Netflix’s ‘A Different World’ Cast Guide (With Photos)

Netflix is sending viewers back to Hillman College this fall with a sequel series to the beloved 1987 to 1993 sitcom ‘A Different World’. The new series stars Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison, both reprising their original roles, alongside newcomer Maleah Joi Moon, and it is set to premiere on Netflix on September 24, 2026, exactly 39 years from the date the original series first aired.

The story follows Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert’s free spirited and rebellious youngest child, Deborah, as she begins her freshman year at her parents’ HBCU alma mater and tries to build a legacy of her own while navigating a new generation of Hillman students. The ‘A Different World’ cast blends familiar faces from the original run with a fresh group of young actors, and the full lineup has come together gradually over the past year.

Maleah Joi Moon

Maleah Joi Moon, known for her work in ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, plays Deborah Wayne, described as free spirited, well intentioned, and a bit rebellious. Deborah is the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert and finds it difficult to escape her parents’ shadow as she starts her freshman year at Hillman. Moon anchors the new generation of students at the center of the series.

Kadeem Hardison

Kadeem Hardison, known for ‘White Men Can’t Jump’, returns as Dwayne Wayne, the character he originated in the 1980s. His character is now watching his own daughter navigate life at the same college he once attended. Hardison’s return was among the first casting confirmations Netflix made for the project.

Jasmine Guy

Jasmine Guy, seen in ‘Harlem Nights’, is back as Whitley Gilbert, Dwayne’s wife and Deborah’s mother. Guy told Tudum that she realized she had missed Whitley and could not wait to see what the character is like now, adding that the cast picked up right where they left off once they got together again. Her chemistry with Hardison remains central to the show’s legacy appeal.

Darryl M. Bell

Darryl M. Bell, known for ‘School Daze’, reprises his role as Ron Johnson. Bell said the cast had wanted to revisit these characters for a long time and had plenty of ideas about what could happen next, both for their own characters and for the new students. Ron remains one of the more comedic threads connecting the original cast to the new setting.

Cree Summer

Cree Summer returns as Freddie Brooks, a role she originated in the first series. Summer is one of four legacy cast members confirmed by Netflix in December 2025 to reprise their roles, alongside Guy, Hardison, and Bell. Her presence rounds out the core group of original Hillman friends returning for the sequel.

Alijah Kai

Alijah Kai Haggins, known for ‘Everybody Hates Chris’, plays Rashida in the new series. Kai is the daughter of actress and singer Tichina Arnold, who has also joined the sequel’s cast in a separate role. Rashida is part of the incoming freshman class at the center of the show’s new storylines.

Chibuikem Uche

Chibuikem Uche, known for ‘One Of Us Is Lying’, plays Kojo in the sequel series. Uche’s casting was among the six original leads announced for the project’s pilot before it was picked up to series. His character joins the new group of Hillman students at the heart of the show.

Cornell Young IV

Cornell Young IV, known for ‘Doing Life’, plays Shaquille in the new series. Young is one of the six newcomers introduced alongside Moon as part of the incoming class of students. His character rounds out the group of friends navigating freshman year together.

Jordan Aaron Hall

Jordan Aaron Hall, known for ‘The Idea Of You’, plays Amir in the sequel series. Hall’s casting was confirmed as part of the initial group of new leads reported by outlets covering the show’s development. Amir is another member of the new Hillman freshman class.

Kennedi Reece

Kennedi Reece, credited for ‘Charged’, plays Hazel and was introduced to the cast as a newcomer. Reece rounds out the group of six new leads first reported when the sequel was still in the pilot stage. The broader cast also includes Vincent Jamal Hooper, Elijah J. Roberts, Renee Harrison, Famecia Ward, Dasan Frazier, Tichina Arnold, Joshua Suiter, Raven Goodwin, Cliff Method Man Smith, and Norman Nixon Jr., alongside returning original cast members Karen Malina White, Ajai Sanders, Dawnn Lewis, Glynn Turman, Charnele Brown, Jenifer Lewis, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

With the full ‘A Different World’ cast now locked in and the premiere just around the corner, which returning Hillman face or new freshman are you most curious to see back on campus.