When Tyler Perry’s “Beauty in Black” premiered on Netflix in October 2024, few could have predicted just how far the show’s reach would extend. What started as Perry’s first drama series under his Netflix television deal quickly evolved into a global streaming phenomenon, dominating conversations online and introducing audiences worldwide to the complicated, dangerous, and addictive world of Kimmie and the Bellarie family.
Now, nearly two years after its debut, the show’s stars are still processing the impact.
During the American Black Film Festival, “Beauty in Black” stars Taylor Polidore and Crystle Stewart spoke with Baller Alert to discuss the series’ explosive success, the passionate fan reaction, and the surprising international audience that continues to embrace the show.
For Polidore, who plays fan favorite Kimmie, the scale of the response remains surreal.
I mean, life has changed a lot because it is a worldwide hit, which is crazy to say,” Polidore told Baller Alert. “We’re so grateful for all the supporters and the way that the people rally around the show. And it’s in the group chat. And it’s grandma to the kids. And, you know, I couldn’t have asked for a better reception to a show because we want to entertain. We want people to like it. So we’re all just super grateful. But life has changed a lot.”
The numbers help explain why.
“Beauty in Black” debuted on Netflix on October 24, 2024, and immediately became one of the streamer’s most-watched series. The drama climbed to No. 1 on Netflix’s global television rankings during its second week and reached the top spot in 28 countries. The show’s momentum continued into Season 2, which was released in two parts, helping establish “Beauty in Black” as one of Tyler Perry’s most successful streaming franchises. Netflix has already confirmed the series will conclude with a third and final season.
Created, written, directed, and executive produced by Tyler Perry, the series centers on two women from completely different worlds whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined. Kimmie begins the story as a struggling exotic dancer trying to survive after being abandoned by her family, while Mallory Bellarie is a powerful executive operating inside her family’s lucrative beauty empire. As their worlds collide, viewers are pulled into a story filled with family betrayal, corporate power struggles, organized crime, trafficking operations, revenge plots, and shifting alliances.
Over the course of two seasons, audiences have watched Kimmie transform from an underdog fighting for survival into one of the most powerful figures in the Bellarie empire. Meanwhile, Mallory has emerged as one of the show’s most polarizing characters, earning both admiration and frustration from viewers who never quite know what she’ll do next.
According to Stewart, the show’s international popularity has been one of the most unexpected parts of the journey.
“I love how international it’s gone. I was in Italy and had, you know, fans coming up to me. And we have a great fan base in Brazil, Nigeria. It’s crazy. It’s really, really crazy. It’s been great,” she explained.
And while viewers may love to hate Mallory, Stewart says the character couldn’t be further from who she is in real life.
When Baller Alert pointed out that Mallory has become the kind of television villain audiences struggle to separate from the actress portraying her, Stewart immediately laughed before setting the record straight.
“Zero percent,” Stewart said when asked how much of herself exists in the character.
The former Miss USA explained that while she shares some professional qualities with Mallory, almost everything else about the character is a performance.
“You know, again, I tell people, like, the leadership skills, entrepreneurship skills Mallory has, her assertiveness, those are things that I have,” Stewart explained. “But the rest is completely opposite. I don’t even curse in real life. It just slips right up. No, it’s fun playing her, though. It’s fun. It’s challenging because it’s not like me. But Mallory’s crazy. She’s something.”
That disconnect may be exactly why the role has resonated with audiences.
Throughout the series, Mallory has evolved into one of the most unpredictable players in the Bellarie dynasty. By the end of Season 2, Mallory’s relationship with Kimmie had transformed from rivalry into an uneasy alliance, setting the stage for an explosive final chapter.
With Season 3 officially confirmed as the final installment, viewers will finally see whether Kimmie can maintain the power she fought so hard to obtain and whether Mallory’s latest strategic moves ultimately secure her place at the top or contribute to the Bellarie family’s downfall.
Until then, one thing is clear: “Beauty in Black” has grown far beyond a streaming series. It has become a worldwide conversation.
