You thought “A Different World” series spotlighting Dwayne and Whitley’s kid wouldn’t involve the parents?
Deadline has confirmed Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Guy will reprise their iconic roles in the upcoming Netflix series and they aren’t alone. Darryl M. Bell and Cree Summer are also joining the cast as Ron and Freddie and all four will appear as recurrng characters throughout the season.
The upcoming single-camera comedy produced by showrunner Felicia Pride will feature 10 half-hour episodes and Debbie Allen, who took over the original show as executive producer and helped steer it to becoming an all-time cult classic, will serve as executive producer for the new series and direct three episodes.
Pride and Allen were overjoyed with the news welcoming Dwayne, Whitley, Ron and Freddie back to Hillman.
“’A Different World’ is back!!! YAY!! We are over the moon to bring this much-anticipated sequel with our returning legacy stars Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell! These beloved characters are returning in a major way that respects their history while engaging exciting storylines that are relevant to issues of today,” they shared in a joint statement.
They added, “Throughout the season, fans will have a chance to reunite with these O.G. characters and see how their lives have evolved into ‘A Different World.’ And as the story unfolds, there will be more cast surprises in store for longtime fans. We can’t wait for lovers of the show to experience this new chapter as a real continuation of the legacy show, and we’re excited to welcome new audiences to Hillman.”
The new series will focus on Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), the youngest daughter of Hillman’s most beloved couple as she attempts to carve out her own legacy outside of her over personable parents. The series will also star Alijah Kai as Rashida, Chibuikem Uche as Kojo, Cornell Young IV as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, and Kennedi Reece as Hazel.
Earlier this year, Summer reflected on the ending of the original “A Different World” and how many in the main cast from Hardison to Guy had started doing things outside of the show. However, the ending of the show didn’t immediately translate into extensive careers on big-time projects for the cast as it did for other beloved sitcom stars.
“What we didn’t realize was we ain’t ‘Saved By The Bell,’ we ain’t those white shows, and the world wasn’t waiting for us like that,” Summer told Lena Waithe. “We couldn’t wait because we thought ‘hey, we’re the number two show in America.’ There’s no way everybody can’t wait to see us. And no one gave a s–t. And you saw how that show ended with a whimper. Not a bang. And I think it was a real reality check for everybody.”
