What happened to the cast of “A Different World”? Find out here
It seems like a world ago when we could have a great spinoff as fans of a show, but that's exactly what “A Different World” was. Continuing the story of Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) from “The Cosby Show,” the sitcom followed her foray into higher education and the lifestyle that came with it.
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“A Different World” was the first show that offered audiences a nearly realistic view of campus life for Black people at the time. To say the least, this era and program were groundbreaking. Its exquisite actors truly excelled in all the scenes they graced. Let’s take a walk down memory lane as we highlight what the cast is up to nowadays.
1. Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBNm1fyQHak
With Bonet’s familiar face on our screens, audiences saw Denise venture into a whole new world of adulthood. Given that she was slated to be the show’s main star, her stint on the show was rather short. Unfortunately, it was reported that the optics of her being an unmarried pregnant woman influenced her exit. After the show, Bonet still landed roles and continues to work in the industry. She starred in the thriller Enemy of the State alongside Will Smith, Gene Hackman and Regina King. Most recently, the Emmy Award nominee has appeared on “Ray Donovan.”
2. Jaleesa Vinson (Dawnn Lewis)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_PGVRiRbzQ
Dawnn Lewis played Jaleesa Vinson, a fan favorite character out of the students casted. Mainly the voice of reason, Jaleesa holds her friends to high standards. While Lewis moved on from the show in 1992, she has never been short on work. She held a role on “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” opposite Mark Curry and even made an appearance on Amazon Prime’s “The Boys.” However, much of her work since “A Different World” has been voiceover projects, many of which are still booming to this day. Some notable features include “The Simpsons,” “Futurama” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”
3. Kim Reese (Charnele Brown)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL0QBgb8adw
Charnele Brown wonderfully portrayed overachieving medical student Kim Reese. She is the student who has to make it, in part because of her humble beginnings. Kim doesn’t have the financial safety nets some other students might have. The way this pressure manifests is also a constant element of “A Different World.” After the show ended, Brown also became a producer. Her time on our small screens has been minimal since, but she has made cameos in “Living Single” and appeared in The Reading.
4. Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f023gVJInas
What’s a cast of characters on a college campus without free spirit? Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer) embodied that. She was the conscience of the show and had a lot to do with furthering the social consciousness conveyed in it. Though not without her faults, Freddie was all about the unity and progression of Black people and was unapologetic about it. Summer has also done a ton of voiceover work since the end of “A Different World.” But luckily, she has graced our screens on the third season of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.”
5. Vernon Gaines (Lou Myers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qe1EnYHEUI
The head chef in the cafeteria, Mr. Gaines (Lou Myers), is one of the most memorable characters from "A Different World.” As on many college campuses, the chefs get to know the students well and uniquely play a role in their assimilation to adulthood. Mr. Gaines looked out for his students, protected them and gave them game. Most memorably, he made them — and the audience — crack up with his quips. Unfortunately, Myers passed away in 2013 but stayed working until his last days. The same year of his death, he appeared as Mr. Harlan in Dreams.
6. Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GTN0mCoWg4
Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) became the biggest star on “A Different World” once Denise left the school. Along with his charm and trademark shades, audiences loved seeing Dwayne evolve through his college years. Fans witnessed him go from student to professor; from dating Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) to marrying her; from a boy to a man. Dwayne’s progression was a necessary narrative to display, and Hardison was the best person to do it. The White Men Can’t Jump actor has been a part of many cult classic movies such as The Sixth Man and Vampire in Brooklyn. Most recently he has had a recurring role on Showtime’s “The Chi.”
7. Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_muuM9xfG4I
Whitley was the posh and prissy southern belle who didn’t quite have the financial constraints that her friends did. Guy played the fly beauty as we watched her initially play hard to get with Dwayne. The pair’s on and off romance kept audiences glued to their screens. In the years after her time on the show, the Boston actress has held multiple television roles. Her latest appearance was on Amazon Prime’s “Harlem” — and just wait until you get a load of her Jamaican accent!
8. Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVRmfQ70SM
Darryl M. Bell portrayed Ron Johnson, Dwayne’s best friend. In college, you always need a partner in crime. So, we got to watch Ron and Dwayne get into all kinds of shenanigans throughout the show. However, when the chips were down, they always had each other’s backs. Beyond “A Different World,” Bell has held roles as recently as 2018 on Issa Rae’s “Insecure.”
9. Lena James (Jada Pinkett Smith)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY4Hw6jt9aA
As a recurring character, Lena Janes (Jada Pinkett Smith) helped freshen up the cast as the original students became upperclassmen. Lena’s perspective was a necessary one, especially as someone who came from a rough background and had a higher motivation to make the most of herself. Jada is so much more than Will’s wife. As an actress, she has carved out quite the career for herself on the big and small screen. She has appeared in The Matrix series, Menace II Society, Girls Trip and Set It Off, to name a few. Jada also hosted the once-famed talk show, “Red Table Talk.”
10. Coach Walter Oakes (Sinbad)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duJOFbtMn1Q
The iconic comedian played Coach Walter Oakes, a great resource for the young men on “A Different World.” He acts as the big brother figure that college men can relate to. This role also allowed Sinbad to really dip his toes into acting. Since his time on the show, the Michigan-born actor has amassed a very entertaining bit of movies. One of his biggest hits is the classic Christmas movie Jingle All the Way. Sinbad has lent his talents to projects such as “Atlanta,” Good Burger and Good Burger 2.
11. Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5MSWNSybc4
In the 1990s you could find Karen Malina White in a bevy of sitcoms. As a great talent all around, she played the role of Charmaine Brown — another character who helped freshen up the cast in its later seasons. Throughout the show, Charmaine consistently offered witty delivery and high energy. After her stint on the sitcom, White did voiceover work as Dijonay Jones
on “The Proud Family” and has also appeared on episodes of BET+’s “Bruh.”
12. Maggie Lauten (Marisa Tomei)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a_GT4IBQe4
Marisa Tomei was one of the show’s original cast members. She portrayed Maggie, Jaleesa and Denise’s roommate who was one of only a few white students at the college — a common occurrence at an HBCU. Her time on the show was brief, but memorable. While little is known about what led to Tomei’s exit after one season, she most definitely left her mark. Since then, the actress has earned an Academy Award for her role in My Cousin Vinny a nd has appeared in The Wrestler and Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
13. Colonel Brad Taylor (Glynn Turman)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=090OA9ioF-0
Colonel Brad Taylor (Glynn Turman) served the country alongside Mr. Gaines and is a professor on campus. Their time reminiscing about their days on base was always engaging. The Colonel was a steadying presence that once again provided counsel and protection for the students. You can look no further than the film Rustin or the show “Black Cake,” to see what the legendary actor is into nowadays.
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