'Beyond the Gates' Alum Maurice Johnson 'Open' to Returning to the Show: 'I Ain't Hard to Find'
It's been one week since Maurice Johnson, who originally played Dr. Ted Richardson on CBS' newest soap opera Beyond the Gates, was replaced by fellow actor Keith D. Robinson.
Neither Johnson nor CBS or the show's executives has released an official statement explaining the reason behind the early replacement of such a beloved character, however, the actor says he's ready to give the fans what they want.
"I'll just say that I'm open to getting back to the table and coming to an agreement to ultimately give the fans what they want," Johnson said yesterday when asked about his exit from the show.
"I'm all about the fans. I have people stopping me in the airport, gym, and especially at events all over Atlanta who express how they love the show and wish I was still on it. They even give suggestions like can I come back as Ted's brother Stan. I've never experienced fans like his. Nobody compares to the Beyond the Gates fans."
When news first broke in March that Johnson's time as Ted would soon come to an end, rumors speculating why started to swirl.
One such theory was that Johnson and his on-screen wife Daphnee Duplaix, who plays Dr. Nicole Dupree-Richardson, were not getting along behind the scenes -- a rumor that Duplaix and Johnson both dispelled.
During an Instagram Live event on Monday, May 5, which featured Duplaix and co-star Trisha Mann-Grant, who plays Ted's ex, Dana/Leslie Thomas, when Duplaix was asked if the rumors were true, she said "no".
"No, not true. This is what I'm going to say to that. I learned a really, really, really long time ago in this business to stay in my lane. As a cast, and Trish, you chime in because I don't know if it's different for you, any conversations, decisions that were made, way above my pay grade," she said.
"We got an email on Sunday saying that he was no longer going to be with us. I do not know why."
Duplaix further explained that she ran into Johnson at an event and inquired about his well-being, giving him an opportunity to confide in her about his departure from the show, but that he did not.
"We hugged and I asked him how he was doing. He smiled and said he was great," she said. "I wasn't sure if he was just uncomfortable or didn't want to talk about it, or it could've been his decision. I don't know ... I did not pry."
Both Duplaix and Mann-Grant were excited to get Johnson to join the live event to possibly shed light on the situation, but were unable to due to technical difficulties.
However, Johnson said he and the cast are still friends.
"All of us are tight, and that's why you see the chemistry was so crazy. The fans latched on to Ted's storyline and all of the great drama it presented with Nicole, Eva, and Leslie/Dana. They love what I represented as a strong, polished, loving, empathetic and classy Black man," he said.
"It was my honor. This has opened up many more doors that I can't talk about right now, but stay tuned. I'm like Coach Prime, I ain't hard to find."
Towards the end of March, Johnson shared a Change.org petition with fans on social media asking them to sign it in an attempt to keep him on the show.
The petition, which "call[s] upon CBS and the creators of Beyond the Gates to rethink their decision and reinstate Maurice Johnson in the role of Dr. Ted Richardson," has garnered 1,540 verified signatures, 240 more than this time last week, with fans still signing as recently as 18 hours ago.
But while it is still unclear why Johnson is no longer on the show, Beyond the Gates has been renewed for a second season, so fans will just have to keep tuning in as anything can happen in Fairmont Crest.
Beyond the Gates airs weekdays on CBS at 2pm EST and on Paramount+.
