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  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Kadeem Hardison: Dwayne Wayne</strong> Kadeem Hardison has appeared in a variety of television shows following <em>A Different World</em>. In 2006, he played <em>American Idol</em> winner Fantasia Barrino's father in her Lifetime biopic, <em>Life Is Not A Fairytale</em>. In his personal life, Hardison was once married to singer Chante Moore, with whom he has a daughter.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Sinbad: Coach Walter Oakes</strong> Sinbad continued doing stand-up after leaving <em>A Different World</em> and fronted his own short-lived television series entitled <em>The Sinbad Show</em>. He also starred in <em>Necessary Roughness</em>, which was a box office hit and hosted the longtime syndicated television talent competition <em>Showtime at the Apollo</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Mary Alice: Leticia "Lettie" Bostic</strong> In 1987, Mary Alice took home a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her work in the August Wilson play <em>Fences</em>. She later won an Emmy Award for her supporting actress role in the hit television show <em>I'll Fly Away</em>. In 2003, she played the Oracle in <em>The Matrix</em> movies after the death of Gloria Foster, who originated the role.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Lou Myers: Vernon Gaines</strong> Lou Myers has appeared on Broadway in the musical <em>The Color Purple</em> and the hit play, <em>Cat on a Hot Tin Roof</em>. The West Virginia native has also appeared in the films <em>Lackawanna Blues</em>, <em>The Fighting Temptations</em> and <em>How Stella Got Her Groove Back</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Jada Pinkett Smith: Lena James</strong> Since her start on <em>A Different World</em>, Jada Pinkett Smith has become the biggest star to come out of the series. She appeared in movies like <em>Jason's Lyric</em>, <em>Demon Night</em>,<em> Lowdown Dirty Shame</em>, <em>Set It Off</em>, <em>The Nutty Professor</em>, <em>Ali</em>, <em>Collateral </em>and two of <em>The Matrix</em> films, among others. The Baltimore, Maryland native is also married to box-office superstar Will Smith, with whom she has two children.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Glynn Turman: Colonel Taylor</strong> Turman played Mayor Royce on the hit HBO drama The Wire. The <em>J.D.'s Revenger</em> star has appeared on television shows such as <em>Law & Order</em>, <em>The Bernie Mac Show</em> and <em>All of Us</em>. Turman also directed such hit shows as <em>The Parent Hood</em> and <em>The Wayans Bros</em>. In 2008, the New York City native won an Emmy Award for his special appearance on the critically-acclaimed HBO series<em> In Treatment</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Gary Dourdan: Shazza Zulu</strong> Dourdan had success as Warrick Brown on <em>CSI: Crime Scene Investigation</em> for eight years and starred opposite Academy Award winner Halle Berry in the box-office flick <em>Perfect Stranger</em>. More recently he landed the role of a chef in the Salim Akil-directed film, <em>Jumping The Broom</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Jasmine Guy: Whitley Gilbert</strong> Jasmine Guy continues to make a name for herself as a renaissance woman. A former Alvin Ailey dancer, the Boston, Massachusetts native starred in the Broadway musicals <em>The Wiz</em>, <em>Grease</em> and <em>Chicago</em>. She also released an album on Warner Bros. Records and starred in a few movies, most notably <em>Harlem Nights </em>and <em>School Daze</em>. Her television credits, following <em>A Different World</em>, include <em>Melrose Place</em>, <em>Living Single</em>, <em>That's So Raven</em>, and <em>Dead Like Me</em>, to name a few.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Cree Summer: Winifred "Freddie" Brooks</strong> After the show's run, Cree found her calling doing voice-over work for television cartoons including <em>Rugrats</em>, and, <em>Transformers: Animated</em>. The Los Angeles native also released a music project, <em>Street Faerie</em>, in 1999 featuring production by Lenny Kravitz.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Dawnn Lewis: Jaleesa Vinson</strong> Shortly after the series finale of <em>A Different World</em>, Dawnn Lewis found another sitcom home with <em>Hangin' With Mr. Cooper</em> as Robin. She appeared in the Academy Award nominated film <em>Dreamgirls</em> and starred in the theater musical adaptation of the movie <em>Sister Act</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Darryl M. Bell: Ronald "Ron" Johnson</strong> The Chicago-born native and Syracuse University alum is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Since his breakout role in <em>School Daze</em> and <em>A Different World </em>he has starred in the short-lived WB sitcom <em>Homeboys In Outer Space</em>, and made appearances on <em>Living Single</em>, <em>Cosby</em> and <em>For Your Love</em>.

  • Where Are They Now: 'A Different World'

    <strong>Lisa Bonet: Denise Huxtable</strong> Bonet has appeared in various films since her starring role on <em>Cosby</em> and <em>A Different World</em> including <em>Biker Boyz</em>, <em>Enemy of the State</em> and <em>High Fidelity</em>. Her daughter with Lenny Kravitz, Zoe, is also an actress. In 2007, she gave birth to her second daughter, Lola Iolani Momoa, with actor Jason Momoa.

25 years ago today, comedian and icon Bill Cosby introduced America to a spinoff adapted from his very own -- and hugely successful and influential -- The Cosby Show, titled A Different World. Starring Lisa Bonet, Jada Pinkett, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison and Darryl M. Bell among others, the comedy sitcom followed the lives of African-American students as they experienced the trials and tribulations of college life at a Historically Black university.

Over the course of six seasons, the show became a TV fan favorite, resulting in superstardom for the show’s cast members.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the popular series we're taking a look back at the gang 'from' Hillman College and asking 'Where are they now?'

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