RhonniRose Mantilla is a pro when it comes to the stage. Theater is a big love of hers, and she’s performed in productions of some of the biggest musicals, including Grease, The Wiz, and A Chorus Line. Earlier this year, she made her Broadway debut, and now she’s making her daytime television debut in Beyond the Gates. We get to witness her big break, so seeing what she’ll do with her role as Dani Dupree’s youngest daughter, Chelsea Hamilton, is exciting.
The Early Days
RhonniRose Mantilla hails from the gateway to the West, St. Louis, Missouri. While she was in high school at Parkway North, she once told them what she was most proud of. She said, “My talents like my abilities to dance and sing.” And when she added acting to her skillset, she turned into a triple threat.
She attended Baldwin Wallace University in Ohio and graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Music Theatre. In 2022, her alma mater shared a photo of Mantilla on one of its Instagram accounts.
They clearly wanted to shout her out to the world when they wrote that she “grew up dancing every day in St. Louis and has since grown into a true triple threat. While performing is her passion, RhonniRose also loves going out with her friends on the weekends & is a ~huge~ wine enthusiast. When she’s not out on the town, she’s at home throwing her own dance party!”
The Stage
The talented entertainer spent a lot of time on the stage during college and since graduating. In addition to Grease, The Wiz, and A Chorus Line, she has starred in regional productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, and Catch Me If You Can.
Several of these productions took place in her hometown at The Muny, America’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre. Earlier this year, Mantilla made her Broadway debut in Harmony the Musical. She was in the ensemble and the understudy for Josephine Baker.
READ THIS: What you should know about BTG’s Karla Mosley.
From The Lou to Hotlanta
The midwestern actress is now taking her career to the next level with Beyond the Gates, which films in Atlanta. On her Instagram, she accompanied the announcement of her casting with a short but sweet message. “Truly at a loss for words. Extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I’m excited to bring Chelsea to life. #cbs #beyondthegates“
Now, she is set to play Chelsea Hamilton, Dani Dupree’s (Karla Mosley), and Bill Hamilton’s (Timon Durrett) youngest daughter. She’s also Naomi’s (Arielle Prepetit) younger sister. Chelsea is a social media influencer who has been a successful but reluctant high-fashion model since she was 18.
Dani expertly guides her career, and it really feels like Dani lives vicariously through her daughter. The character description says Chelsea is charged with recreating the life her mother gave up, which doesn’t fit her own life vision. Chelsea has a lot of money, which allows her to follow her dream of designing a line of purses and building her brand. Furthermore, she loves to indulge in the good things in life, like beautiful people, parties, her new condo in D.C., and the freedom to experiment.
So, should we expect Chelsea and Dani’s differing visions to cause them to clash? Find out when Beyond The Gates premieres on CBS on February 24, 2025, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT.
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