Beauty in Black originally planned to kill off a central character in season 1

Netflix gave us a late summer treat with the release of Beauty in Black season 3, another collection of eight episodes that delivered unexpected twists and thrilling cliffhangers that left us wanting more. Leading into the highly anticipated fourth season, the Tyler Perry drama series left multiple lives on the line and flipped the script on character dynamics that change the game.

But Beauty in Black saved one of its biggest reveals for the fallout of the third season. Horace might have kept viewers on their toes in season 3 as he finally explored his sexuality with Angel (Xavier Smalls), but star Ricco Ross shared a bit of behind-the-scenes lore about his character. Horace's life is in danger now, but Perry nearly killed him off before season 2 even started.

Tyler Perry planned to kill off Horace in Beauty in Black season 1

Ross explained in an interview with TV Line that he was originally only contracted to appear in five episodes. According to the actor, "The way the series was written, Horace died at the end of season 1 and you were never supposed to see him again. He would be gone and Kimmie was going to take over." He didn't reveal how or why Horace would have died, but that's quite the revelation.

However, when Ross stepped into his role as Horace and began squaring off against Norman (Richard Lawson) in the Bellarie boardroom and other battlegrounds, Perry reconsidered his decision to kill of such a powerful character. That's the great thing about chemistry and a good performance. When you happen upon something surprising, it's better to write toward that and rethink your original plan.

Ross said, "Tyler Perry finally cut — because he does take very long cuts — and he walked in and told us all to look at the monitor. There were about 50 people standing around watching the scene we had just shot, and Tyler looked at all of us and said, 'That doesn't happen. We've got something special here.' And then he pulled me aside and said he was distracted. He said, 'I had a hard time focusing on the scene because I was thinking that I can't kill Horace off. And I love killing off characters!"

Obviously, long-time viewers of Perry's television series know that the writer and director loves to throw in a good plot twist, but after seeing Ross' performance, he clearly knew that Horace was a key element of Beauty in Black that needed to stick around. Since then, Horace has remained a main character and has now gone on a new journey in the third season, exploring his attraction to Angel.

Horace had been battling some internal homophobia rather externally with his negative reaction to his son Charles (Steven G. Norfleet) having a relationship with Varney (Terrell Carter). But getting the opportunity to unpack the deeper and richer parts of Horace as a character beyond his business and family dynamics wouldn't have been able to happen if he had actually been killed off in season 1.

Ross attributes the success of Beauty and Black to the fervent fandom being the driving force behind the show. Netflix had originally intended for season 3 to be the final season, but the streamer reversed its decision with a season 4 renewal ahead of the season 3 release. Since the third season made viewership history for the series, Netflix made the right call.

We'll have to keep watching Beauty in Black to find out what's next for Horace, his exploration of his sexuality, and whether he survives his season 3 cliffhanger. Stay tuned for more news and updates about season 4!

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