List of A Different World characters
A Different World is a spin-off from the American television sitcom The Cosby Show with Denise Huxtable, in the first season. It aired on NBC for six seasons, from 1987 to 1993.
Main characters
Denise Huxtable Kendall
Portrayer | Seasons | No. of episodes |
---|---|---|
Lisa Bonet | Season 1 | 23 |
A native of
Note: Denise originated as a regular character on The Cosby Show, on which she was featured on a regular basis during seasons 1–3, 6 and 7, and on a recurring basis during seasons 4 and 5. She left "A Different World" after season 1.[1]
Whitley Gilbert-Wayne
Portrayer | Seasons | No. of episodes |
---|---|---|
Jasmine Guy | All 6 | 142 |
Whitley Marion Gilbert-Wayne is an
Dwayne Wayne
Portrayer | Seasons | No. of episodes |
---|---|---|
Kadeem Hardison | All 6 | 142 |
Dwayne Wayne is a mathematics major at Hillman. A native of
Supporting characters
Character | Actor | Seasons | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||
Maggie Lauten | Marisa Tomei | Main | |||||
Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor | Dawnn Lewis | Main | |||||
Stevie Rallen | Loretta Devine | Main | |||||
Ronald "Ron" Martin Johnson | Darryl M. Bell | Recurring | Main | ||||
Coach Walter Oakes | Sinbad |
Recurring | Main | ||||
Leticia "Lettie" Bostic | Mary Alice | Main | |||||
Kimberly Reese | Charnele Brown | Main | |||||
Winifred "Freddie" Brooks | Cree Summer | Main | |||||
Colonel Bradford Taylor | Glynn Turman | Main | |||||
Vernon Gaines | Lou Myers | Main | |||||
Gina Deveaux | Ajai Sanders | Recurring | Main | ||||
Lena James | Jada Pinkett | Recurring | Main | ||||
Charmaine Tyesha Brown | Karen Malina White | Main |
Maggie Lauten (Marisa Tomei): A "military brat" and journalism major, she is one of the few white students at predominantly African American Hillman. She transferred to Hillman at the start of the sophomore year and was roommates with Denise Huxtable and Jaleesa Vinson. Maggie was a sweet-natured, although occasionally ditzy, girl. If Maggie would have stayed on the show after season one, Debbie Allen (the show's producer from seasons 2–6) would have given her a black boyfriend and there would have been an episode where Dwayne brings her home for Thanksgiving dinner and Dwayne's parents disapproves of his interracial relationship. Due to Marisa Tomei leaving the show after the first season, the story never happened.
Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor (
Stevie Rallen (Loretta Devine): mother of J.T., graduate student dorm director of Gilbert Hall, replaced by Lettie Bostic
Ronald Marlon Johnson, Jr. (
Walter Oakes (
Leticia "Lettie" Bostic (Mary Alice): enrolled in Hillman, dropped out of Hillman a few credits short of her degree, moved to Paris, met Pablo Picasso, spied for the Allies during World War II, rejected marriage proposal from South African freedom fighter Marcus Mpepo, replaced Stevie as dorm director of Gilbert Hall decades later in 1988, chastises Kimberly for engaging in unprotected sex, disappeared after season two.
Winifred "Freddie" Brooks (Cree Summer):[11] native of New Mexico, daughter of Joni Brooks, cousin of Matthew, roommate of Jaleesa during freshman and sophomore years, has unrequited feelings for Dwayne, was a student activist throughout her undergraduate career, dated Garth Parks (who almost rapes her), dated Ernest Bennett, roommate of Kimberly during junior and senior years, entered into serious relationship with Shazza Zulu, graduated (Class of 1992), enrolled in Hillman Law School, co-dorm director of Height Hall, cheated on Shazza with Ron (while Ron was involved with Kimberly), broke up with Shazza on Thanksgiving Day 1992, entered into serious relationship with Ron, earned law review membership and completed first year of law school.
Kimberly Reese (
Colonel Bradford Taylor (
Vernon Gaines (Lou Myers): met Lena Horne during World War II; husband of Velma and father of Darnell; uncle of Faith, Hope, Charity and Henrietta; owner and manager of The Pit; employer of Byron Douglas III; employer and father figure of Kimberly; co-owner of apartment building with Velma; frequent critic of his ne'er-do-well son; temporary employer of Whitley; employer of both Lena and Charmaine; co-owner of "The Place Where The Blues Will Be Played" with Ron; reunited with Lena Horne in 1993.
Gina Deveaux (Ajai Sanders): family emigrated to the U.S. from Martinique, pledged Alpha Delta Rho Sorority and successfully "crossed over", dated Dion (who physically abused her), pressed charges against Dion and broke up with him, roommate of Lena and Charmaine at the start of junior year, involved in incident that led Charmaine to falsely accuse Terrell of sexual harassment, placed on academic probation, moved off-campus into house (with Lena, Charmaine, Terrell and Dorian), rejected Dion again after he violated probation and contacted her, completed junior year and still enrolled at Hillman.
Lena James (
Charmaine Brown (Karen Malina White): native of Brooklyn (New York), best friend of Claire Huxtable's distant cousin Pam Tucker, began dating Lance Rodman in high school, visited Hillman with Lance during her senior year of high school, roommate of Gina and Lena at the start of her freshman year at Hillman, amazed and annoyed others with her rapid pattern of speech, employed by Mr. Gaines at The Pit part-time, mistakenly accused Terrell of sexual harassment, relationship with Lance ended when he broke up with her by telephone, failed French midterm after she and Terrell were caught cheating, harassed by local residents (along with Terrell), moved off-campus into house (with Gina, Lena, Terrell and Dorian), completed freshman year and still enrolled at Hillman. [Note: Charmaine originated as a recurring character on The Cosby Show. She was featured during seasons 7 and 8 of that series.]
Recurring characters
- Millicent ("Millie") (Marie-Alise Recasner): Whitley's confidante and only friend for much of season one, involved in serious relationship with Ron, disappeared after season one (last name unrevealed).
- Barnabus Foster (Roscoe Lee Browne): Hillman alumnus and friend of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, professor of English at Hillman (originated as a recurring character on The Cosby Show).
- Phylicia Rashād): active Hillman alumna, wife of Cliff, daughter-in-law of Russell, mother of Denise, partner in New York law firm, mother-in-law of Martin Kendall (originated as a leading character on The Cosby Show).
- Dean Hughes (Rosalind Cash): Hillman dean of students during seasons two through four (character originated on The Cosby Show)
- Marion Height Gilbert (Diahann Carroll): wealthy socialite and Hillman alumna, crowned Miss Hillman as an undergraduate, mother of Whitley, ex-wife of Mercer, aunt of Liza and Courtney, antagonist of Adele Wayne, and mother-in-law of Dwayne. She also sits on the Hillman College's board of trustees.
- Julian Day (Dominic Hoffman): exchange student from Georgetown University, entered into serious relationship with Whitley, broke up with Whitley, engaged to marry another woman (Shelby), plans to move to Paris.
- Adele Wayne (Patti LaBelle): homemaker, wife of Woodson, mother of Dwayne, antagonist of Marion Gilbert, and mother-in-law of Whitley.
- Ernest Bennett (Rueben Grundy): briefly dated Freddie Brooks.
- Molefi (apartheid-controlled South Africa, disappeared after season four.
- Velma Gaines (Bebe Drake, Ann Weldon): homemaker; wife of Vernon and mother of Darnell; aunt by marriage of Faith, Hope, Charity and Henrietta; co-owner of apartment building with Vernon; frequent apologist for her ne'er-do-well son.
- Terrence Taylor (Cory Tyler): "military brat", son of Bradford and Johanna Taylor, brother of Suzanne, Taylor criticized his father's decision to join an all-white country club, converted to Islam, unsuccessfully attempted to romance Freddie, decided to major in dance (to the initial dismay of his father), pledged Kappa Lambda Nu Fraternity and successfully "crossed over". stepson of Jaleesa, half-brother of Bradford and Jaleesa's baby daughter Imani. Appeared in seasons 4 and 5.
- Kinu Owens (Alisa Gyse Dickens): student at Avery College, worked as summer intern with Kinishewa, entered into serious relationship with Dwayne, broke up with Dwayne because of his lingering feelings for Whitley, graduated, married to another man, employed as an executive with Kinishewa in Tokyo.
- Matthew (Andrew Lowery):[13] cousin of Freddie, visiting student from Avery College, briefly involved in serious relationship with Kimberly.
- Shazza Zulu (Gary Dourdan): born Sylvester Simon, matriculated at Hillman for at least six years, changed his name to Shazza Zulu, converted a failing term paper into a book criticizing other African-American men, publicly criticized Kimberly's interracial relationship with Matthew, heavily involved in community activism, entered into serious relationship with Freddie, antagonist of Ron, broke up with Freddie on Thanksgiving Day 1992 (after she cheated on him with Ron), unsuccessfully attempted to renew his relationship with Freddie just prior to Christmas 1992.
- Byron Douglas III (Virginia state senate, entered into serious relationship with Whitley, forgives Whitley after she cheats on him with Dwayne, elected to the Virginia state senate, engaged to Whitley, rejected during the wedding ceremony by Whitley (who married Dwayne immediately thereafter).
- Terrell Walker (SAT, roommate of Dorian at the start of freshman year, falsely accused of sexual harassment by Charmaine, failed French midterm after he and Charmaine were caught cheating, harassed by local residents (along with Charmaine), almost expelled for carrying a gun on campus, moved off-campus into house (with Gina, Lena, Charmaine, and Dorian), completed freshman year and still enrolled at Hillman
- Dorian Heywood (born-again Christian, star player on the Hillman basketball team, roommate of Terrell at the start of freshman year, entered into serious (yet celibate) relationship with Lena, uncharacteristically entered into physical altercation with Piccolo over Lena, moved off-campus into house (with Gina, Lena, Charmaine, and Terrell), completed freshman year and still enrolled at Hillman
- Spencer Boyer (Michael Ralph): emigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica, enrolled at Hillman Medical School, entered into serious relationship with Kimberly, completed first year of medical school, engaged to Kimberly (after numerous proposals from him were turned down).
- Dorothy Dandridge Davenport (Jenifer Lewis): Hillman dean of students during season six. Known for placing unruly students "on her list!"
References
- The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
- ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (12 December 1988). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780275995157. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (17 December 1990). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780786486410. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781476703961. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9781137480415. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (April 30, 2015). "Binge-Watching 'A Different World': 17 Things You Totally Forgot About This Guilt-Free 'Cosby Show' Spin-Off". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
- ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (1 June 1988). "Ebony". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved 3 August 2017 – via Google Books.
- ^ Cadet, Danielle (September 21, 2017). "Whitley's World: A Brief History of Bad and Boujee Black Girl Style". Andscape. ESPN. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- ^ "Off The Reservation, 'Different World's' Cree Summer Is A Bundle Of Contradictions". Chicago Tribune. 1990-04-12. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
- ^ "A Different World's Brown Speaks Out On Interracial Couples". Chicago Tribune. 1991-07-27. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
- The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-02.