‘A Different World’ Sets Return Of Charnele Brown & Jenifer Lewis Among 7 Cast As Production Begins

EXCLUSIVE: School is back in session, so sound the alarm.

Production is officially underway in Atlanta on Netflix‘s A Different World, with plenty of returning stars from the hit original series and newcomers lined up for the sequel series. To celebrate the new school year, we have some new castings to share.

As we previously announced, the OG’s who will reprise their roles include Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Wayne, Jasmine Guy as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne, Darryl M. Bell as Ron Johnson, and Cree Summer as Freddie Brooks.

We can now also confirm Charnele Brown will be back as Kimberly Reese, and Jenifer Lewis as Dorothy Dandridge Davenport, formerly a dean and now a professor.

Among the new original cast of the A Different World sequel that was previously confirmed is Maleah Joi Moon as Deborah, Dwayne and Whitley’s daughter, as well as the next generation of the fictional HBCU’s finest: Alijah Kai Haggins as Rashida; Cornell Young as Shaquille, Kennedi Reece as Hazel, Jordan Aaron Hall as Amir, and Chibuikem Uche as Kojo.

New casting we can confirm: Vincent Jamal Hooper (Chicago Med) as Ellington, Elijah J. Roberts (Night Swim) as Jalen, Renee Harrison (All American: Homecoming) as Candace, Famecia Ward as Nellie Gaines, and Dasan Frazier (Straw) as Xavier.

From showrunner, writer, and executive producer Felicia Pride, the 10-episode single-cam series A Different World follows Deborah, Dwayne Wayne, and Whitley Gilbert’s free-spirited, well-intentioned, yet rebellious youngest child, as she enters her freshman year at Hillman College. There, she finds the shadow of her parents difficult to escape as she sets out to build her own legacy, while having the time of her life, alongside a whole new generation of Hillman’s best and brightest.

Debbie Allen, who directed 83 episodes of the original series, will direct three episodes, including the first episode. Writers from the original series, Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood, return as executive producers alongside Mandy Summers and Tom Werner.

The half-hour show will join a lineup of Netflix productions filmed in Atlanta, including Stranger Things, His & Hersand the upcoming ’Tis So Sweet, All the Sinners Bleedand Sweet Magnolias‘s fifth season.

A collage was also released and can be seen below.