COLBY NATASHA NIXON STEPS “BEYOND THE GATES” WITH HER FIRST TV ROLE.
Colby Natasha Nixon didn’t grow up watching soap operas. She never saw Marlena’s possession in Salem on “Days of Our Lives.” She had no idea that Victor Newman was Victoria’s real father, as revealed on “Young and the Restless.” And she wasn’t even born yet when “General Hospital’s” Luke and Laura made television history by marrying in a wedding watched by 30 million viewers (with a cameo by none other than Elizabeth Taylor).
It wasn’t until Nixon booked her own role as Katherine “Kat” Richardson on CBS’s newest daytime drama, “Beyond the Gates,” that she understood the impact of the enduring and beloved soap opera genre and of the show itself.
“I didn’t realize how many people were raised on soap operas. And I didn’t realize how historic this show was,” says Nixon, who landed her role in 2024. Filmed at Assembly Studios in Doraville and premiered in February 2025, “Beyond the Gates” is the first new network soap in more than 25 years and the first American daytime drama to feature a predominantly Black cast since NBC’s “Generations” in 1989. The show focuses on a prestigious, multi-generational family living in a gated, suburban Maryland community. Nixon, who relocated to the Buckhead area for the opportunity, plays the confident and stylish Kat, daughter of main characters, Nicole and Ted Richardson. “When I started doing research about [executive producer] Sheila Ducksworth and the production, I was floored. I couldn’t believe that someone like me—a girl from Richmond, Virginia, who just completed graduate school—could be lucky enough to be on this iconic show. I feel incredibly grateful, and I’m still pinching myself more than a year in.”
In the not-too-distant past, Nixon didn’t know if she would ever be able to pursue her professional passion. She fell in love with the stage as a child after her mother put her in singing and acting classes (mom made the switch upon discovering that her daughter had far too much energy for ballet). Nixon attended a magnet high school for musical theater and earned a musical theater degree from Howard University. However, in 2018, a case of sepsis landed her in the hospital for a month, during which she was blindsided with a diagnosis of lupus.
“When I left the hospital, I was devastated because I didn’t know if I would ever be able to perform again,” says Nixon, who was encouraged by her now-husband Keith Lamar Nixon Jr. to go to graduate school as she figured out her next steps. She attended the University of California San Diego and earned an acting MFA degree in 2024, after which everything changed quickly. She soon found her first professional gig in the touring production of the comedic play “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” Only a month into that tour, she booked “Beyond the Gates,” her first television show, which has delighted longtime soap fans and attracted new ones.
“It’s such a gift to be part of a show that’s kind of rejuvenated the genre,” she says, noting that filming in Atlanta at the state-of-theart Assembly Studios made the opportunity even sweeter. “I never thought I would end up in Atlanta, but it makes so much sense. The film industry is booming, and we have something so special here. It’s the perfect place to be. The first time I drove to Assembly and walked in, I was close to tears. I couldn’t believe I was in this place. It’s so professional, so high-tech and so well done. It’s a gift to get to go there every single day.”
The show, which recently was renewed for a second season, has also given Nixon a platform she never expected, allowing her to connect with viewers as she delves deeply into her character and to inspire others through her advocacy, including her work with the Lupus Foundation of America. “I’m really excited to find ways for people to see Colby and not just Kat,” says Nixon, whose character is also a “lupus warrior.” “I hope people can see themselves in me. I want to talk to those with disabilities and chronic illnesses. When I was diagnosed with lupus, I was looking for people who were successful and had the same struggles so I could keep moving and keep fighting. As the show keeps going, I hope they’ll see more of Colby in themselves.”
Nixon is grateful for the chance to show viewers a thriving and relatable family through the soap opera genre. “It’s important for people to see. These characters are successful, but they’re also messy and have family drama. I think this show is a reminder that we’re not that far apart,” she says. “We’re so much more alike than we are different. And I’m proud to be part of a show that brings people together.”
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PHOTO: Erik Meadows
