Whatever Happened To The Cast Of A Different World?

One of the surest signs that a series has become a hit is when the network asks its producers to consider the possibility of a spin-off. So, given the staggering success of "The Cosby Show" when it debuted in 1984, it was no surprise when talks began about developing "A Different World." The sequel series — which aired from 1987 to 1993 — revolved around Denise Huxtable, played by Lisa Bonet, and her life at Hillman College, the same school attended by her mother, Clair (Phylicia Rashad), and father, Cliff (Bill Cosby).

As it happened, Bonet ended up only staying on the series for a short period.But by then, the series was already a ratings juggernaut, with a number of other popular characters — among them Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) — who kept viewers coming back week after week despite Bonet's departure. "We changed the world with that show," executive producer and director Debbie Allen told Vanity Fair in 2021. "We did stories about racism, we did stories about the LA riots ... we were one of the first shows to address AIDS."

After six seasons and 144 episodes, the cast of "A Different World" left Hillman College behind and graduated to other projects, but its popularity remains strong — thanks to syndication as well as its presence on streaming services. Here's what the cast of "A Different World" has been up to since the show went off the air.

Were it not for Lisa Bonet, there might well never have been "A Different World." It was her character on "The Cosby Show" — free spirit Denise Huxtable — who served as the central character of the spinoff series, even if she ultimately only stuck around for a single season. Prior to being cast on the hit American sitcom, Bonet had only a single acting credit to her name, but she quickly became the breakout star of the series. 

In a wild twist during her "Cosby Show" years, Bonet flipped her good-girl persona on its head, playing a somewhat controversial role in the 1987 film, "Angel Heart," which initially received an X rating because of a sex scene between Bonet and co-star Mickey Rourke. By the time of its release, however, the wheels of "A Different World" were already rolling, and when the series premiered, it was an instant smash. However, Bonet left after the first season, with her departure coinciding with the announcement of her impending first child, Zoë Kravitz, with then-husband Lenny Kravitz.

Not long after leaving "A Different World," she returned to "The Cosby Show" for Season 6. But at the end of Season 7, Bonet permanently left the show after she was fired over "creative differences," according to People – though speculation stirred that it had something to do with "Angel Heart" and/or Bonet's pregnancy. Since then, Bonet has continued to bounce between film and TV, including 1998's "Enemy of the State" and 2000's "High Fidelity" — her last acting credit was in 2017. Additionally, in 1995, Bonet legally changed her name to Lilakoi Moon, though she still uses Lisa Bonet professionally.

Prior to "A Different World," Marisa Tomei got her show business start playing the character of Marcy Thompson on "As the World Turns." However, it was her role as journalism student Maggie Lauten that took her into prime-time. Unfortunately, it was a short-lived situation, as the producers of "A Different World" opted to revamp the series, resulting in Maggie being written out of the show. But Tomei, nonetheless, remembers the experience fondly, telling Hip Hollywood in 2019, "That was one of the most fun times in my life, that period."

Almost immediately after her departure from "A Different World," Tomei began rising up through the ranks in Hollywood. And while she had a bit of a rough start with her first post-"World" gig (the flop Sylvester Stallone comedy "Oscar"), the success of 1992's "My Cousin Vinny" resulted in her winning an Oscar for best supporting actress. She has since been nominated in the same category on two additional occasions — first for 2001's "In the Bedroom," and then in 2009 for "The Wrestler" — and she has repeatedly been part of films that were nominated for Critics Choice Awards for best ensemble, including "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "The Ides of March," and "The Big Short."

In recent years, however, Tomei has found a new generation of fame for her role as Peter Parker's Aunt May, appearing in five films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But the best part is that, even though decades have passed since "A Different World," she's still friends with Lisa Bonet.

As the character Dwayne Wayne — the sunglasses-sporting math major who, when he wasn't flirting with the ladies, was actually one of the top students at Hillman College — actor Kadeem Hardison was the heart and soul of "A Different World." Hardison had secured small roles in such films as "Beat Street" and "Rappin'" before securing his part on the series, but it was "A Different World" and several years situated within NBC's prime-time lineup that cemented his career as an actor.

During the course of his run on "A Different World," Hardison also expanded his filmography, starring in the horror film "Def by Temptation" as well as the comedy "White Men Can't Jump." In the first few years after the series ended, he co-starred in films like "Renaissance Man," "Vampire in Brooklyn," and "The Sixth Man." After that, however, Hardison moved back to the small screen, starring in the sitcom "Between Brothers" and recurring on "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven." Throughout the years, Hardison has been gainfully employed as either a guest star, a recurring cast member, or a series regular, and he's proven his mettle in both comedy and drama — as proven by recent stints on such diverse programs as "The Lincoln Lawyer," "Moonhaven," "Grown-ish," and "The Chi."

As Southern belle Whitley Gilbert, Jasmine Guy was a popular face on "A Different World" from the very beginning of the series. However, with the departure of Lisa Bonet, Guy quickly became one of the predominant reasons for viewers to tune in on a weekly basis — which is ironic, given that she thought the series would flop. " ... I didn't feel the show was going to last past that first year," Guy admitted to BET in 2011. "I was coming from New York and I didn't buy one thing during that time in LA I paid off my ex-boyfriend, my parents, and my American Express bill. I was prepared to be sent back home after those seven episodes."

Although she'd done a bit of work before joining the cast of the series — including a recurring role as a dancer on "Fame" — Guy's popularity on "A Different World" was immediate and led quickly to a high-profile role in the Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor film "Harlem Nights." In the '90s, she also ventured briefly into a recording career, with her self-titled album spawning two R&B hits: "Another Like My Lover" and "Just Want to Hold You."

After "A Different World" ended, she scored a string of recurring roles on shows ranging from "Melrose Place" to "Touched by an Angel." Finally, in 2003, she secured a spot in the cast of the Showtime drama "Dead Like Me," which she stayed on for two seasons. Since then, Guy has recurred on "The Vampire Diaries" and reunited with Kadeem Hardison on "K.C. Undercover." She also made appearances on NBC's "Grosse Pointe Garden Society" and Peacock's critically-acclaimed drama "Poker Face."

As Jaleesa, future spouse of Colonel Taylor (Glynn Turman), Dawnn Lewis was part of the cast of "A Different World" from the very beginning, but rather than stick around for the duration of the series' run, she ended up leaving at the conclusion of Season 5. Fortunately, however, she was able to jump straight into another full-time gig as a series regular on the ABC sitcom "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper." Alas, it was only for a single season, at which point she moved on. Immediately thereafter, Lewis found a new career niche: voice work. She found parts in such animated projects as "The Savage Dragon," "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," and "Bruno the Kid," not to mention prime-time programs like "King of the Hill," "Futurama," and "The Simpsons."

"When I moved to California, Suzzanne Depasse gave me the opportunity to voice a character in the 'Kid n Play' cartoon series she was producing," Lewis told The New Journal and Guide of her voice acting inception. "Later, my reputation from that one gig got me requests from directors from numerous studios to do voice-overs ... I learned the voice-over community is a very small, tight-knit one, with very few people of color doing voices. It's been a tremendous blessing for my career ever since."

Although it's definitely voice work that's kept Lewis employed for the majority of the past several decades, she does continue to pop up in front of the camera. In addition to playing Melba Early in the 2006 film "Dreamgirls," in more recent years she has had recurring roles on "Grey's Anatomy" and "Young Rock."

Darryl M. Bell was another stalwart of "A Different World," playing Ron Johnson, Jr., Dwayne Wayne's bestie and eventual godfather to Dwayne and Whitley's child. Although Ron was only a recurring character during Season 1, he became a series regular in Season 2 and maintained that role throughout the remainder of the run. Since then, he's been candid about his immense pride in what he and his fellow castmates made. "People tend to look at our show, some people, under the umbrella of 'Cosby' success and don't give [credit to] the people who put in a lot of good, hard work and were really good at what they do, for our show," Bell told Bullz-Eye in 2009. "But, you know, for what that show didn't get in terms of that kind of recognition, to have shared the stage with Whoopi Goldberg, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll ... I mean, it paid dividends in so many other ways. It was the best."

After the end of "A Different World," Johnson spent a season starring in the semi-infamous sci-fi sitcom "Homeboys in Outer Space," but his biggest success since then has been the reality show "Househusbands of Hollywood," which focused on five husbands from various walks of life with successful spouses. (Bell's partner is Tempestt Bledsoe, best known as Vanessa Huxtable on "The Cosby Show.")

Sinbad was already an established standup comedian — and "Star Search" competitor – when he made his way to "A Different World" in Season 1 as Coach Walter Oakes. Like Ron Johnson, Walter quickly evolved from a recurring character to a series regular and entered into a romantic relationship with Jaleesa, only for them to literally end things at the altar. Sinbad left the show at the end of Season 4, but by 1993, he was headlining his own series, appropriately titled "The Sinbad Show."

Alas, the series only lasted a single season, but by then, Sinbad was expanding his career into feature films, starring alongside Phil Hartman in "Houseguest" and Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Jingle All the Way" — he also helmed the Disney comedy, "First Kid," and the HBO western, "The Cherokee Kid." Throughout the 2000s, however, he spent the majority of his time on the small screen, including a dramatic turn on the Showtime series, "Resurrection Blvd.," and voice work on such animated series as "Slacker Cats," "American Dad," and "Steven Universe." In 2014, he debuted a new stand-up special ("Make Me Wanna Holla"), and in 2018, he returned to the world of sitcoms as one of the stars of "Rel."

In November 2020, Sinbad's family announced that he was recovering from a stroke, after which he maintained a relatively low profile, aside from the occasional Instagram post. In 2022, however, he made an appearance as himself in an episode of "Atlanta," and in 2025, he returned to dramatic acting in Tyler Perry's Netflix film "Straw."

Charnele Brown made her TV debut on a 1987 episode of "The Cosby Show," which in turn led to her casting on "A Different World" in Season 2. Brown played Kimberly Reese, who was originally Whitley's roommate before eventually moving in with Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer) for her junior and senior years. Kimberly also dated Ron for an extended period before ultimately getting engaged to Spencer Boyer (Michael Ralph). Since the end of "A Different World," Brown has continued to act, appearing in guest spots on such sitcoms as "Girlfriends" and "My Wife and Kids," as well as co-starring in the 2023 film "The Reading" with Mo'Nique.

Brown's most important accomplishment, however, has been the founding of the Charnele Brown Acting Academy in 2000. Working in partnership with Worksource and Jack Yates High School, the Houston-based institution offers a variety of classes and workshops from beginner courses to business classes. "In my mind, you have to pay it forward and give back," she told the Southampton Press in 2019. "At my age, I really need to mentor people now. I want to show people that, of course you'll fall, but I don't want you to fall in the same place I fell."

By the time Cree Summer joined the cast of "A Different World" in 1988, she was already a successful voice actress, having voiced Penny in 64 episodes of "Inspector Gadget" and worked on two "Star Wars" animated series ("Droids" and "Ewoks"). She continued that aspect of her career adjacent to her five seasons playing student activist Freddie Brooks. Among her more notable voice acting credits: Elmyra Duff on "Tiny Toon Adventures," Dulcy the Dragon on "Sonic the Hedgehog," Cleo and Mrs. Diller on "Clifford the Big Red Dog," Miranda Killgallen on "As Told by Ginger," and Susie Carmichael on "Rugrats." (The list really does go on and on and on...)

"I don't know if I would say that I was great in the beginning," Summer admitted to the AV Club in 2011. "When you're a kid, I don't think you're really concerned about whether you're good or not. But I do know that by the time I moved to Los Angeles at 17 and booked Steven Spielberg's 'Tiny Toons,' and I was sitting in that room with all those exceptional talents, I knew that I wanted to be good at it and that just changed everything."

Although she's been able to keep plenty busy with her voice work, Summer has been venturing back in front of the camera with more regularity in recent years. In addition to an appearance on "What We Do in the Shadows" in 2021, she also snagged a recurring role on "Abbott Elementary" as librarian Rosalyn Inez in 2024, and she appeared in two episodes of the Disney+ series "Ironheart" as shop owner Madeline Stanton.

As one of the elder characters of "A Different World," Glynn Turman's performance as Colonel Bradford Taylor, commander of the Hillman College ROTC, was one that provided a diversity of storylines beyond just those of the college lifestyle. He also brought a level of gravitas to the series, having gotten his start in the original 1959 Broadway production of "Raisin in the Sun," as well as earning critical acclaim for his work on the prime-time soap opera, "Peyton Place," and in the 1975 film, "Cooley High." 

Turman's dramatic work has often outshone his comedic gifts, but that's what happens when you work with such creators as David Milch ("Big Apple") and David Simon ("The Wire"). In addition, he has also been part of the casts of HBO's "In Treatment," Showtime's "House of Lies," ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder," FX's "Fargo," and the Disney+ series "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."

"['A Different World' was] a wonderful, life-changing experience," Turman told the AV Club in 2012. "One of the things that I attribute to that experience is how many young black men and women desired, as a result of seeing the show, to go to college. Enrollment in colleges, especially black colleges, across the country increased tremendously during the five-year run of 'A Different World,' and I don't think you could have a better legacy than that."

Born in Cabin Creek, West Virginia, in 1935, Lou Myers got his start in the theater, making his Broadway debut in 1975 as Reverend Mosely in "The First Breeze of Summer." But his first proper TV role — excluding a "Great Performances" version of the aforementioned play — wasn't until a 1987 episode of "The Cosby Show." Not coincidentally (Myers credited Bill Cosby for his TV career), this promptly led to his role on "A Different World" as Vernon Gaines, the owner of the Hillman hangout, The Pit. The gig lasted from the start of Season 2 until the conclusion of the series.

After the end of "A Different World," Myers made guest appearances on such series as "Living Single," "The Jamie Foxx Show," "JAG," "ER," and "The Sinbad Show." He also popped up in a wide variety of films, including the baseball biopic "Cobb," "Tin Cup," "Volcano," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "Bulworth," and "The Wedding Planner." He also returned to Broadway, appearing in the 2005 production of "The Color Purple" and the 2008 revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Named one of the 50 outstanding creative artists from West Virginia by the Appalachian Education Initiative, Myers moved back to the state in his later years. He succumbed to pneumonia at the Charleston Area Medical Center in February 2013 at 77.