The cast of Beauty in Black is led by Taylor Polidore Williams as Kimmie and Crystle Stewart as Mallory, two women whose lives become increasingly entangled with the wealthy and deeply troubled Bellarie family. Created, written, directed, and executive produced by Tyler Perry, the Netflix drama combines a cosmetics empire, family rivalries, crime, betrayal, and Kimmie’s dramatic rise from club dancer to a powerful figure within the Bellarie dynasty.
As of Season 3, the series has expanded well beyond its original conflict. Kimmie, Mallory, Rain, Horace, Charles, Roy, Norman, Jules, and other recurring characters are caught in shifting alliances and battles for control. This guide explains who plays whom in Beauty in Black and where the most important characters fit into the story.
Spoiler note: The character descriptions below contain developments from Seasons 1 through 3.
Beauty in Black Cast at a Glance
Netflix lists Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart, Amber Reign Smith, Xavier Smalls, Ricco Ross, Julian Horton, Steven G. Norfleet, Richard Lawson, Terrell Carter, Bryan Tanaka, Charles Malik Whitfield, and Debbi Morgan among the principal Season 3 cast.
| Actor | Character | Role in the Story |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Polidore Williams | Kimmie | Former dancer who rises into the Bellarie family and business |
| Crystle Stewart | Mallory | Powerful figure within the Beauty in Black empire |
| Amber Reign Smith | Rain | Kimmie’s close friend and fellow dancer |
| Ricco Ross | Horace | Bellarie patriarch and founder of Beauty in Black |
| Debbi Morgan | Olivia | Horace’s ex-wife and Bellarie matriarch |
| Richard Lawson | Norman | Horace’s brother |
| Steven G. Norfleet | Charles | Member of the Bellarie family |
| Julian Horton | Roy | Member of the Bellarie family |
| Xavier Smalls | Angel | Character connected to Kimmie’s world |
| Terrell Carter | Varney | Attorney working for the Bellarie family |
| Charles Malik Whitfield | Jules | Former police officer and Bellarie fixer |
| Bryan Tanaka | Officer Alex | Police officer pulled into the characters’ conflicts |
| George Middlebrook | Officer Trackson | Police officer connected to the investigation and conflict |
| Jasmine Burke | Gina | Dangerous figure whose importance grows significantly |
| Ursula O. Robinson | Delinda | Operator of the club where Kimmie worked |
| Tamera “Tee” Kissen | Body | Dancer associated with the club |
| Joy Rovaris | Gillian | Character connected to the Bellarie world |
| Ashley Versher | Lena | Supporting character in the series |
Several of these characters have changed dramatically since the show began, so knowing an actor’s name alone does not explain the current hierarchy. Kimmie in particular occupies a very different position in Season 3 than she did when viewers first met her.
Taylor Polidore Williams as Kimmie
Taylor Polidore Williams plays Kimmie, the central character in Beauty in Black. Kimmie begins the series as an exotic dancer trying to survive a difficult environment while dreaming of creating a better future for herself.
Her trajectory becomes the show’s biggest transformation. Kimmie eventually marries Horace and gains a position inside the Bellarie dynasty rather than remaining an outsider looking in. By Season 3, she is navigating the family’s business, internal politics, personal rivalries, and dangerous secrets from a position of considerably greater authority.
That change makes Kimmie important to understanding the series as a whole. Her story is not simply about escaping her old circumstances. It increasingly asks what happens when someone who lacked power suddenly gains access to wealth, influence, and the ability to make decisions that affect other people.
Williams previously appeared in Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black. Netflix has described how Perry recognized her range during the audition process and subsequently placed that range at the center of Kimmie’s story.
Crystle Stewart as Mallory
Crystle Stewart plays Mallory, one of the dominant personalities surrounding the Beauty in Black business.
Mallory initially represents much of what Kimmie wants to become. She is successful, confident, polished, and connected to the cosmetics empire that gives the series its name. As Kimmie moves closer to the Bellaries, however, admiration gives way to a much more complicated relationship.
By Season 3, Kimmie and Mallory have moved into an uneasy alliance. Netflix describes them as confronting the fallout from the previous season together, even though their history gives both women reasons to remain cautious about trusting one another.
Stewart has appeared in several other Tyler Perry productions, including For Better or Worse, Acrimony, Good Deeds, Too Close to Home, and House of Payne.
Amber Reign Smith as Rain
Amber Reign Smith plays Rain, Kimmie’s close friend and an important connection to the life Kimmie lived before entering the Bellarie family.
Rain and Kimmie’s relationship gives the series a counterweight to the Bellarie power struggle. Their bond comes from a world in which survival can depend on loyalty and knowing whom to trust.
Rain remains part of the main Season 3 cast. Her connections with Kimmie and Officer Alex also pull her into conflicts extending beyond the club itself. Netflix specifically describes Alex’s loyalty to Rain and Kimmie as one of the forces drawing him deeper into the Bellarie situation.
Smith is also known for Tyler Perry projects including Bruh and The Oval.
Ricco Ross as Horace Bellarie
Ricco Ross plays Horace, the patriarch at the center of the Bellarie family and the man who founded the Beauty in Black brand.
Horace’s influence comes from more than his position in the family. His control of the business and its wealth gives him leverage over the relatives and associates surrounding him. Netflix describes him as holding the purse strings of the empire, forcing other Bellaries to account for his decisions even when they disagree with him.
His relationship with Kimmie becomes one of the biggest turning points in her storyline. By marrying Horace, Kimmie gains direct access to a family and business structure that once seemed far beyond her reach.
Season 3 puts Horace under increasing pressure as threats to both his health and his empire expose weaknesses in a man who previously appeared difficult to challenge.
Debbi Morgan as Olivia
Debbi Morgan plays Olivia, Horace’s ex-wife and a major figure within the Bellarie family.
Although her marriage to Horace has ended, Olivia continues to see herself as the family’s true matriarch. Her position creates another source of tension because authority in the Bellarie family does not come solely from job titles or marriages. History, money, loyalty, and family relationships all influence who believes they deserve control.
In Season 3, Olivia faces growing consequences from financial and legal problems while continuing to resist the idea that she has lost her influence.
Morgan has a long screen career that includes Eve’s Bayou, Love & Basketball, and Power. She also appeared in Tyler Perry’s Divorce in the Black.
Richard Lawson as Norman
Richard Lawson plays Norman, Horace’s brother and one of the darkest members of the Bellarie orbit.
Norman becomes increasingly important as the series reveals more about the criminal activity surrounding the family. By Season 3, Netflix characterizes his blackmail, threats, and involvement in trafficking as central parts of the corruption that has developed around the Bellarie empire.
His conflict with other family members also helps transform Beauty in Black from a drama about two women from different worlds into a larger struggle over who can survive the Bellaries’ internal war.
Lawson’s previous credits include For Colored Girls, Divorce in the Black, and House of Payne.
Steven G. Norfleet as Charles
Steven G. Norfleet plays Charles, a member of the Bellarie family whose personal relationships become intertwined with the family’s wider power struggle.
One particularly important relationship involves Varney, the Bellaries’ attorney. Season 3 brings their romantic history into greater focus, complicating Varney’s obligations to Horace and the rest of the family.
Norfleet previously appeared in Ruthless and remains part of the principal Beauty in Black cast.
Julian Horton as Roy
Julian Horton plays Roy, another member of the Bellarie family.
Roy belongs to the younger generation caught inside the family’s combination of privilege and dysfunction. His storyline contributes to the conflicts surrounding the business, relationships, and succession of power within the dynasty.
Horton previously appeared in Bruh and is listed among the principal cast members for the current series.
Terrell Carter as Varney
Terrell Carter plays Varney, the Bellarie family’s attorney.
Varney is not simply an outside lawyer hired to handle routine corporate matters. He operates close to the family’s secrets, making his legal expertise valuable when the Bellaries need potentially damaging problems contained.
Season 3 complicates his position further through his history with Charles. That leaves Varney balancing his feelings, his loyalty to Horace, and his own need for self-preservation.
Carter has appeared in projects including What’s Done in the Dark, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Meet the Browns, and Madea’s Class Reunion.
Charles Malik Whitfield as Jules
Charles Malik Whitfield plays Jules, a former police officer who has long operated as an enforcer and problem-solver around the Bellarie empire.
Because Jules knows how the family operates, he possesses knowledge that can be almost as dangerous as physical power. His storyline changes substantially after the death of his son Glen, with grief pushing him toward revenge.
By the end of Season 3, Jules has become an even more significant threat. Netflix reveals that he is connected to Gina and the violent escalation surrounding the Make It Rain nightclub, positioning him as a major force in the continuing conflict.
Whitfield’s credits include If Loving You Is Wrong, Empire, Atlanta, Behind Enemy Lines, and The Temptations.
Bryan Tanaka as Officer Alex
Bryan Tanaka plays Officer Alex, a police officer whose loyalties become increasingly difficult to separate from his personal connections.
Alex operates between law enforcement and the dangerous world surrounding the Bellaries. His loyalty to Rain and Kimmie creates additional complications because helping them can put him at odds with other people inside law enforcement.
In Season 3, that balancing act becomes particularly dangerous as Jules and Officer Trackson target him for retaliation.
Tanaka also appeared in La La Land.
Xavier Smalls as Angel
Xavier Smalls plays Angel, a character associated with Kimmie’s life outside the Bellarie boardroom.
Angel is one of the figures who helps connect the show’s club storyline with the larger criminal and family plot. As Kimmie gains influence, people from her earlier life do not simply disappear. Those relationships continue to affect the decisions she makes.
Smalls, who appeared in Madea’s Destination Wedding, is included in Netflix’s principal Season 3 cast.
Jasmine Burke as Gina
Jasmine Burke plays Gina, a character whose significance grows sharply as the series progresses.
Gina first emerges as a dangerous collector, but Season 3 reveals a deeper connection between her operations and Jules. The relationship helps explain the organized threat facing Kimmie, Mallory, Rain, and others as the season reaches its climax.
Although she is not part of the smaller group of names Netflix lists as its principal cast, Burke appears in Netflix’s official additional-cast listing for the series.
Other Beauty in Black Cast Members
The world of Beauty in Black extends beyond the Bellarie family. Characters from the club, law enforcement, corporate business, and the criminal network repeatedly cross paths, which is why supporting roles can become important several episodes after they are introduced.
Notable performers from the wider cast include George Middlebrook as Officer Trackson, Ursula O. Robinson as Delinda, Tamera “Tee” Kissen as Body, Joy Rovaris as Gillian, and Ashley Versher as Lena. Netflix’s earlier cast guide also identifies these performers and roles alongside the main ensemble.
Netflix’s official Media Center lists a substantially larger group of additional Season 3 performers, including Bailey Tippen, Rodrigo Aburto, Randall J. Bacon, Philemon Chambers, Philip Boyd, D’kia Anderson, Raven Chambers, and others.
How the Main Beauty in Black Characters Connect
The easiest way to understand the large cast is to divide the characters into three overlapping groups.
| Group | Key Characters | Main Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Bellarie dynasty | Horace, Olivia, Norman, Charles, Roy, Mallory | Family wealth, power, and the Beauty in Black business |
| Kimmie’s circle | Kimmie, Rain, Angel | Relationships originating largely outside the Bellarie family |
| Legal, police and criminal network | Jules, Varney, Officer Alex, Officer Trackson, Gina | The secrets, investigations, protection, and criminal activity surrounding the family |
Kimmie increasingly sits at the point where all three worlds meet. She begins outside the Bellarie dynasty, enters it through her relationship with Horace, and then has to deal with the lawyers, police officers, enemies, and criminal networks attached to the family.
That structure explains why the show can shift quickly from personal drama to corporate maneuvering or crime. The characters are not participating in separate stories. Their relationships repeatedly bring those stories together.
Who Are the Main Stars of Beauty in Black?
Taylor Polidore Williams and Crystle Stewart are the two performers most closely associated with the central conflict, playing Kimmie and Mallory respectively. Netflix also prominently identifies Amber Reign Smith alongside them and lists Williams, Stewart, and Smith as the show’s starring trio on its official title page.
The broader ensemble is equally important to the Bellarie storyline. Ricco Ross, Debbi Morgan, Richard Lawson, Steven G. Norfleet, Julian Horton, Xavier Smalls, Terrell Carter, Bryan Tanaka, and Charles Malik Whitfield are among the principal performers in the current cast.
Has the Beauty in Black Cast Changed?
The core cast has remained recognizable, but the importance of individual characters has changed as the story has expanded.
Kimmie provides the clearest example. She begins the story as an exotic dancer on the outside of the Bellaries’ wealthy world. By Season 2 she has married Horace and become chief operating officer of the Beauty in Black business, dramatically altering her relationship with virtually every major character.
Season 3 pushes that evolution further while giving characters such as Jules and Gina greater significance. Rather than replacing its central premise, the show continually changes who holds power within it.
Is Beauty in Black Returning for Season 4?
Yes. Netflix has officially renewed Beauty in Black for Season 4. The renewal was announced in July 2026, before Season 3 premiered.
Tyler Perry confirmed that there was more of the Bellarie story he wanted to explore. Netflix has not yet disclosed complete Season 4 casting and release details, so viewers should not assume every Season 3 character will necessarily return until further announcements are made.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Cast of Beauty in Black
Who plays Kimmie in Beauty in Black?
Taylor Polidore Williams plays Kimmie. Kimmie begins as an exotic dancer but eventually enters the Bellarie family and gains considerable influence within its business empire.
Who plays Mallory in Beauty in Black?
Crystle Stewart plays Mallory. She is a powerful figure connected to the Beauty in Black empire and becomes both a rival and unlikely ally to Kimmie as the story develops.
Who plays Horace in Beauty in Black?
Ricco Ross plays Horace, the Bellarie family patriarch and founder of the Beauty in Black brand. His money and authority place him at the center of many of the family’s conflicts.
Who plays Olivia in Beauty in Black?
Debbi Morgan plays Olivia, Horace’s ex-wife. Despite the end of their marriage, Olivia continues to regard herself as the Bellarie family matriarch.
Who plays Jules in Beauty in Black?
Charles Malik Whitfield plays Jules. The former police officer has deep knowledge of the Bellarie family’s activities and becomes an increasingly dangerous player in Season 3.
Will the cast return for Beauty in Black Season 4?
Netflix has confirmed Beauty in Black Season 4, but a complete Season 4 cast list has not yet been announced. The renewal confirms that the Bellarie story will continue, while specific returning and new cast members remain subject to further official announcements.
The Beauty in Black Cast Keeps the Bellarie Story Connected
The cast of Beauty in Black revolves around Taylor Polidore Williams as Kimmie and Crystle Stewart as Mallory, but the series works as an ensemble. Ricco Ross as Horace, Debbi Morgan as Olivia, Richard Lawson as Norman, Amber Reign Smith as Rain, Charles Malik Whitfield as Jules, and the rest of the cast connect Kimmie’s personal rise to the Bellarie family’s business, secrets, and criminal conflicts.
With all eight episodes of Season 3 now streaming and Season 4 officially confirmed, the hierarchy is unlikely to remain settled for long.
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