Bailey Tippen talks 'Beauty In Black' Season 1's "powerful ending," working with Tyler Perry, and 'BMF' Season 4 (2025)

You may not catch Bailey Tippen on screen until Episode 7 of the first part of Beauty in Black, Tyler Perry‘s first Netflix series. However, the introduction of her character Sylvie sets up a notably dark and heart-wrenching storyline for the dark drama, which saw itself in the streamer’s Top 10 Shows in the U.S. for seven weeks across the releases of Part 1 and Part 2.

**Spoilers ahead for Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black Season 1, now streaming on Netflix**

Beauty in Black follows two women — Kimmie (Taylor Polidore Williams) and Mallory (Crystle Stewart) — leading (seemingly) drastically different lives. While Kimmie works at a strip club to make ends meet, Mallory is the face of haircare company Beauty in Black, having married into the wealthy and powerful Bellarie family. However, their lives are intertwined in ways more sinister than they could even imagine.

Those who have already devoured the series now recognize Tippen as Sylvie, Kimmie’s younger sister, who gets kidnapped and forced into the sex trafficking ring and “very dark world” that Kimmie has been hiding from her, Tippen explained. Kimmie, who had been telling Sylvie that she worked in a hospital as a nurse, is confronted by her younger sister for her lies. However, Sylvie learns more ahead of Kimmie’s very unorthodox “fairytale” ending, where she ties the knot with an ill Bellarie family patriarch, Horace.

Tippen said said “it was an honor” working with Perry, and looking forward, with Season 2 already greenlit, she “would absolutely” love to collaborate with him in the future.

The actress chatted with DECIDER about the season’s “powerful ending,” how she’s “optimistic” about what can happen next season, and whether or not she is returning for BMF Season 4 on Starz.

DECIDER: Sylvie, your character, is not introduced until later in Part 1 of the series, but she ends up influencing the entire storyline of Part 2. Were you aware of your character’s tremendous impact on the rest of the show when you got this role and when you got the scripts?

BAILEY TIPPEN: Well, when I got the audition obviously I was not aware of it, but we ended up getting the scripts in advance for the full season and we worked on the whole thing as one. Yeah, I mean I learned eventually but wow, the people who are viewing it are definitely in for a wild ride. I will say that.

Definitely. You don’t actually appear on screen until episode seven and you don’t take up too much screen time throughout the show until later in Part 2. How did you make the most out of this limited amount of screen time?

Just setting the character up and focusing in on what her world looks like. I think that was pivotal, especially for Part 1, just so the people know like, OK, this is who the sister is for Part 2. Just so it’s clear.

After Sylvie’s introduction, she is taken by Body (Tamera Kissen) and Delinda (Ursula O. Robinson). That scene is definitely super jarring, deeply upsetting. Your character’s forced firsthand into a glimpse of Kimmie’s life working at the strip club, but she still calls out her sister for lying to her and having told her family that she was working as a nurse at the hospital. Do you think that any of her resentment or disappointment may dissipate as she learns more and more about what her sister has gone through?

It’s possible. I think she was more disappointed in the fact that her sister had lied to her because for so long she has always put her up at a high status. I think it was more heartbreaking for her to go through her world just changing in a blink of an eye. Not only did she get kidnapped, was part of a sex trafficking ring and was introduced to this very dark world that Kimmie had been hiding from her and not being transparent with, but I think it’s more so her world was just crushed.

Just when we think things have even slightly calmed down, there’s the man in the back of the car that Kimmie stole to bring Sylvie to the hospital. That twist definitely snuck up on me. I know that Sylvie was the first to spot him in the back seat, but Kimmie didn’t believe her initially. Where do you think this can ultimately take us in Season 2, which I know was recently confirmed?

There’s so many ways it can take place. I had a lot of fun shooting that scene. It was actually one of my favorite ones. I mean, it was just hilarious. I think it also reminded people like, ‘Hey, safety first.’ I’ve been seeing a lot of reaction towards the scene and people are now checking their back seat to make sure everything is all clear before they leave. So hey, it’s making an impact.

Angel ultimately gets framed for the car jacking, or at least seemingly gets framed at the end of Part 2 and almost creates kind of a full circle moment with him recruiting Kimmie and Rain for the drug deal that lead them down this path and into Jules’s control, and I was curious if you see there being any redemption for him in season 2.

Oh wow. I’ve been looking at all the comments and people are like “Get my man out of jail,” because the fans are going crazy over Angel. As far as Season 2, there is a lot that they can work with but I guess we will have to wait and see.

One thing I picked up in this series that I was curious about was the use of fake AI evidence. There’s the scene where Olivia makes a fake video of Lena slapping her in order to blackmail her, and I was curious if you think this is a critic of use of AI and what your thoughts were on this part of the show.

It’s really interesting because AI has definitely been growing and growing rapidly especially in this industry, too. I think it’s more so just an entertaining look towards it. I don’t think it’s really too much into everything with AI so far.

Part 2 ends with Kimmie getting married to Horace and I love how Sylvie has a lot of questions for him and steps in to make sure that this deal won’t get her older sister into trouble. I was curious about what your thoughts were on this kind of ending and where you see this kind of leading into Season 2.

It was a powerful ending, I love the fact that Kimmie got almost a fairytale. Finally something good happens after she finds her sister and has gone through this tragedy of a life. I’m really optimistic about what can happen for Season 2. Tyler Perry has also teased a spoiler for the people with Jules in office and Kimmie in office. So it looks like it’s heading in that direction, which I’m looking forward to seeing.

Speaking of Tyler Perry, I wanted to ask what it was like working with him and if you see yourself potentially collaborating with him on any future projects?

It was an honor working with Tyler Perry. Working on that production, it really felt like working with family and the people who were there, they just get it. I don’t really have to speak on too much about, for example, my hair. Other productions ,they might not understand how my natural curly hair works, but this production does. So just the little things they understand and it’s always a pleasure working with the production, and yes, I would absolutely love to do more. I would love to work with Tyler Perry again.

This role just followed your work on BMF on Starz, which I know is back for Season 4 on June 6. Will you be back in this new season? And if so, is there anything you can tease about the next installment?

Yes, so my character will be back in Season 4 of BMF, Tina. Lots of character development, I’ll say. I feel like that’s about all I can say right now, but its on the way very soon.

Was there anything else that you’d like to reflect on in terms of the show, anything you’d like to share?

Season 2 is on the way, Part 2 is out now on Netflix, and get ready for a wild ride.

My last question: the show has been in the Top 10 shows in the U.S. on Netflix for I think 7 weeks across Parts 1 and 2. What do you have to say to this positive reception?

It’s amazing to see it up there on [the] Top 10, I was speechless. I love the fact the people are really enjoying the story and enjoying the edginess of the production, the edginess of the series and the characters who are portraying themselves as authentically as they can be — the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful, you see it all. I love that. The people love it.

Beauty in Black Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.