When Tyler Perry’s drama series Beauty in Black premiered in October 2024, it immediately sky-rocketed to the top of the Netflix charts and became one of the most-watched shows on the service.
While it’s not one of the best Netflix shows, since receiving mixed reviews, that hasn’t stopped Beauty in Black from returning for the second part of its first season and becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched shows again.
Now, filming a big Netflix production is no walk in the park, especially when an entertainment mogul like Tyler Perry is the mastermind behind the project. If there’s one person who can tell you that, it’s Bailey Tippen, one of the stars of Netflix’s hit Beauty in Black .
Still in the early stages of her acting career, Tippen has been part of a number of television productions including BET’s First Wives Club where she stars as Tina, but her character Sylvie in Beauty in Black marks her first time working for Netflix.
Following the release of its second part, I sat down with Tippen to talk about all things Netflix, her experience working with Tyler Perry, and the next steps in her career.
Bailey Tippen’s first Netflix show
Tippen is no stranger to the camera; her work on First Wives Club and Fox’s Sleepy Hollow have served her well in her preparation for her first ever Netflix production, and she doesn’t take it for granted.
“It’s an honor. I’m very happy that the show is doing very well and that the fans are receiving it very well, and it’s been in Netflix’s top 10 for so long. I mean, a round of applause for the production, our crew, and cast but yes, I’m very happy about it”, Tippen shares.
Of course, it goes without saying that being part of a top Netflix show is a big deal but thanks to her work on BET+, the streaming service owned by Tyler Perry and Paramount.
Tippen was prepared to take on her role as Sylvie by storm. Giving us insight to how she geared up to the part, she shared: “I take all the work I’ve done previously, and I definitely use whatever I picked up from those productions to help me go into my next ones. But her world is so completely different from any of the characters I’ve played before. So, I think this was a real different approach for this production”.
You can tell when an actor really resonates with a character when they dive into the most vulnerable depths of their personality, and understand what their objective is. For an up-and-coming actress, Tippen is already mastering the art of how to bring a character on paper to life. As for Sylvie, Tippen had a very simple view of her character, revealing: “I see a girl who just has hopes and dreams”.
Tyler Perry’s words of wisdom
Working for Netflix is one thing, but working with a figure like Tyler Perry is a monumental opportunity in itself – one which Tippen gained a lot of valuable lessons from. She recalls her experiences working with Tyler Perry, describing him as someone so much more than a showrunner and a director.
“He’s phenomenal. He’s like a mentor. And when you’re around him you learn a lot about the industry and what’s going on behind the scenes. He’s very inspiring”, the Netflix star added. “He really trusted us with these characters and understood that we knew what we were doing in creating the character’s world and telling the story as truthfully as possible”.
From the way Tippen describes her experience with filming for Beauty in Black and working directly with Tyler Perry, it’s clear that there was a lot of trust between cast and crew, and this blossomed into a bond that continued off-screen, especially when it came to celebrating the Super Bowl.
“One of the coolest memories I have was when he had invited the whole cast and crew to go watch the Super Bowl at his house. I had a lot of fun being able to chat with everybody and just dance”. As you can imagine, after learning this we both gabbed about our shared love for Beyoncé’s iconic half time show.
Beauty in Black season 2 and beyond
For Bailey Tippen, the sky’s the limit when it comes to what she wants to achieve with her career. There’s no doubt that her contribution to Beauty in Black has paved the way for a bright acting future, but Tippen has expressed her burning interest in pursuing producing and directing roles; “My heart is in drama. I love drama so much. And I also like sci-fi. I would love to get into that in the future with directing and producing”.
Before she embarks on her journey toward expanding her creative portfolio, you can expect to see Tippen continue to pursue acting alongside her dedication to her studies as a psychology student.
The second part of Beauty in Black brought more tension and drama than before, but thankfully, the story isn’t ending there, and Tippen bookends our conversation by teasing the show’s next chapter. “Y’all ain’t ready. Be prepared for a wild ride”.
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