Class is back in session at Hillman College and now we know that Method Man will be joining the cast of the A Different World reboot on Netflix.
According to reports, Method Man will play Coach Coles in the reboot and we now have something else to look forward to when all of our favs reunite at Hillman alongside a cast of fresh faces. Karen Malina White and Ajai Sanders will also reprise their roles as Charmaine Brown and Gina Deveraux, respectively.
Tichina Arnold will also join the cast—which also includes her daughter, Alijah Kai Haggins, in a series regular role—as Darlene Duvall. And Raven Goodwin is set to portray Dr. Brooklyn Boyer. As far as the original cast members, all of the main players of Hillman’s first graduating classes are set to return including Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Darryl Bell, Charnele Brown, Dawnn Lewis, Glynn Turman, Cree Summer and Jada Pinkett Smith.
According to show runner and executive producer of the reboot, Felicia Pride, the show’s first season has wrapped production and fans are in for a treat.
“Reaching this point in the process to wrap production has been such a long time in the making,” Pride said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the work that everyone – from our amazing cast to our awesome crew – has done and the creativity and heart that we have poured into this show. I am so excited for the world to see the magic we’ve been creating together.”
A Different World has held a special place in the hearts of audiences since its inception in 1987. For many, the show’s existence was their first peek into life at an HBCU and many people credit it with their decision to attend the many real life Hillmans across the country. The show’s original head huncho, Debbie Allen, is also stepping back into her role alongside legendary director Gina Prince Bythewood and the aforementioned Pride, who will all serve as executive producers on the project.
For Bythewood, and her husband Reggie Rock, it is a full circle moment as the pair got their start as writers on the original iteration of the show.
“A Different World changed everything for us. It was where we got our start as writers and where we found each other,” she posted alongside an announcement for the reboot. “This show has always been a part of our love story. To return to Hillman now and help reimagine this world for a new generation feels like a continuation of that legacy, one rooted in love, purpose, and possibility.”
The series is slated to be a 10-episode reimagining for the new generation with the same bones that made A Different World a beloved part of Black television history. With pretty big shoes to fill, the excitement around the show is definitely buzzing as the bar was set very high by the original. In the meantime, we’ll just relax, relate and release until class is back in session at Hillman!
