she said:
There are no words for the level of gratitude I have for you giving this opportunity. I wont let you down. @/beyondthegatescbs for trusting me with her. I am loving every mintue. The entire cast, crew and production are incredible thank you all for the warm welcomes. I look forward to telling her story honestly and intriguing.
Mosee has guest-starred on shows such as St. Denis Medical, Love, Victor, NCIS: Los Angeles, and American Crime Story.
OG Dreamgirl Visits Fairmont Crest
Broadway star and entertainer Jennifer Holliday is set to appear as herself in the Friday, April 3 episode of BTG. It’s Easter, and everybody’s gathered for brunch at the Fairmont Crest Country Club. Anita happened to enlist a friend to sing, according to the weekly teasers.
Way before Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar playing Effie White in the movie version of Dreamgirls, Holliday originated the role in the Broadway production in 1981. In fact, she won a Tony for playing Effie. She’s the one who first sang the epic heartbreaker, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,”
The Tony and Grammy winner is based in Atlanta, where BTG films.
Comings & Goings: The Week of March 30, 2026
This is a week when Dominique Madison’s Lynette causes trouble, and trouble finds her as well. Look for Kat (Colby Muhammad) to confront her character. Then on Thursday, April 2, Madison pops up again when Lynette blackmails Hayley.
Ernestine Johnson appears on Tuesday, March 31. when Ted (Keith D. Robinson) blurts out something stunning to Shanice. How will Shanice respond?
Meanwhile, Carlton can be seen at least twice next week. Robert Christopher Riley will share scenes with Joey (Jon Lindstrom), Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli), and Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) on Wednesday, April 1. And Riley’s character is in the doghouse with Nicole on Thursday. Alex Cheeks is back on Wednesday when Donnell once again confides in Kat.
Joining Jennifer Holliday on April 3 is Greg Vaughan’s Kial, Nicole’s date for the Easter brunch. Timeca Siretti’s country club gossip, known as Anastasia, returns when Anita puts her nemesis in her place. Finally, Jordi Vilauso’s Grayson is getting deeper and deeper in trouble as part of this plasma ring. The Friday teasers reveal that Grayson receives a threat.
