If you don’t know Arielle Prepetit’s name yet, you’re about to. The rising star is having her undeniable breakout as Naomi Hawthorne, a fierce D.C. attorney with a soul-deep musical legacy, on the buzzy Paramount+ drama Beyond the Gates. And with every episode, Prepetit proves she’s not just stepping into the spotlight—she belongs in it.

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Prepetit is a first-generation Haitian-American who got her start performing at just five years old. Her early days on the stages of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios gave her more than just glitter and showbiz sparkle—they built her into the kind of artist who thrives on discipline, depth, and authenticity. Now based in Atlanta, she’s channeling that early training and lived experience into a performance that’s equal parts powerhouse and poetry.

“I knew who Naomi was the moment I read her,” Prepetit says. “She’s loyal, passionate, sometimes too honest—but above all, she loves hard. That’s me.” Her connection to the role goes far deeper than the script: like Naomi, Prepetit shared a profound bond with her grandmother, and the show’s blend of legal drama and family legacy became a canvas for personal tribute. “My family lifts me up, just like Naomi’s does. That vulnerability behind her strength? That’s from home.”

Beyond the Gates is already turning heads with its portrayal of a wealthy Black family whose empire was built on activism, education, and the arts. It’s sophisticated, messy, and yes—completely addictive. But more than the drama, Prepetit believes it’s the authenticity that’s resonating: “People are excited to see Black characters who are multi-faceted and complex. It’s glamorous, but it’s grounded in something real.”

Her portrayal of Naomi has also become a beacon of visibility—especially during Pride. As a queer, Haitian-American woman, Prepetit doesn’t take her presence on screen lightly. “My existence is a form of resistance,” she says proudly. “Just by showing up and being seen, I’m pushing the culture forward.” She brings that same energy into her work—layered, celebratory, and deeply intentional.

Before her breakout, Prepetit danced alongside Rosario Dawson and Danny DeVito in Haunted Mansion, shared the screen with Robert De Niro in About My Father, and voiced national campaigns—all while keeping her triple-threat artistry sharp. “Dance taught me discipline, voice acting taught me vulnerability, and acting brought it all together,” she reflects. “Now, I just want to do it all. Movie musicals, Marvel, action—give me something juicy and real, and I’m in.”

But even as the spotlight grows brighter, Prepetit remains grounded in purpose. “This is the hardest I’ve ever worked,” she says of her role on Beyond the Gates. “But I care deeply about this show and my work. That’s my North Star.”

And if she could say something to the little girl who once danced her heart out in Orlando?

“I’d tell her she is enough. That she’s going to make her parents proud. And that everything she dreams of—every bit of it—is possible.”

With heart, talent, and a voice that refuses to be anything but her own, Arielle Prepetit is more than a rising star—she’s a force in motion. Watch her shine.If you don’t know Arielle Prepetit’s name yet, you’re about to. The rising star is having her undeniable breakout as Naomi Hawthorne, a fierce D.C. attorney with a soul-deep musical legacy, on the buzzy Paramount+ drama Beyond the Gates. And with every episode, Prepetit proves she’s not just stepping into the spotlight—she belongs in it.

Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Prepetit is a first-generation Haitian-American who got her start performing at just five years old. Her early days on the stages of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios gave her more than just glitter and showbiz sparkle—they built her into the kind of artist who thrives on discipline, depth, and authenticity. Now based in Atlanta, she’s channeling that early training and lived experience into a performance that’s equal parts powerhouse and poetry.

“I knew who Naomi was the moment I read her,” Prepetit says. “She’s loyal, passionate, sometimes too honest—but above all, she loves hard. That’s me.” Her connection to the role goes far deeper than the script: like Naomi, Prepetit shared a profound bond with her grandmother, and the show’s blend of legal drama and family legacy became a canvas for personal tribute. “My family lifts me up, just like Naomi’s does. That vulnerability behind her strength? That’s from home.”

Beyond the Gates is already turning heads with its portrayal of a wealthy Black family whose empire was built on activism, education, and the arts. It’s sophisticated, messy, and yes—completely addictive. But more than the drama, Prepetit believes it’s the authenticity that’s resonating: “People are excited to see Black characters who are multi-faceted and complex. It’s glamorous, but it’s grounded in something real.”

Her portrayal of Naomi has also become a beacon of visibility—especially during Pride. As a queer, Haitian-American woman, Prepetit doesn’t take her presence on screen lightly. “My existence is a form of resistance,” she says proudly. “Just by showing up and being seen, I’m pushing the culture forward.” She brings that same energy into her work—layered, celebratory, and deeply intentional.

Before her breakout, Prepetit danced alongside Rosario Dawson and Danny DeVito in Haunted Mansion, shared the screen with Robert De Niro in About My Father, and voiced national campaigns—all while keeping her triple-threat artistry sharp. “Dance taught me discipline, voice acting taught me vulnerability, and acting brought it all together,” she reflects. “Now, I just want to do it all. Movie musicals, Marvel, action—give me something juicy and real, and I’m in.”

But even as the spotlight grows brighter, Prepetit remains grounded in purpose. “This is the hardest I’ve ever worked,” she says of her role on Beyond the Gates. “But I care deeply about this show and my work. That’s my North Star.”

And if she could say something to the little girl who once danced her heart out in Orlando?

“I’d tell her she is enough. That she’s going to make her parents proud. And that everything she dreams of—every bit of it—is possible.”

With heart, talent, and a voice that refuses to be anything but her own, Arielle Prepetit is more than a rising star—she’s a force in motion. Watch her shine.

Photography Credit: LOLA SCOTT