*Dawnn Lewis cried the first time she saw the new Hillman College set for Netflix’s “A Different World” sequel. The actress, 65, is playing Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor again, more than three decades after the NBC sitcom signed off.
Her bond with the show goes back to its first notes. While auditioning for Jaleesa, Lewis co-wrote and recorded the series’ theme song. “I actually started crying, seeing this new set, and I honestly did not believe I was gonna be affected that way,” Lewis told PEOPLE.
One tribute stopped her cold. The rebuilt Pit, the students’ favorite hangout, now displays a photo of Lou Myers above the counter. Myers played Mr. Gaines and died in 2013.
Once cameras rolled, the old chemistry came right back. “To walk back onto set and fall back into our characters, it was as though we never, never left,” she said. Between scenes, the cast sang, cracked jokes and traded stories.
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Watching the finished episodes was another hurdle. For the premiere, Lewis invited about 15 friends to her home to view the first four episodes with her.
“I am hypercritical of myself on camera,” she said. “I needed support. I needed to be encouraged to sit here and watch it.”
Lewis also believes the new series has work to do. “Unfortunately, some of the things we were talking about and raising awareness of in the ’80s and ’90s are still issues today,” she said.
The revival follows Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), daughter of Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), during her first year at Hillman. The show premiered Sept. 24 and has already been renewed for a second season.
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