She’s credited with playing fearless characters on screen. But in real life, Karla Mosley is coming to terms with a truth that took years to identify—and she’s doing it on her own terms. Soap viewers recognize Karla Mosley as Dani Dupree, the fashion-forward, self-made ex-supermodel at the center of Beyond the Gates. But off the glamour and high-drama intrigue of Fairmont Crest, Mosley is living out an equally strong one, about which she recently spoke in a profoundly intimate interview.
From Soap Spotlight to Self-Discovery
Karla Mosley has played several iconic characters on daytime television—Guiding Light, The Bold and the Beautiful, and now Beyond the Gates. But in between her ascension in the soap universe, she spent years quietly searching for big answers about who she is in real life.
Speaking with the It Gets Better Project, Mosley revealed how her perception of her own identity has changed. She remembered that she had her first kiss with a girl, and she just took it for granted.
She grew up in a pretty white neighbourhood, and she reported that her body didn’t quite fit the standard of beauty. Therefore, she said she wasn’t invited to dances or looked at in a “sexually healthy” manner, which led her to close off that area of herself.
Mosley thought about being in almost two decades of a relationship, starting at 16 years old. But it wasn’t until she relocated to Los Angeles—and found herself alone as an adult for the first time. Then, she started really reacquainting herself with who she was. She described becoming a necessity when she realized she was queer and wanted to learn about and explore that aspect of herself more.
Beyond the Gates: Ownership of Truth
Mosley also spoke about the intricacies of her existing relationship. She said that even as it might seem “heteronormative and monogamous” on the outside, she’s been careful to carve out space in it for her queerness. She went on to say that her partner, too, as well as her intimate friends, comprehend and affirm that aspect of who she is.
When questioned as to why she is now speaking out about this publicly, Mosley admitted that it didn’t come naturally. She told us it took her a great deal of time to call and share this truth. Even now, she sometimes wonders if she has a right to occupy space in queer discourse. Nevertheless, she felt compelled to speak on behalf of others who might not yet have the words.
Mosley made clear that there’s no time limit for discovering oneself. She thinks individuals should be able to claim their truth in their own time, or remain silent about it. Whether it’s kept in private or revealed to the public, she explained, queerness takes many shapes, and all are legitimate.
As Dani Dupree on Beyond the Gates, Mosley makes a character with depth, vulnerability, and rich emotional depth come alive. Beyond the Gates continues to break new ground as the first daytime soap in over two decades.
And as if the women she portrays, Karla Mosley keeps evolving—both on- and off-screen. Tune in to Soap Opera Daily for further exclusive Beyond the Gates interviews, coverage, and spoiler-filled recaps.
