Old cast members are seen again in A Different World sequel by Netflix

Fans of the original A Different World series have reason to cheer, as four iconic cast members are returning for a new Netflix spin-off. The new season of A Different World will be a single-camera comedy consisting of ten half-hour episodes. Debbie Allen, who was involved in the original series as a producer, director, and actress, will return as an executive producer and will direct three episodes, including the premiere.

©Deadline - NBC
From left to right: Darryl M. Bell, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, and Cree Summer

It has now been announced that Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell will reprise their familiar roles as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne, Dwayne Wayne, Freddie Brooks, and Ron Johnson, and will appear regularly throughout the season.

The new series centers on Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon. She is the youngest daughter of Dwayne and Whitley. Deborah begins her first year at the same historically black university where her parents once studied but quickly realizes how difficult it is to step out of their shadows. Determined to forge her own identity and legacy, she enthusiastically dives into student life, alongside a new generation of ambitious and talented students.

The new cast is complemented by Alijah Kai, Chibuikem Uche, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, and Kennedi Reece, who together form Deborah's generation at Hillman.

Netflix ordered a pilot earlier this year and officially greenlit the full series last month. The project was announced back in August last year as a sequel to A Different World, the classic spin-off of The Cosby Show.

The original series followed the lives of students at the fictional Hillman College and became a beloved ensemble comedy, particularly after the departure of Lisa Bonet, with themes of identity, love, and coming of age.

An important element from the original series was the love story between Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne, who eventually married and started a family. That legacy now forms the backdrop against which their daughter tries to find her own path.

According to the creators, fans can look forward not only to the return of familiar faces throughout the season but also to surprises and new characters, as the series is explicitly positioned as a full-fledged continuation of the original story and a fresh introduction to Hillman College for a new audience.