The next generation of Hillman College has officially arrived!
The stars of Netflix’s upcoming A Different World revival stepped onto the red carpet Monday, Sept. 21, to celebrate the series premiere in Atlanta.
Newcomers Kennedi Reece, Maleah Joi Moon and Alijah Kai posed together at the star-studded event, which was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College. Original series stars Debbie Allen and Jasmine Guy also reunited on the carpet.
The premiere brought out plenty of familiar faces and fresh talent, including Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Chibuikem Uche, Tichina Arnold, Raven Goodwin, Imani Guy Duckette, Uche Moxam and Dasan Frazier. OG cast members Darryl M. Bell and Cree Summer were also on hand to celebrate the next chapter of the beloved HBCU series.
The revival brings viewers back to Hillman College, this time following a new group of students while bringing back some of the characters fans have known and loved for decades.
At the heart of the new series is Deborah Wayne, played by Moon. She’s the youngest daughter of Whitley and Dwayne and has grown up somewhat sheltered. At Hillman, however, the free-spirited aspiring star begins figuring out who she is and what she wants for herself.
She’ll be joined by a diverse group of classmates, including Rashida Duvall (Kai), a first-generation criminal justice major; Shaquille Johnson (Young IV), a five-star athlete focused on his family legacy; Amir Rodale (Hall), a psychology major who’s great at solving everyone else’s problems but struggles with his own; Hazel Henry (Reece), a small-town, church-raised young woman finding her own values; and Kojo Achebe (Uche), a Ghanaian-Nigerian fashion entrepreneur determined to chase his creative vision.
While the revival introduces an entirely new class, several Hillman favorites are returning.
Jasmine Guy reprises her role as Whitley Gilbert, while Kadeem Hardison returns as Dwayne Wayne. Cree Summer is back as Freddie Brooks, and Darryl M. Bell returns as Ron Johnson.
Set against the backdrop of an HBCU, the new A Different World aims to capture the humor, traditions and complicated experiences that come with life on a college campus, all while putting the richness of the Black experience front and center.
The revival will feature 10 half-hour episodes and premieres Sept. 24 on Netflix.
