*A new chapter of “A Different World” is taking shape at Netflix, and Ashley Laverne Jackson is helping write it. The daughter of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has joined the revival as a staff writer, securing a role she considers deeply personal.
“This is truly my dream job. I watched Denise Huxtable’s journey to Hillman College as a kid glued to ‘The Cosby Show’… by my late teens, when I fell in love with ‘A Different World,’ I was already imagining what the characters were doing after the finale,” said Jackson, Clutch Points reports.
“[The show] reinforced everything I was raised to value. With two HBCU graduates as parents, I grew up understanding the pride, purpose, and community that these institutions hold, but Hillman gave me a visual language for it. To work on this sequel and help build the next chapter of the universe is a professional honor. In some ways, I’ve been working toward this my entire life,” Jackson added.
The continuation centers on Deborah Wayne, portrayed by Maleah Joi Moon. As the youngest child of Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne, Deborah enrolls at Hillman College, the same historically Black university her parents once attended, and begins carving out her own identity during her freshman year. Netflix has given the production a 10-episode order, with filming already in progress.
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Familiar faces from the original NBC run will reappear throughout the season. Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Cree Summer, and Darryl M. Bell are set to reprise their roles in recurring capacities, reconnecting longtime viewers with Hillman’s legacy.
Creative leadership for the half-hour series comes from showrunner and executive producer Felicia Pride. “It is such an honor to be a part of bringing back this iconic show, one that I grew up on and which had a profound impact on my life. I am so proud of the work we’re doing to reimagine A Different World for beloved fans and new generations alike,” she stated.
Returning as executive producer and directing three episodes, including the premiere, is Debbie Allen. “There couldn’t be a better time than now to reboot A Different World,” Allen shared with Tudum. “Our show changed lives, tripled the enrollment of historically black colleges and gave a strong voice and platform for Young Black America.”
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Netflix Brings Back Original ‘A Different World’ Stars for Highly Anticipated Sequel Series
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