A Different World

A Different World (1987-1993) was a American television sitcom. It dealt with the life of students at the fictional Historically Black College, Hillman, and ran for six seasons on NBC. A spin-off series from The Cosby Show, it was originally centered around Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet). Later seasons focused on Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Marion Gilbert (Jasmine Guy).

Cast

• Mary Alice - Leticia "Lettie" Bostic (Episodes 13-20, 23-44)
• Darryl M. Bell - Ron Johnson (Seasons 2-6, recurring previously)
• Lisa Bonet - Denise Huxtable (Season 1)
• Charnele Brown - Kimberly Reese (Seasons 2-6)
• Loretta Devine - Stevie Rallen (Episodes 1-9, 21)
• Jasmine Guy - Whitley Marion Gilbert-Wayne (Entire run, except for Episode 22 (see below))
• Kadeem Hardison - Dwayne Cleophus Wayne (Entire run, except for Episode 22 (see below))
• Dawnn Lewis - Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor (Seasons 1-5)
• Lou Myers - Vernon Gaines (Seasons 3-6, recurring previously)
• Jada Pinkett - Lena James (Season 6, recurring previously)
• Ajai Sanders - Gina Deveaux (Season 6, recurring previously)
• Sinbad - Walter Oakes (Seasons 2-4, recurring previously)
• Cree Summer - Winifred "Freddie" Brooks (Seasons 2-6)
• Marisa Tomei - Maggie Lauten (Season 1)
• Glynn Turman - Col. Bradford Taylor (Seasons 2-6)
• Karen Malina White - Charmaine Tyesha Brown (Season 6)

Episode 22's Cast

The final episode of the first season, Episode 22, entitled "My Dinner with Theo", had a much different casting lineup than the rest of the series. It was apparently shot before the pilot was, and as such many characters from the rest of the show are not credited at all, and some appear only in this episode. This also marked the end of the run on the series for two regulars: Lisa Bonet, who left upon discovering she was having a baby with her then-husband Lenny Kravitz, and Marisa Tomei, who went on to win Best Supporting Actress for her role in My Cousin Vinny shortly thereafter.

Related Topics:
Lisa Bonet - Lenny Kravitz - Marisa Tomei - Best Supporting Actress - My Cousin Vinny

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Characters not appearing in this episode

• Jasmine Guy as Whitley
• Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne

Characters appearing in this episode alone

• Ted Ross as Dr. Harris, the dean of Hillman
• Vernee Watson-Johnson as Carla Meyers, Hillman's resident director.