Beyond the Gates‘ Chelsea Hamilton (RhonniRose Mantilla) may not be ready to move to Copenhagen with girlfriend Madison Montgomery (Kenjah), but she made her commitment unmistakably clear with a romantic marriage proposal on the Friday, February 6 episode.
The engagement marks the first for the soap — which will celebrate one year on the air on February 24 — a milestone that holds particular significance for Mantilla. “It is super cool to be a part of that,” says Mantilla. “Especially to be the youngest of the Dupree grandchildren. I kind of knew it was going to be Chelsea because she and Madison are so in love, and Chelsea is just so like, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!’ They’re just very excited to live life, and it’s great for it to be two women, and two women of color. Truly, that’s just the most beautiful thing to me.”
Bringing that pivotal moment to life carried deep weight for the actress. “It was nerve-wracking,” Mantilla admits. “It was super emotional because of their really intense journey with Chelsea’s kidnapping and Madison being by her side the whole time and finding her and rebuilding after that and then dealing with Chelsea’s grandmother [being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer] and how helpful she’s been with that and Chelsea’s mom [Dani Dupree, Karla Mosley] getting the BRCA gene. Madison has been through it all with Chelsea and this is just a culmination of their short but very wild love affair. I’m really excited for them. I’m looking forward to their future and Chelsea is just over the moon.”
Kenjah, RhonniRose Mantilla – ‘Beyond the Gates’
CBS
Though their engagement may feel a bit early in their love story to some, Mantilla sees it as a natural extension of Chelsea’s growth over the past year. “Chelsea, as we know, is still coming into her own and finding what she wants, what she doesn’t want,” points out Mantilla. “And I think that she’s really found what she’s been chasing and what she’s been looking for in Madison. She really just doubles down on that and won’t take no for an answer.”
Off-camera, Mantilla and McNeil have worked to make their connection as strong as it can be. “We’re friends,” says Mantilla. “I don’t know how she juggles it, but she actually has a job outside of this. With our schedules, we try to have brunch and lunch and talk about our characters and our relationships. She’s just the absolute best. She’s super patient, so professional, and she just comes with an absolute open heart, so how can you not love her? As Madison and as Kenjah, she’s perfect.”
That bond has translated seamlessly to the screen. “We work really fast, and sometimes you’re just kind of thrown in, and it’s like, ‘Act like you’re in love,’ and that’s just what you have to do,” notes Mantilla. “But it’s been really easy with her.”
As the show approaches its anniversary, Mantilla marvels at how dramatically her life has changed since the premiere. “I mean, it’s insane in the best way,” she reflects. “It has been life-changing for sure. It still feels new — this is my first on-screen job ever — but I have had the absolute grace to learn from Tamara Tunie [Anita Dupree] and Clifton Davis [Vernon Dupree]. They’re wonderful and have been helpful with everything. I really built a family here, and it’s probably the hardest job I’ve ever had, but it’s the most rewarding, and it’s such a blessing to bring Chelsea to the screen and bring her to life.”
That sense of purpose has extended to the show’s heavier storylines, including its current cancer arc. Playing it out has meant a lot to Mantilla. “I feel like everyone in the world has a connection to cancer,” she says. “I’ve lost aunts to cancer so it’s definitely close to home and playing that my grandmother on the show has cancer is heart-wrenching. When I read it, I was like, ‘This is awful and heartbreaking,’ but it’s so necessary and I’m glad we’re bringing more attention to this topic.”
Mantilla says she’s been bolstered by the enthusiastic fan reaction to the soap, the characters, and the storylines. “I got my first piece of fan mail the other day, which was really exciting,” she shares. “They printed out some pictures of me to autograph, so I’ve sent those out, and it’s just wonderful to see people reacting online and on social media. My followers have gone up. I was never a social media girl before this, and now, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God — I need to post more.’ That’s definitely been the biggest thing, and it’s just really exciting for people to watch our show and really be invested in it.”
Kenjah, RhonniRose Mantilla – ‘Beyond the Gates’
CBS
At the center of it all is a character Mantilla has come to adore. “I love the fashion, of course,” notes Mantilla. “I feel like she is the mini-me of Dani, so she gets to say some pretty outlandish things. She’s very adventurous, and she is super passionate, and that’s what I love about Chelsea. Whether she thinks before she does something or thinks before she speaks, whatever she’s going to do, she means it wholeheartedly.”
Looking ahead, Mantilla hopes her alter ego has a chance to enjoy the life she’s dreamed of. “Chelsea and Madison are engaged now, and I just want our girl to just be happy and be satisfied with herself,” she concludes. “It’s kind of funny because Kenjah and I were just saying, ‘Okay, they’re happy now. What’s going to happen?’ Because there’s always something that goes wrong. I’m hoping that they can be happy for a while at least. We will see.”
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