Give her the material to serve, and serve she will. That’s exactly what Lauren Buglioli did this week on Beyond the Gates, and the result was unforgettable. In a story packed with temptation, betrayal, and devastating loss, Buglioli went there — emotionally, mentally, you name it — she delivered a performance that earns her the title of Soap Opera News’s Performer of the Week for September 22–26.
What Happened on Beyond the Gates?
This week, Vanessa’s world unraveled in the most dramatic way possible.
She was already stuck in an emotional tug-of-war — torn between loyalty to her troubled husband Doug (Jason Graham), and the dangerous pull of the ever-persistent Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom).
While Doug continued to spiral due to his gambling addiction (the same one that had nearly destroyed their marriage), Vanessa was drawn deeper into Joey’s world of escape and seduction.
After a heated argument with Doug, Joey extended an invitation to whisk Vanessa away to Puerto Rico for a romantic getaway. And of course, she took him up on the offer. But what she thought would be a chance to clear her head turned into something far more complicated.
Once they arrived, Joey made his move, begging Vanessa to take off her wedding ring and fully give herself to him. She hesitated at first. The guilt, the inner conflict… it was all there. But ultimately, she gave in.
Meanwhile, back in Fairmont Crest, Doug was at his lowest, gambling recklessly, drunk, and unaware that he had been drugged.
While Vanessa was in bed with her side man, her husband was slipping further into danger. And then came the moment that changed everything.
Just after an unforgettable passion round with Joey, Vanessa checked her phone. She found there were multiple missed calls from Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges).
She immediately called him back, assuming it had something to do with the twins. But what he said next shattered her world: Doug was dead. Killed in a fiery car crash.
Lauren Buglioli Crowned Performer of the Week
And this is where Lauren Buglioli gave a masterclass in raw, human emotion. From the second Vanessa heard the news, Buglioli pulled us all in — the shock, the guilt, the overwhelming grief. The tears on her face, the struggle in her voice, the torment in her body language — it all hit like a punch to the gut.
This wasn’t just a sad moment. It was a full-body collapse of a woman who had just lost her husband, whose final words to him were angry ones.
Buglioli didn’t miss a damn beat. She sold it. Every. Single. Second. SOLD.
Her performance was haunting, heartbreaking, and undeniably powerful — the kind of acting that sticks with you long after the credits roll. It was layered, emotional, and Emmy-worthy!
Congratulations, Lauren Buglioli. You are Soap Opera News’s Performer of the Week — and there’s absolutely no question, you deserve it.
Photo Credit: CBS Screenshot.
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