Atlanta lawyer balances legal career with extra role on CBS soap "Beyond the Gates"

"Beyond the Gates," the hit CBS soap opera filmed in Doraville, is giving viewers on-screen drama and opening doors for people chasing big dreams off-screen.

By day, Jessica Thomas is in the courtroom, and by night, she is living her dream.

Thomas is a lawyer who found her way onto the set of "Beyond the Gates" as an extra.

She said she didn't know what she was signing up for.

"At the time, this was last fall, I was actually going through a layoff in my real life, and I had the time. So I thought, you know what? I've always wanted to do this. This is probably my sign, my time," Thomas said. 

She found the opportunity in a community Facebook group, applied, and showed up ready for whatever it had in store.

"I submitted my photos, and I think a couple of weeks later I got an email that said, 'You've been cast, and I found out it was 'Beyond the Gates,'" she said.

It was Hollywood magic for Thomas.

"I could not wait to tell my mom. I think she is a super fan. In fact, I know she is a super fan," Thomas said. "So, I texted her and I was like, you are not going to believe this. I've been cast as an extra on 'Beyond the Gates.' She called my phone immediately and we had this whole little scream fest together."

Now she is balancing two very different worlds, briefs and court deadlines by day, call times and cameras by night.

For her, this is not just a fun side gig. It's a glimpse at a lifelong dream.

"My family watches for me as an extra, as though I have a lead role, but I'm still not giving up even on that dream. I think this is a stepping stone to get there. I will never give up," Thomas said. 

She knows being an extra means blending into the background, but sometimes the people behind the scenes can have just as much star power.

"I think my double life could fit into the show. I could totally be a lawyer at Bill's law firm," she said.

With Atlanta's film and TV industry growing around her, she said this is exactly where she's meant to be.

"I think a dream deferred is never denied," she said. 

Thomas told us she plans to continue auditioning and taking opportunities as they come, with the dream of one day stepping into a starring role.