Get ready to step into A Different World: The iconic ’90s sitcom has returned with a new sequel series centering on Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), the youngest daughter of Hillman College’s finest, Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy). 

Over 10 episodes, the new series explores the lives and loves of a new generation at Hillman College. Take a look at the sneak-peek photos of A Different World, which reveal the faces making up the student body: Joining Moon are 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.

Alijah Kai as Rashida, Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah, and Kennedi Reece as Hazel

PHOTO BY DANIEL DELGADO JR

Chibuikem Uche as Kojo, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, and Cornell Young IV as Shaquille

PHOTO BY QUANTRELL COLBERT

Moon as Deborah and Young IV as Shaquille

PHOTO BY ELI JOSHUA ADE

“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,” says Felicia Pride (Grey’s Anatomy, Bel-Air), who serves as showrunner and executive producer. “I am so proud of the work we’re doing to reimagine A Different World for beloved fans and new generations alike.” 

Original series director Debbie Allen (Fame, Grey’s Anatomy) — who served as producer for 122 episodes and directed 83 of the original run — returns as executive producer and directs the dramedy’s premiere episode. 

“There couldn’t be a better time than now to reboot A Different World,” Allen tells Tudum. “Our show changed lives, tripled the enrollment of historically black colleges and gave a strong voice and platform for Young Black America. The incredible fresh young talent we have discovered paired with the lovable audience favorite OGs makes this much-anticipated return a must-see on Netflix.” 

Keep reading for your syllabus on all things A Different World sequel, including the new faces arriving at Hillman College— and quite a few familiar ones too. 

Hall as Amir, Reece as Hazel, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne, and Darryl M. Bell as Ron

Charnele Brown as Kimberly, Cree Summer as Freddie, and Jasmine Guy as Whitley

PHOTO BY QUANTRELL COLBERT

Brown as Kimberly, Guy as Whitley, Hardison as Dwayne, Bell as Ron, and Summer as Freddie

PHOTO BY QUANTRELL COLBERT

What is the A Different World sequel about? 

When Deborah, Dwayne Wayne, and Whitley Gilbert's free-spirited, well-intentioned, yet rebellious youngest child, enters her freshman year at Hillman College, she finds the shadow of her parents difficult to escape as 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.

Who is Mr. Vernon Gaines? 

Scandal erupts at the end of Episode 1, when Hillman’s financial struggles are revealed during convocation. However, the event was originally meant to be an elegant and emotional tribute to Mr. Gaines (Lou Myers), the beloved owner and manager of the Pit in the original series. Myers appeared in 113 episodes of the sitcom, and died in 2013. Out of respect for Mr. Gaines’s decades of Hillman service, the new library in the sequel series is dedicated to the “father of the Pit,” as Dwayne explains. 

“Mr. Gaines was our griot,” Dwayne continues, referring to the centuries-old West African term for a cultural storyteller and historian. “He nurtured our souls through his stories, his wisdom, his tough love, and the best damn collard greens you ever had.” Now, Mr. Gaines’s legacy lives on in the latest iteration of A Different World.  

Who is Devon Culture? 

In the series premiere of A Different World, Deborah, Rashida, and Hazel spend their first night on campus at the In the Building party. The teens eventually end up in hot water that evening — but not before having an unforgettable experience together. While at the party, “TikTok sensation” Devon Culture appears for a surprise performance, much to the delight of the attendees.  

Although Culture isn’t an actual Hillman alum — since the iconic institution is fictional — the R&B performer is very real. He has over 170,000 followers on Instagram and many thousands of listeners across Spotify and Apple Music. 

Who is in the new cast of the A Different World sequel? 

• Maleah Joi Moon (Hell’s Kitchen) as Deborah
• Alijah Kai (Everybody Hates Chris) as Rashida
• Cornell Young IV (Doing Life) as Shaquille
• Jordan Aaron Hall (The Idea of You) as Amir
• Kennedi Reece (Charged) as Hazel
• Chibuikem Uche (One of Us Is Lying) as Kojo
• Cliff “Method Man” Smith (PowerBook II, Godfather of Harlem, The Wire) as Coach Coles
• Norman Nixon Jr. (Grey’s Anatomy, Haus of Vicious, The Ms. Pat Show) as Professor Baptiste
• Vincent Jamal Hooper (Chicago Med, Shots Fired) as Ellington
• Elijah J. Roberts (Night Swim) as Jalen
• Renee Harrison (All American: Homecoming, The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, Law & Order: SVU) as Candace
• Famecia Ward (Blue Bloods, Curse of War, Fear Lake Lanier) as Nellie Gaines 
• Dasan Frazier (Straw, Law & Order, The Ms. Pat Show) as Xavier
• Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood, Martin) as Darlene Duvall
• Joshua Suiter (All’s Fair) as Andre
• Raven Goodwin (Grotesquerie, Single Black Female) as Dr. Brooklyn Boyer

Uche as Kojo, Hall as Amir, Reece as Hazel, Young IV as Shaquille, and Kai as Rashida

PHOTO BY ELI JOSHUA ADE

Which cast members are returning to A Different World? 

• Jasmine Guy (A Different World, Harlem Nights) as Whitley Gilbert
• Kadeem Hardison (A Different World, White Men Can’t Jump) as Dwayne Wayne
• Darryl M. Bell (A Different World, School Daze) as Ron Johnson
• Cree Summer (A Different World, Atlantis: The Lost Empire) as Freddie Brooks
• Ajai Sanders (Phat Tuesdays, Two Degrees, Are We There Yet?) as Gina Deveaux
• Karen Malina White (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Malcolm & Eddie) as Charmaine Brown
• Charnele Brown (Old Gray Mare, The Reading, A Different World) as Dr. Kimberly Reese Boyer
• Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish, What’s Love Got to Do with It, GOAT) as Professor Davenport
• Dawnn Lewis (A Different World, Star Trek: Lower Decks) as Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor
• Glynn Turman (A Different World, In Treatment) as Colonel Bradford Taylor
• Jada Pinkett Smith (Girls Trip) as Lena James

To hear more from the alumni cast of A Different World, click here. 

Uche as Kojo, Kai as Rashida, Young IV as Shaquille, Moon as Deborah, Reece as Hazel, Elijah J. Roberts as Jalen, and Hall as Amir

Who else is the creative team behind the A Different World sequel series? 

Writers from the original series Reggie Rock Bythewood (Get on the Bus, Swagger) and Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King, Love & Basketball) return as executive producers alongside Mandy Summers (That ’90s Show, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh) and Tom Werner (The Connors, Roseanne, A Different World).

“A Different World changed everything for us,” the Bythewoods, who have been married since 1998, tell Tudum. “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.”

A Different World ran for six seasons on NBC from 1987 to 1993. Season 1 of the sequel series will consist of 10 single-camera half-hour episodes, and joins Netflix’s strong comedy slate, including series favorites Nobody Wants This, The Vince Staples Show, A Man on the Inside, Emily in Paris, and Survival of the Thickest. 

When does the A Different World sequel series premiere? 

Grab your backpack and a fresh notebook — A Different World is now streaming. 

Is A Different World coming back for Season 2? 

Yes! The next chapter of the sequel series is underway. “Buckle up for more Hillman, more college life, more friendship, more romance, more Black joy, and more HBCU greatness,” says showrunner Pride. “And of course, we left Season 1 with quite a few cliffhangers that we must address in Season 2!” 

EP and director Allen agrees, saying, “A Different World brought some things everybody needed: joy, romance, relevance, authenticity, and HEART! Thank you for getting us into the Top 10 worldwide! And now, gear up! We’re coming back at you with Season 2!” 

Stay tuned to Tudum for all your Hillman news.

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