‘Beyond The Gates’ Boss Michelle Val Jean Previews Izaiah Hawthorne’s Debut

Beyond the Gates is expanding with a new resident headed towards Fairmount Crest with Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe) joining the soap.

Series creator and head writer Michelle Val Jean was interviewed by TV Insider discussing all things Beyond the Gates and teased the upcoming fall season. During this conversation she discussed Izaiah’s arrival.

“He is not Jacob by any means, He’s the black sheep of the family, but he got a hand up by somebody that will surprise you.”

Val Jean went on to tease that he is going to be a new love interest for one of the series females. Just who the show runner wouldn’t reveal just yet, but fans won’t have to wait too long to find out, as Izaiah will be joining the show shortly.

Who Are The Hawthorne’s?

Izaiah’s brother Jacob (Jibere Hordges) and sister-in-law Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) are a central unit to Fairmont Crest, as Naomi’s maternal family, the Dupree’s, are the main focus of the soap opera.

Jacob and Izaiah’s father, Elon, is the chief of police. Their mother, Darlene, is described as a dispatcher, and they share another brother Luke.

Where Will Izaiah Work?

The head writer teased that he is going to have a unique job to the soap. Sharing, “He’s going to be a counselor at Banneker, which is a university, so he’ll be the door to open up that world to us.”

Teasing the actors arrival, Val Jean explained, “He’s very cute, and he’s very sexy, and he’s a good actor, and I’m really happy to have him on our canvas.”

Beyond the Gates Fall Preview:

Izaiah’s arrival was first teased earlier this week when CBS revealed their fall Daytime lineup.

The preview revealed that Jacob’s brother Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe) hits town and immediately establishes two complicated relationships amidst his own family drama.

David Lami Friebe’s Acting Career

Fribe’s professional acting career began in 2020 with a series of shorts, including Housebreaking, City of Angels, Son of Oakland, and When it Folds. He had a guest role in CW’s All American,  Bloody Famous, and most recently appeared in the BET series Sistas.

Where to Watch Beyond the Gates

Fans can catch up on all of the drama Beyond the Gates as season 1 is streaming 24/7 on Pluto TV’s dedicated Beyond the Gates channel for free. Fans can also watch all the drama unfold on Paramount+.

New episodes of Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS and streams weeknights on Paramount+.

This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the TV section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.