Hillman is back in session, and the new class is getting its flowers. Maleah Joi Moon and Cornell Young IV, the on-again, off-again couple at the heart of Netflix’s A Different World sequel, stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show this week with original star Kadeem Hardison to talk chemistry, legacy and what comes next.
The New Class Has Range
Moon plays Deborah Wayne, the daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, with Hardison and Jasmine Guy back in their iconic roles. Young plays Shaquille Johnson. According to theGrio, Moon credited their chemistry to how much Young inspires her, and said she’s proud to be part of a show that “promotes hope to a new generation.”
Young praised his co-star’s résumé, noting he gets to act opposite a Tony Award winner. He also had love for the legends who came before them, saying the original cast members are “even more beautiful people than they are actors.”
Season 2 Is Officially Enrolled
The 10-episode first season premiered September 24, exactly 39 years after the original, and Netflix renewed it for a second season days later. Netflix’s Tudum says Season 1 made the streamer’s English TV Top 10, and Season 2 will follow Deborah into her sophomore year. No premiere date has been announced yet.
The creative team is stacked. Felicia Pride is the showrunner, and Debbie Allen is an executive producer who directed several episodes, including the premiere. Gina Prince-Bythewood and Reggie Rock Bythewood, who got early career breaks writing for the original series, are executive producers too. TheGrio also reports the show held a special screening in Atlanta on September 21 before it premiered.
Netflix’s Black-led slate has been on a run lately. Catch up on Tank and Fantasia leading Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas, and our exclusive with Amber Reign on Beauty in Black.
Why it matters: For a generation of Black students, A Different World made HBCU life feel within reach. A sequel that’s both a hit and renewed keeps that story going for students today, including those at the Atlanta University Center who live a version of Hillman every day.
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Sources: theGrio, theGrio (renewal), Netflix Tudum
