Hillman Is Calling Again: Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer & Darryl M. Bell Reunite for ‘A Different World’ Sequel

Hillman College is officially back in session and yes, you might want to flip your glasses in celebration. Netflix is moving forward with a sequel series to the iconic sitcom A Different World, bringing back original cast members Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell to reprise their beloved roles. This is a meaningful return to one of television’s most culturally impactful series.

The sequel centers on Deborah Wayne (played by Maleah Joi Moon), the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, as she begins her freshman year at Hillman College. If that premise alone doesn’t already have A Different World fans screaming, the returning cast certainly will. Hardison and Guy are back as Dwayne and Whitley, arguably one of TV’s most influential Black love stories, while Cree Summer returns as the ever-unfiltered Freddie Brooks and Darryl M. Bell reprises his role as Ron “Ronaldus” Johnson. According to early details, the legacy characters won’t just pop in for a wink-and-nod cameo; they’ll recur throughout the season in substantial ways.

Felicia Pride serves as showrunner, with Debbie Allen, who helped shape the original series into a cultural powerhouse, executive producing and directing several episodes, including the premiere. That’s not just a credit; that’s a promise of intentionality. This sequel aims to respect the original while tackling modern issues facing today’s HBCU students, from identity to legacy to social responsibility.

The new cast, including Alijah Kai, Chibuikem Uche, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, and Kennedi Reece, rounds out Hillman’s next generation, ensuring the series isn’t stuck living in the past. That balance between honoring history and pushing forward is what made A Different World special the first time and it’s exactly what this sequel needs to succeed.

At a time when TV revivals are often content to coast on familiarity, A Different World feels like it actually has something to say again. Bringing back Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell will ground the new series in authenticity.

Hillman helped raise us once. Now, it’s ready to school a whole new generation and honestly, we’re happy to enroll again.

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