Ashley Clarice, star of BET and aTwist micro-series and mega church drama, Church Wives. Photo courtesy BET.
Actress Ashley Clarice is making her mark with a new role in BET’s upcoming megachurch drama, Church Wives, where ambition, influence, church politics, and generational differences collide. The rising actress stars alongside television personality and executive producer Gizelle Bryant in a new series that takes viewers inside the competitive world of megachurch leadership.
BET and aTwist are teaming up for their second microseries project with Church Wives, premiering Wednesday, November 4, at 10 p.m. ET/CT on BET as part of the network’s Where Drama Lives Wednesday lineup.
Clarice stars as Dr. Morgan Hayes, a psychologist and the wife of a young, aspiring junior pastor. New to the church, Morgan brings a fresh perspective and a different approach and a mental health component to navigating the world of church leadership. Her arrival, however, creates tension with the established pastor’s wife, played by Bryant, best known for her role on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Potomac, who also serves as executive producer of the series.
What unfolds is an old-school-versus-new-school clash between two ambitious women with different ideas about influence, tradition, and power. When a coveted leadership position opens up, polite competition quickly turns into rivalry. Church committee meetings, fundraisers, and Bible studies become battlegrounds as shifting alliances and personal ambitions threaten to overshadow faith.
For Clarice, the role is another opportunity to showcase her versatility and growing presence in the entertainment industry. A Los Angeles-based actress and graduate of UC Riverside, she earned an NAACP Theatre Award nomination for her breakout performance in the stage production of Steel Magnolias. Her credits also include an indie thriller and audio comedy and drama productions with Raedio, Issa Rae’s production company.
Clarice brings a range of experience to her performances, combining emotionally grounded portrayals with a natural screen presence. Her background also includes dance, fitness, strength training, rollerblading, and light stunt and improv experience.
I recently caught up with Ashley Clarice for a conversation on the Lin. Woods Gospel Entertainment Podcast, where we talked about her journey into acting, her faith, stepping into the role of Dr. Morgan Hayes, and what audiences can expect from Church Wives. Our conversation premieres Friday, November 6, 2026.
The BET and aTwist partnership also introduces audiences to a changing format for television storytelling. Church Wives will initially air in half-hour installments on BET before moving to aTwist’s vertical entertainment platform, where the episodes will be reformatted into shorter, mobile-friendly microseries content. A platform release date will be announced.
With Ashley Clarice stepping into a compelling new role and Gizelle Bryant bringing her television experience and executive producing vision to the project, Church Wives is one to watch.
Catch Ashley Clarice in Church Wives, premiering Wednesday, November 4, at 10 p.m. ET/CT on BET. Then tune in Friday, November 6, for my conversation with Ashley on the Lin. Woods Gospel Entertainment Podcast — Where We Talk To Inspire!
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