Welcome Back to Hillman
Last year, it was announced that Netflix is reviving A Different World — a spin-off of The Cosby Show that originally intended to follow Denise Huxtable’s journey through college, with Lisa Bonet getting a promotion to the lead role. Bonet would eventually leave the show and return to The Cosby Show, but the ensemble characters of A Different World would prove to be strong enough that Denise wasn’t totally essential anymore. Now, the Netflix incarnation will feature a new cast of characters and follow the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, who became the stars of the original series.
The Return of Jada
As with all revival series with a next-generation cast, the hype for fans always has been — who from the original show will come back? The big names of the show, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell, are already tapped to return to campus. Deadline now reports that Jada Pinkett Smith, who was an addition later on in the former run, will also be reprising her role as Lena James.
Smith teased the news with a post on Instagram. She displayed an image of herself in front of her trailer with the simple caption, “She back,” then hashtagged A Different World.
The New Class
Maleah Joi Moon (known for Hell’s Kitchen) will be starring as the next generation lead in the series as Deborah Wayne, the daughter of the original series’ characters Dwayne Wayne (played by Kadeem Hardison) and Whitney Gilbert (played by Jasmine Guy). The additional cast members who will be joining Moon to make up the new ensemble will include Alijah Kai (Everybody Hates Chris) as Rashida, Chibuikem Uche (One Of Us Is Lying) as Kojo, Cornell Young IV (Doing Life) as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Hall (The Idea of You) as Amir, and newcomer Kennedi Reece as Hazel.
Details on the Revival
The official logline has revealed that this new incarnation “follows Deborah as she enters her freshman year at her parents’ HBCU alma mater and finds the shadow of her parents difficult to escape. She sets out to build her own legacy – while having the time of her life – alongside a whole new generation of Hillman’s best and brightest.”
Felicia Pride will be on board as a writer, executive producer, and the showrunner of the revival series. Debbie Allen, Mandy Summers, Tom Werner, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood are also on board as executive producers. Debbie Allen, who is no stranger to directing on the show, is also set to direct three of the season’s episodes, including the first.
Pride stated, “It is such an honor to be a part of bringing back this iconic show, one that I grew up on and which had a profound impact on my life. I am so proud of the work we’re doing to reimagine A Different World for beloved fans and new generations alike.” The Bythewoods have also stated, “A Different World changed everything for us. It was where we got our start as writers and where we found each other. This show has always been a part of our love story. To return to Hillman now and help reimagine this world for a new generation feels like a continuation of that legacy – one rooted in love, purpose, and possibility.”
