Exclusive: Arielle Prepetit addresses if Naomi can truly turn away from her dad on Beyond the Gates 

On Beyond the Gates, Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne, played by Arielle Prepetit, is in a difficult situation. She's the lawyer who has taken a sexual harassment case against her very own father, Bill Hamilton (Timon Kyle Durrett), a powerful attorney. This week, Naomi's renewed push for a game-changing settlement stirred tension with her dad. Soap Central chatted with Prepetit about this latest development and the toll it's taking on Naomi both professionally and personally.

Beyond the Gates' Family Court

"It's very layered and complex," Prepetit tells Soap Central. "She's dealing with a lot of emotions, and she doesn't know how to feel. Once she decided to take this case, she's [been] full-steam ahead! It doesn't matter that it's her father. She's going to get justice for these women. That's why she took the case."

"Naomi saw that these women were wronged," the actress continues. "She fights for injustice. Naomi wants to help people who don't have any other way out. She's going to help these women despite this being her dad [who is being sued]."

Legal Motivation

While some attorneys might find it difficult going up against the mighty Bill Hamilton, Prepetit says that Naomi, knowing her dad so well, worked in her character's favor. "In the beginning, it was a good thing," she says. "Yes, it was her dad, but that's not why she took [the case]. She knows why she took it."

Naomi isn't able to always separate being Bill's daughter from being opposing counsel — how could she? It's the scenes in which Naomi is torn that Prepetit loves the most. "She loves her father," the actress says. "[Naomi] has gone back and forth between 'Am I doing this or am I not?' She's dealing with a lot."

In addition to the harassment suit, Naomi is also struggling with the issue of having brought her former friend Hayley (Marquita Goings) into the family fold, which ultimately led to her parents' split and her dad marrying her ex-pal. "[Naomi] is caught in the middle," Prepetit offers. "Hayley was her best friend. She put a lot of blame on herself for bringing her into the family."

Bill and Dani's (Karla Mosley) divorce, Prepetit muses, "could have happened some other way, but Naomi puts a lot of blame on herself. That adds even more tension."

The Parent Trap

Even if Naomi weren't at odds with her father over the lawsuit, she'd still be supporting her mom. "If you do something wrong [to someone Naomi loves], she's not your friend," Prepetit says. "She's very loyal. She's #TeamDani 100%."

However, turning away from her father altogether isn't an easy thing to do. "She grew up idolizing this man," Prepetit says. "There's still that feeling inside her. She can't let that go. There's a lot of turmoil inside. Naomi is not one to easily forgive and forget."

Catch all-new episodes of Beyond the Gates on CBS and Paramount Plus.