Beth Pearson

## Bethany Pearson

* Adult
* Teen

**Bethany** "**Beth" Clarke Pearson** is the wife of Randall Pearson and mother of Deja, Tess, and Annie Pearson. She is portrayed by Susan Kelechi Watson.

## Personality

Beth is intelligent and funny. She is a dependable wife and mother that Randall calls his "Rock." When Randall learns William, his biological father, is dying, the family takes him in. Beth is a confidante, caretaker, and good friend to William in his final months.

Beth is largely defined by her elegance, grace, refined, and poise qualities that she has had since she was a young ballet dancer and that she developed as she aged and rose up from her working-class beginnings to her current upper-middle-class lifestyle. This is best demonstrated in the way she speaks; she mainly speaks in a soft and tender voice, even when overcome with great anger she still endeavors to maintain a gentle, composed, and eloquent tone. This is likely a personality trait she acquired from her mother.

## History

Beth experiences a blow to her confidence when she loses the job she had for twelve years. At around this same time, Randall announces that he is running for office in William's old home district. She interviews for similar positions, but she gets teary-eyed as she tries to discuss her background. She does some soul-searching.

Her mother calls and says she's bruised her hip, so Beth and cousin Zoe go to see her mother in DC. On this trip, she has a tough confrontation with her mother and a tearful admission to her father's old chair in the living room. She realizes she needs to get back to her childhood dreams of being a dancer. She needs to reclaim the person her late father called "our little island girl, who danced before she could walk."

Beth, originally Bethany Clarke, studied ballet at a gifted school. It costs a lot and there are four other children in their house, but the policeman Abe Clarke and high school principal Carol make it work to support their daughter's dream.

In Beth's late teens, the competition at dance school has increased. Abe reveals he has lung cancer and dies not long after. Carol had a tough talk with Beth after his passing. She told Beth to she had to be practical and give up her dance dreams. Carol informs Beth that they need to save money. Carol explains to Beth that it's time for her to move on from dance and focus on school.

She couldn't afford to have her daughter starving in NYC trying to make it at something that just wasn't meant to be. Carol explains that she's trying to protect Beth. She's afraid that Beth will get hurt. Carol believes that this is the only way to protect her youngest daughter. She would go to a regular high school to graduate from and find a college to go to. While checking out colleges, Beth fills out a name tag. The first one she writes says "Bethany." Then she crumples it up and writes a new one that says "Beth."

As she turns to meet other people, she has a chance encounter with seventeen-year-old Randall Pearson, who she ends up dating and marrying.

## Relationships

### Randall Pearson

Randall has known his wife, Beth for seventeen years. They met in college. They purchased their home just prior to their marriage and Randall’s promotion to partner in his firm.

### Family

* Abraham Clarke - Father (Deceased)
* Carol Clarke - Mother
* Randall Pearson - Husband
* Deja Pearson - Adopted Daughter
* Tess Pearson - Daughter
* Annie Pearson - Daughter
* Lisa Clarke - Older Sister
* Isaiah Clarke - Older Brother
* Renée Clarke - Older Sister
* Zoe Baker - Cousin
* Nicky Pearson - Uncle in law
* Andy Rivas - stepbrother in law
* Amber Rivas - Stepsister in-law
* Mae Dubois - great aunt in law
* Jackson Dubois - Uncle in Law

## Career

As a child Beth wanted to be a professional ballerina in New York City. After her father died from lung cancer Beth had to quit dance because Carol couldn't afford it anymore and she didn't want Beth to get hurt. Beth moves on from dance and focuses on school where she majors in architecture. She pursues a graduate degree and finds work as an urban planner. Beth eventually opens up her own dance studio. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic Beth is forced to close her dance studio indefinitely. In Our Little Island Girl: Part Two Beth gets a new job as a dance teacher at a ballet studio.

## Notes and Trivia

* Her father Abraham Clarke died from lung cancer when she wasn't prepared for it.
* She considers her cousin Zoe Baker to be her younger sister and the two are very close.
* Carol forced Beth to quit dance after Abe died because she was trying to protect her.