Meet the cast and characters of Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black

Tyler Perry knows his way around drama. There's no one better at capturing the craziest highs and darkest lows of the soap opera genre Beauty in blackhis new Netflix series, is no exception.

Starring Taylor Polidore as Kimmie, a broke sex worker who gets a scholarship to the eponymous posh cosmetics college run by the shady, uber-rich Bellaire clan. Beauty in black takes this rather generic premise and spices it up with the ridiculous twists you'd expect from one of Perry's soaps: botched Brazilian butt lifts, torrid love affairs, assassination attempts and, of course, characters coming back from the dead (well, sort of). from).

With the first installment of Perry's beautifully wacky thriller currently topping the Netflix charts, we wanted to get acquainted with the series' cast. (Part two hits the streamer next spring, which seems like an eternity after the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of part one.) Although many of the actors are part of Perry's repertory ensemble, there are also a few new faces making their breakthroughs in the Create series.

Find out all about Tyler Perry's casting ahead Beauty in blackeven where you have seen the stars before.

Taylor Polidore as Kimmie

Taylor Polidore plays debt-ridden Kimmie, who applies to a prestigious cosmetology school founded by the Bellaire family to escape her life as an exotic dancer.

Polidore started acting in crime series like: Fatal attraction And Caught. She appeared alongside Martin Lawrence as “Homely Girl” in Welcome home, Roscoe Jenkins (2008) and was a regular on the series Evil and FX's Snowfall. Earlier this year, she starred in Perry's widely acclaimed Prime Video thriller Black divorce (2024).

Crystal Stewart as Mallory

Crystle Stewart plays Mallory, a self-employed entrepreneur who finds success (and wealth) by running the Bellaire company after marrying into the fortune.

Stewart, a former Miss USA 2008, is one of Perry's most recurring repertoire players. She rose to fame on Perry's TBS sitcoms House of Payne And For better or worse, and later played a secretary in his 2012 feature film Good deeds. She also starred alongside Taraji P. Henson in Perry's crazy marriage thriller bitterness (2018).

Amber Reign Smith as Rain

Relative newcomer Amber Reign Smith plays Rain, one of Kimmie's close friends who works with her at the club. After a disastrously botched BBL operation in the second episode, Rain enters a dark downward spiral.

Smith has appeared on HBO's Rap Sh!t and HulusThe other black girl in addition to Wu-Tang: An American SagaAnd Kold x Windy. She most recently played Queenie in the 2024 action western Outlaw groupDirected by Mario Van Peebles.

Ricco Ross as Horace

Veteran actor Ricco Ross plays patriarch Horace Bellaire, who meets Kimmie as a regular at her club.

Probably the most experienced actor in the world Beauty in blackIn James Cameron's cast, Ross played the role of Private Frost Aliens (1986) and as Lieutenant Nathanson in the 90s horror classic Wishmaster. He also had smaller roles in Death wish 3 and the original Mission: Impossible (1996). He recently performed General HospitalStarz's P-Taland in the children's adventure film The Legend of Catclaws Mountain (2024).

Debbi Morgan as Olivia

Although Debbi Morgan's character Olivia begins the series as one of the few (seemingly) stable forces in the Bellaire family, it later turns out that the Bellaire matriarch has a lot of secrets.

Morgan is a film veteran and has appeared in the films Eve's Bayou (1997), The hurricaneAnd She is everything (both 1999). She played the role of Angie Baxter-Hubbard in over 500 episodes of All my childrenand also appeared on several of Performance. Like the leading actress Polidore, Morgan also played a role in Perry's. Black divorce (2024).

Richard Lawson as Norman

Richard Lawson plays Norman, one of Bellaire's main rivals and Olivia's greatest nemesis.

The actor made his film debut as one of the scorpion's victims Dirty Harry (1971) and played a key role in the cult classic Scream Blacula Scream (1973). He also appeared in poltergeist (1982), Wag the dog (1997) and Guess who (2005). He previously worked with Perry For colored girls (2010).

Steven G. Norfleet as Charles

Steven G. Norfleet plays Charles, Mallory's brother-in-law and son of Horace and Olivia. Like the other characters, he hides some of his own secret desires.

Norfleet previously starred in the limited series genius (2017), HBO's Guardian (2019) and AMCs Interview with a vampire (2022). Beauty in black isn't his first Perry role either – he previously played Lewis on Perry's BET series Ruthless.

Julian Horton as Roy

Julian Horton plays Roy, Mallory's charred husband who has surprising connections to Kimmie.

Horton had previously appeared in National champions (2021), RuinedAnd On the run with love (both 2023).

Terrell Carter as Varney

Terrell Carter, who plays Varney on the series, has worked with Perry several times in the past, first appearing on stage in Madea's class reunion And Meet the Browns before graduating to film with Perry's directorial debut Diary of a crazy black woman (2005). Carter is also a singer who has appeared on the Empire soundtrack (he also played Warren Hall in 20 episodes) and has worked with names like Quincy Jones and Patti LaBelle.