Whether you refer to it as Black Hollywood or the Black Mecca, Atlanta has been and remains the birthplace of numerous stars and careers. That could be said for star actress Gail Bean, but she would quickly rebuff that about herself.
“Stone Mountain is not Atlanta, but it is part of the Metro area,” she said.
For those who don’t know, Stone Mountain is just outside of Atlanta, about 20 minutes from the downtown area. It’s named after—and home to—arguably one of the most iconic mountains in the country, and definitely the most iconic in Georgia. It’s a recognizable landmark, renowned for its history, with a massive carving depicting Confederate leaders. The landmark celebrates a darker time in Georgia’s history, but now Stone Mountain is a hub of Black excellence and culture, with over 80% of its demographic identifying as Black or African-American.
“Growing up in Stone Mountain made me who I am as far as being grounded, positive, and open to community,” said Bean. “On the East side, we want you to have a good time and get to know you. We very much have that southern hospitality.”
Bean attended and graduated from Stephenson High School, a five-acre campus that is a part of the DeKalb County School District. The school has produced several alumni of note, including rapper J.I.D., R&B singer Lloyd, and actor and musician Donald Glover, formerly known as Childish Gambino. On the sports side, they have produced numerous NFL and NBA players, specifically Montez Sweat of the Chicago Bears, who recently signed a $98 million contract.
“Stephenson produces nothing but greatness.” Bean said with a huge smile. Stephenson was also where Gail decided to pursue acting. She took a drama class taught by Dr. Knockers, and she fell in love with the freedom acting brought. She loved to perform and loved the art of storytelling through acting. After graduating from college, it wouldn’t take long for Gail to land some impressive acting roles, including a Sundance feature in 2015 where she played Jasmine in Unexpected, and a supporting role in The Belko Experiment in 2016. One of her biggest roles to date would come when she was cast in the Starz series P-Valley.
“While playing Roulette, the biggest thing I learned was that dancing is really a sport and that each city has its own unique culture and traditions it preserves.”
Her time on P-Valley opened her eyes more to strip club culture, but she would tell you herself she wasn’t new to it at all. Her first strip club she ever went to was the iconic Strokers in Clarkston, Georgia. Another strip club she frequents is Blue Flame, another well-known adult entertainment venue in the city. Playing Roulette was a huge moment for her, but Gail’s biggest moment came when she was cast as Wanda in one of most acclaimed dramas of the last decade, Snowfall.
“I knew it was mine because I tend to look for omens, and comedian Deray [Davis] was sitting in the waiting room before the auditions—funny enough my brother and I had literally just watched his stand-up special,” said Bean. “ Then they called me and said, ‘It’s yours, and we knew it was yours the moment you walked in there.’”
The character of Wanda is popular with audiences because of all she went through. She is Leon’s girl who got swept up in the crack era and had to fight her way back from rock bottom. Her story isn’t just about addiction; it’s about the pain, survival, and resilience that defined an entire generation, and one that a lot of people could personally relate to. Watching Wanda evolve from broken to redeemed is one of the show’s most powerful arcs.
“The redemption of Wanda was one of the hardest things to portray, yet something that I loved putting my heart into,” Bean stated. “I wanted to make sure I portrayed a truthful story and that it wasn’t a caricature or a stereotype.”
The Georgia-born actress would become a series regular, and deliver several standout performances up into its series finale in 2023. While the show’s run would come to a close in the after season six, it wasn’t the end of Wanda’s story. FX recently greenlit the Snowfall spinoff, and Bean is right at the center, stepping back into her role as Wanda Bell-Simmons. The spinoff will take place in the early ’90s West Coast rap scene. Wanda will be newly married to Leon and chasing a whole new hustle while still dealing with the streets and all that comes with it.
“What excites me the most about this spinoff is going into the 90’s, which is one of my favorite eras, and giving actors who weren’t a part of the Snowfall universe the chance to be a part of this amazing series,” Bean explained. “I’m also super excited to continue Wanda’s powerful story of redemption. People don’t realize that being an addict is an everyday struggle and a common one. I’ve had Samuel L. Jackson and Terrance Howard tell me about their addiction stories, and I’ve had mayors come up to me and tell me that Wanda was their mom. So being able to highlight and continue to tell a story of a people whose story isn’t always told.
For Gail Bean, being back in the AUC on Morehouse Campus for Kingsford Pass The Tongs back to school celebration was a no-brainer for her. As a Delta herself, she knows how important it is to celebrate and uplift HBCU culture, and to partner with Kingsford, one of the staples of barbeque in our community, and to do it back at home is a full circle moment.
“I care so much about my community and giving back, and to know a brand as big as Kingsford sees not only us but our community is everything to me.”