• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Entertainment

Where Are They Now? The Cast of 'A Different World'

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
By Ni'Kesia Pannell · Updated October 26, 2020

When A Different World hit the scene in 1988, no one knew the longevity that the show would hold.

Featuring a cast of powerful, educated, and revolutionary Black students, the series grew to become the inspiration behind many of television’s most memorable Black characters to date.

Opening up the conversation on usually avoided issues such as race, sex, and equal rights, A Different World found a way to provide comfort to an under appreciated class of people and remind us that being Black was meant to be beautiful. Though the show only ran for five years, its impact is one that will last for a lifetime.

01
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet famously left ‘A Different World’ after season two to pursue more adult projects, like ‘Bank Robber’ alongside Patrick Dempsey. She also had her daughter, Zoe with Lenny Kravitz in 1988 in the middle of filming the HBCU-focused show.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
NBC/
02
Lisa Bonet
Since the early 90s, Bonet has worked sporadically, starring in ‘Enemy of the State’, ‘Biker Boyz’, ‘New Girl’ and more recently in a Chanel short, ‘Jellywolf’. She’s been married to actor Jason Momoa since 2007, they share two kids together.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Kevork Djansezian/
03
Kadeem Hardison

Making girls swoon as the smart and hilarious Dwayne Wayne, Kadeem Hardison proved that Black men — even while young — can still impact the world in their own way. Although his role as Dwayne ended in 1993, Hardison’s career was just getting started. Going on to act in amazing shows and movies such as Static Shock, Girlfriends, Between Brothers, Vampire in Brooklyn, The Sixth Man, and more, the award winning actor has proved his dedication to the art time and time again.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
NBC/
04
Kadeem Hardison

Currently, Hardison stars alongside Zendaya Coleman as Craig Cooper in the hit Disney Channel series, K.C. Undercover. Additionally, he has one daughter named Sophia (b. 1996) through his previous marriage to R&B songstress Chanté Moore.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Gilles Mingasson/
05
Jasmine Guy

Though Jasmine Guy’s bougie and prissy character Whitley Gilbert may not have been a favorite among viewers initially, it’s almost a guarantee that feelings changed by the time the show wrapped in 1993. Giving Black love inspiration and motivation through her character’s relationship with Dwayne Wayne, Guy’s role in A Different World was just the start to showcasing her mastered ability to deliver flawless execution of any role she portrays.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
r/r
06
Jasmine Guy

Though her résumé has filled with impressive credits since the show’s wrapping, most recently, the actress, dancer, singer and producer has had starring roles in shows such as If Loving You Is Wrong, K.C. Undercover (alongside Kadeem Hardison), The Quad, and The Vampire Diaries.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Paras Griffin/Getty Images
07
Cree Summer

Beginning her role as Winifred “Freddie” Brooks during Season 2 of A Different World, Cree Summer’s character portrayal was like none other. Showing that being different while being Black is deserving of applause too, Summer’s role is one that is unmatched and undisputed as one of the best carefree character’s in Black comedy.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Michael Ochs Archives/
08
Cree Summer

While fans of Summer may not have seen her physically act in many roles since the show’s end, she has voiced many of your favorite cartoon characters including characters from Rugrats, Animaniacs, Gargoyles, As Told By Ginger, The Proud Family, Codename: Kids Next Door, and more. Summer is now married to Angelo Pullen and the pair have two daughters named Brave and Hero.

Fun fact: Did you know Cree and Kadeem were in a long-term relationship while filming A Different World? We didn’t either.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Instagram/iamcreesummer
09
Darryl M Bell
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
10
Darryl M. Bell

He also acted in the 2000 movie Brother and in 2013, appeared in the film The Dark Party — which was directed by his good friend Kadeem Hardison. Although Bell is not married, he has been dating fellow actress Tempest Bledsoe (The Cosby Show) since 1993.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
David Livingston/
11
Dawnn Lewis

Playing the role of Jalessa Vinson (later Vinson-Taylor), actress and singer Dawnn Lewis became the friend that every girl wanted to have in her crew. Embodying the hardworking and determined characteristics of Jalessa in her real life, Lewis has gone on to start a multi-platform production company named Morning Jewel and non-profit organization that provides financial and programmatic support to underprivileged youth by the name of A New Day. Aside from her known acting roles in A Different World and Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Lewis had recurring roles on One Tree Hill, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and appeared in the 2006 film Dreamgirls.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
NBC/
12
Dawnn Lewis

Also lending her voice to many animations, Lewis has voiced characters on shows such as The Simpsons, Curious George, Futurama, and Doc McStuffins. Currently, the multi-talented actress can be seen in roles on TNT’s Major Crimes, the CW’s iZombie, and the recently launched Amazon pilot The Legend of Master Legend.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
getty images
13
Chanele Brown
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
14
Charnele Brown

Now, the actress and producer is set to appear in three films — Coffee Klatch, Broken Heroes, and Love You to Death — all coming soon.

Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Charnele Brown/Twitter
15
Sinbad
Sinbad whose real name is David Adkins got his breakout role in ‘A Different World.’ Before doing the show he was on one episode of ‘The Cosby Show’ and a couple spots on ‘The Redd Foxx Show’.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Ar/
16
Sinbad
After leaving the show in 1991, Sinbad went on to have a successful career in standup comedy and film— a major moment was his 1996 HBO comedy special, ‘Sinbad: Son of a Preacher Man’. He’s still working today in small TV spots and producing.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Adam Bettcher/
17
Glynn Turman
Glynn Turman was acting almost thirty years before joining the cast of ‘A Different World’ as Colonel Brad Taylor. The esteemed actor —who was in ‘Cooley High’, ‘Fame’, ‘The Love Boat’ and ‘Peyton Place’— got his ex-wife, Aretha Franklin to sing the theme song for the show.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
NBC/
18
Glynn Turman
Turman finished out the series when the show ended in 1993 and went on to continue his robust resume of work. In the the years since ‘A Different World’ ended, Turman has worked every year. ‘Queen Sugar’, ‘House of Lies’, ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘Scrubs’, ‘The Wire’ and ‘The Bernie Mack Show’ are just a few of the many projects he’s been a part of.
Where Are They Now? The Cast of ‘A Different World’
Jennifer Lourie/
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now