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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maleah Joi Moon, Tony Winner, Cast As Lead In ‘A Different World' Spinoff Pilot
Netflix's A Different World spinoff pilot officially has its leading cast. Tony-winning actress Maleah Joi Moon stars as Deborah Wayne, daughter of Dwayne and Whitley (Kadeem Hardison and Jasmine Guy). The show is described as a 'sequel to the 1987 sitcom' that follows the couple's youngest daughter as she attends an HBCU. It's not confirmed if she'll be attending her parents' fictional alma mater, Hillman College. The rest of the cast includes series regulars Chibuikem Uche as Kojo, Cornell Young as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, Alijah Kai Higgins as Haggins, and Kennedi McClure as Hazel, Deadline reported. The spinoff pilot has been in development at Netflix since 2024. It's a one-off and and not part of a strategy shift at the streamer. Deadline explained, 'The pilot model in general is more often employed in comedy as a proof of concept for tone, chemistry among the ensemble cast, comedic timing and other key ingredients of a successful series.' The pilot is set to film in Atlanta this June with Debbie Allen directing and showrunner Felicia Pride penning the script. The new series is being helmed by Pride. Allen, Mandy Summers, Tom Werner, Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Bythewood will also serve as executive producers. Allen, Werner, Prince-Bythewood and Bythewood all worked on the original series, which was a spinoff of The Cosby Show. It ran for six seasons and initially centered around Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her new classmates at Hillman. However, Bonet exited after the first season and the show continued with series regulars Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, Lou Myers, Cree Summer and Glynn Turman. More from 'Red Table Talk' Shares First Look Into Their 'A Different World' Reunion Taraji P. Henson Is A Mom On A Mission In Tyler Perry's 'STRAW' Tyler Perry's 'Madea's Destination Wedding' Movie Gets Release Date
Miami Herald
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
A Different World sequel set for Netflix
Netflix has approved a pilot for A Different World, a sequel to the beloved 1987 sitcom that starred Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison as Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne. The new series will follow their daughter as she navigates life at an HBCU. As reported by Deadline, this marks only the second time Netflix has ordered a pilot. Typically, the streaming service produces shows straight-to-series, bypassing the traditional pilot episode and commissioning entire seasons from the start, unlike network TV. Sources close to Deadline indicate that this pilot is a one-time occurrence, not the start of a larger shift in Netflix's strategy. The production boasts a strong lineup of talent, including writer, executive producer, and showrunner Felicia Pride, as well as executive producers Debbie Allen, Mandy Summers, Tom Werner, Gina Prince-Bythewood, and Reggie Bythewood. Allen, Werner, and the Bythewoods are all veterans of the original series, with Allen returning as director for the sequel-a role she held throughout the original show's run. The 1987 series itself was a spinoff of The Cosby Show and initially focused on Lisa Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) and her experiences at Hillman College, a fictional HBCU. However, after Bonet's departure following the first season due to her pregnancy, the show shifted focus to an ensemble cast that included Hardison, Guy, Dawnn Lewis, Darryl M. Bell, Sinbad, Cree Summer, and Glynn Turman. While the original series centered around Hillman, it's unclear whether the sequel will remain set there or feature a different HBCU. In a similar vein to Peacock's Bel-Air, a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the sequel will have a more modern approach, with Pride having worked as a supervising producer on Bel-Air's third season. Filming for the pilot is slated to take place in Atlanta this June, though production will need to quickly finalize its casting for the remaining roles. The post A Different World sequel set for Netflix appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
