News
‘When It’s Your Turn, It’s Your Turn’: George Middlebrook Talks ‘Beauty In Black,’ Betting On Himself & His 15-Year Journey [Exclusive]
For George Middlebrook, landing a growing role on one of Netflix’s global hits isn’t an overnight success story. It’s the result of more than 15 years spent preparing for an opportunity he believed would eventually arrive.
Middlebrook stars as Officer Trackson in Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black, which returns to Netflix for its third season Aug. 27. Ahead of the premiere, the Detroit-born actor spoke exclusively with BOSSIP’s very own Lauryn Bass about his character’s expanding presence, the faith that carried him through years of uncertainty, and why finally finding success has only strengthened his desire to give back.
“It’s just an honor and blessing to be a part of Beauty in Black and to work with Tyler Perry and so many of our talented cast members,” Middlebrook said.
Trackson Is Becoming A Bigger Part Of The ‘Beauty In Black’ Story
Middlebrook said viewers will see significantly more of Trackson this season after watching his presence steadily grow throughout the series.
“The first part I was in two episodes, season one, part two, season one. I was in six episodes, and I’m in every episode in season two, and every episode in season three that’s coming up,” he said.
That increased screen time comes with trouble for Trackson.
Middlebrook teased that the relationship between Trackson and his partner begins to fracture as questions of loyalty surface. Trackson also remains tied to Jules and the criminal operation surrounding the show’s central family.
“You’ll see the bond that me and my partner had is starting to be broken because he’s going behind my back,” Middlebrook said. “I start to find out that he’s been disloyal to me.”
He added that viewers should expect action as that conflict escalates. The physicality of the role is familiar territory for Middlebrook, who has worked as a SAG-AFTRA stunt performer and has a background in football, military training, and weapons training.
“I’m in car crashes. I’m pulling out guns, snatching people up, a lot of physicality,” he said. “So, you know, just a perfect match.”
George Middlebrook’s Tyler Perry Story Came Full Circle
Middlebrook’s current position carries even more significance when compared with one of his earlier experiences in the industry.
Years before becoming Trackson, he worked as background on Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots. Middlebrook said that opportunity eventually resulted in an upgrade to a speaking role as a child welfare officer.
Even then, he approached the smaller opportunity as though it mattered.
“When I was a background, I wanted to be the best background,” he said. “I always made sure that I showed up being on time professionally, you know, and just trying to hold it down and carry my torch.”
Middlebrook said he always believed something larger was ahead, even when people around him questioned how long he was willing to wait.
“I always knew it was gonna happen, but it was just the pressure of people wanting to rush it for me,” he said.
Instead of abandoning acting, Middlebrook continued taking classes and developing his craft while working on independent movies, stage plays and projects distributed through platforms including Tubi and Amazon Prime.
“Just working on the craft and getting better,” he said. “It’s kind of like I said, full circle moment with just all the hard work and preparation. You know, God prepared me for these type of moments.”
‘You Just Gotta Wait Your Turn And Trust God’
That preparation took Middlebrook across the country.
His journey began in Detroit before taking him to Atlanta and Los Angeles and eventually leading him back to Atlanta. Rather than viewing those moves as evidence that his original plan wasn’t working, Middlebrook said he learned to remain open to where life was directing him.
“I truly believe that we don’t control anything in our lives. I think that our steps are already ordered,” he said. “I think our stories are already written.”
That outlook also helped him resist comparing his timeline with other actors.
“There’s room for us all to win,” Middlebrook said. “You never put too much real estate into somebody else who may seem like they’re further along than you that may be the same age. You just gotta wait your turn and trust God.”
The payoff has introduced Middlebrook to an audience far larger than he initially anticipated. He said even the cast did not fully understand how widely Beauty in Black would resonate, although Tyler Perry apparently had an idea.
“He was trying to tell us,” Middlebrook recalled. “He was like, ‘Yo, this is gonna change all y’all lives. I don’t think y’all understand what I got here.’”
Middlebrook said the recognition now follows him beyond the set.
“Anywhere I go now in the country, you know, people recognize me,” he said. “It’s truly a blessing and honor.”
Success Has Given Middlebrook A New Responsibility
Greater visibility, however, has come with another adjustment.
Middlebrook spoke candidly about navigating mental wellness while his career and financial circumstances change, describing feelings of survivor’s remorse and imposter syndrome alongside the instinct to help everyone around him.
“When it comes to mental health, it’s still, you know, an everyday thing that we have to work on, that I have to work on as a man,” he said.
Giving back has become one way Middlebrook stays connected to his purpose.
He pointed to back-to-school initiatives, holiday toy and turkey giveaways and other community efforts as priorities. His previous work around entertainers and promoters also allowed him to observe how people with greater resources could use them to serve others.
“I always told God, if you bless me with the money and the resources, then I’m gonna do the same,” Middlebrook said. “We just getting started.”
‘What Are You Doing When No One’s Watching?’
Middlebrook is already preparing for what comes next.
He expects to return for Season 4 of Beauty in Black in October. He also recently completed a film alongside Tiffany Haddish, in which he plays a news reporter, and has other projects in post-production, including The Price of Fame, directed by Joe Smith.
For Middlebrook, however, the years before his breakthrough remain just as important as what happens after it. His advice for creatives and entrepreneurs waiting for their own opportunity is rooted in the same habits he says sustained him when few people were watching.
“Be humble. Be grateful. Always put God first and create, collaborate,” he said. “What God has for you can’t miss you.”
More importantly, he said preparation cannot begin once the opportunity arrives.
“You gotta work when you gotta do the things when no one’s watching,” Middlebrook said. “Like, what are you doing when no one’s watching?”
After more than 15 years of building, pivoting and believing, Middlebrook knows firsthand how quickly years of preparation can become visible to everyone else.
“When it’s your turn, it’s your turn,” he said. “So just keep preparing, keep asking questions, keep showing up, and being consistent and being professional.”
Tyler Perry’s Beauty In Black is now streaming on Netflix.
