Have you ever wondered about the intricate behind-the-scenes dynamics that can influence the trajectory of a TV show and the careers of those involved? Such is the tale of how Marisa Tomei—known to many as the heartwarming Aunt May in the MCU—faced a fork in her path to stardom after a brief but impactful stint on NBC’s A Different World.
As a vibrant Hillman College student, Maggie Lauton, Tomei made a brief appearance in the debut season before a provocative storyline led to her unceremonious exit. Debbie Allen, who assumed the producer’s mantle from season two onward, had ambitious plans for exploring Tomei’s character.
Marisa Tomei as Aunt May | Marvel Studios
A planned storyline intended to highlight the complex realities of interracial relationships at the time was met with executive pushback, ultimately leading to Tomei’s firing from the show.
The Untold Story Behind Marisa...
As a vibrant Hillman College student, Maggie Lauton, Tomei made a brief appearance in the debut season before a provocative storyline led to her unceremonious exit. Debbie Allen, who assumed the producer’s mantle from season two onward, had ambitious plans for exploring Tomei’s character.
Marisa Tomei as Aunt May | Marvel Studios
A planned storyline intended to highlight the complex realities of interracial relationships at the time was met with executive pushback, ultimately leading to Tomei’s firing from the show.
The Untold Story Behind Marisa...
- 6/1/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Exclusive: Kadeem Hardison has been set as a series regular in Ed Brubaker’s Prime Video graphic novel series Criminal. He joins the previously announced cast Adria Arjona and Richard Jenkins.
Criminal is an interlocking universe of crime stories based on the multi-Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series created by Brubaker and Sean Phillips.
Hardison will portray the character Gnarly, an old friend of Leo and Ivan. Gnarly was his nickname as a boxer back in the 1970s and it’s all anyone calls him. He walks with a limp, an old one. Gnarly’s a local legend, and he can go from warm to fierce in a heartbeat. He commands respect, partly because he can inflict massive physical damage, even at his advanced age — and partly because he has the authority and gravitas to stop other men in their tracks.
As Deadline previously revealed exclusively, Ryan Fleck...
Criminal is an interlocking universe of crime stories based on the multi-Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series created by Brubaker and Sean Phillips.
Hardison will portray the character Gnarly, an old friend of Leo and Ivan. Gnarly was his nickname as a boxer back in the 1970s and it’s all anyone calls him. He walks with a limp, an old one. Gnarly’s a local legend, and he can go from warm to fierce in a heartbeat. He commands respect, partly because he can inflict massive physical damage, even at his advanced age — and partly because he has the authority and gravitas to stop other men in their tracks.
As Deadline previously revealed exclusively, Ryan Fleck...
- 5/29/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The cast of A Different World has reunited for a national tour of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). During a stop in Washington, D.C., hosted by Howard University, they appeared at the White House to meet Vice President Kamala Harris and Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The Grio’s April Ryan shared a portion of the White House visit on Instagram, which included Jean-Pierre leading the cast in a sing-along of the show’s theme.
The group opted for the version featured throughout the majority of the sitcom’s run, sung in the original version by Aretha Franklin.
The tour features A Different World alums Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor); and Sinbad (Walter Oakes). They were joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.
The Grio’s April Ryan shared a portion of the White House visit on Instagram, which included Jean-Pierre leading the cast in a sing-along of the show’s theme.
The group opted for the version featured throughout the majority of the sitcom’s run, sung in the original version by Aretha Franklin.
The tour features A Different World alums Darryl M. Bell (Ron Johnson); Charnele Brown (Kimberly Reese); Jasmine Guy (Whitley Gilbert-Wayne); Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Wayne); Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson-Taylor); Cree Summer (Winifred Brooks); Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford Taylor); and Sinbad (Walter Oakes). They were joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.
- 4/11/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
To celebrate the DVD release of WWE: The Rock – The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment we are giving away a DVD copy.
Finally, The Rock – a defining icon of The Attitude Era, one of the all-time great WWE Champions, and the biggest box-office star in the world – has come back to WWE DVD! The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports-Entertainment is a classic collection that charts The Rock’s epic WWE career, featuring all his greatest matches and moments. This all-new Special Edition version includes a bonus fourth disc with matches from 2011-2013. There’s over 11 hours of action as The Rock battles Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Mankind, John Cena, and many, many more WWE Legends!
If you smell what The Rock is cooking!
Match Highlights:
Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
St Valentine’s Day Massacre – February 14, 1999
Mankind vs.
Finally, The Rock – a defining icon of The Attitude Era, one of the all-time great WWE Champions, and the biggest box-office star in the world – has come back to WWE DVD! The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports-Entertainment is a classic collection that charts The Rock’s epic WWE career, featuring all his greatest matches and moments. This all-new Special Edition version includes a bonus fourth disc with matches from 2011-2013. There’s over 11 hours of action as The Rock battles Stone Cold Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, Triple H, Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Mankind, John Cena, and many, many more WWE Legends!
If you smell what The Rock is cooking!
Match Highlights:
Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship
St Valentine’s Day Massacre – February 14, 1999
Mankind vs.
- 11/12/2021
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Tessa Thompson, Yara Shahidi, Storm Reid, Kelly McCreary, Oswin Benjamin and Lil’ Yachty will appear in the series finale Tuesday of Zoom Where It Happens, directed by Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe-winner Debbie Allen.
The live table read series, presented by Black women artists to raise awareness and activation around voting rights, will conclude with the sixth and final installment on October 27 at 6:00 Pm Pst/9:00 Pm Est in partnership with Zoom.
The episode will reimagine A Different World, with Allen costarring, Emmy nominee Stephanie Allain producing, and Shahidi serving as host.
In Tuesday’s episode, Thompson will play Kinu, McCreary will portray Whitley, Reid will play Freddie and Jaleesa, Allen will depict Adele, Benjamin will assume the role of Dwayne Wayne, and Lil Yachty will appear as Ron.
The production team of this series includes Thompson, Ryan Bathe, Aisha Hinds, Cynthia Erivo, Kerry Washington, Rashida Jones, Stefanie and Quentin James,...
The live table read series, presented by Black women artists to raise awareness and activation around voting rights, will conclude with the sixth and final installment on October 27 at 6:00 Pm Pst/9:00 Pm Est in partnership with Zoom.
The episode will reimagine A Different World, with Allen costarring, Emmy nominee Stephanie Allain producing, and Shahidi serving as host.
In Tuesday’s episode, Thompson will play Kinu, McCreary will portray Whitley, Reid will play Freddie and Jaleesa, Allen will depict Adele, Benjamin will assume the role of Dwayne Wayne, and Lil Yachty will appear as Ron.
The production team of this series includes Thompson, Ryan Bathe, Aisha Hinds, Cynthia Erivo, Kerry Washington, Rashida Jones, Stefanie and Quentin James,...
- 10/25/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
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[Warning: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Teenage Bounty Hunters. Read at your own risk!]
Kadeem Hardison is an iconic figure in American television history. But Dwayne Wayne, the brilliant mathematics student that Whitley (Jasmine Guy) and fans alike fell in love with on A Different
...
Read More >
Other Links From TVGuide.com Teenage Bounty HuntersKadeem Hardison...
[Warning: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Teenage Bounty Hunters. Read at your own risk!]
Kadeem Hardison is an iconic figure in American television history. But Dwayne Wayne, the brilliant mathematics student that Whitley (Jasmine Guy) and fans alike fell in love with on A Different
...
Read More >
Other Links From TVGuide.com Teenage Bounty HuntersKadeem Hardison...
- 9/10/2020
- by Krutika Mallikarjuna
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Host Nick Cannon opens this week’s The Masked Singer by announcing that “in this crazy town, our famous citizens wear masks to hide their famous faces.” Guys, is this a clue that Fox is about to announce a Masked Singer World akin to Universal’s Harry Potter attractions? Because if so, I am equal parts horrified and intrigued.
But before we get too deep into season passes and park hopping and what I plan to wear on my inaugural visit to Flamingo’s Casa de Clues, let’s review this week’s episode. The show went back to its smackdown format,...
But before we get too deep into season passes and park hopping and what I plan to wear on my inaugural visit to Flamingo’s Casa de Clues, let’s review this week’s episode. The show went back to its smackdown format,...
- 11/21/2019
- TVLine.com
As the college-set spinoff of a black family sitcom, grown-ish has long been compared to Cosby Show offshoot A Different World. Now, the Freeform comedy is embracing those comparisons with an impressive shot-for-shot remake of A Different World‘s iconic opening title sequence ahead of grown-ish‘s Season 2 premiere.
From Yada Shahiri stepping out of her bedroom mirror to Francia Raisa’s group salute, nary a classic moment was overlooked. And here’s the original, just in case you need a refresher:
Per a release from Freeform, here’s what we can expect from grown-ish‘s second season, which kicks off Wednesday,...
From Yada Shahiri stepping out of her bedroom mirror to Francia Raisa’s group salute, nary a classic moment was overlooked. And here’s the original, just in case you need a refresher:
Per a release from Freeform, here’s what we can expect from grown-ish‘s second season, which kicks off Wednesday,...
- 11/30/2018
- TVLine.com
Kadeem Hardison, who starred as Dwayne Wayne on the classic sitcom “A Different World,” has been cast in Showtime’s upcoming comedy series “Black Monday.” Hardison will recur as Spencer, a neurosurgeon and husband to Dawn (Regina Hall), one of the series’ central characters.
“Black Monday,” which was co-created by David Caspe (“Happy Endings”) and Jordan Cahan (“My Best Friend’s Girl”), tells the story of Oct. 19, 1987, the day of the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. Although the cause of the crash has remained unknown, “Black Monday” re-imagines history with its own version of events involving an outside group crashing the market themselves.
Hardison is known for his work on “A Different World” as well as his roles in several other television shows including “Love Is__,” “K.C. Undercover,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Girlfriends,” “House,” “Abby” and “Between Brothers.” His film credits include “The Sixth Man,” “White Men Can’t Jump,...
“Black Monday,” which was co-created by David Caspe (“Happy Endings”) and Jordan Cahan (“My Best Friend’s Girl”), tells the story of Oct. 19, 1987, the day of the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. Although the cause of the crash has remained unknown, “Black Monday” re-imagines history with its own version of events involving an outside group crashing the market themselves.
Hardison is known for his work on “A Different World” as well as his roles in several other television shows including “Love Is__,” “K.C. Undercover,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “Girlfriends,” “House,” “Abby” and “Between Brothers.” His film credits include “The Sixth Man,” “White Men Can’t Jump,...
- 9/20/2018
- by Nate Nickolai
- Variety Film + TV
Own’s latest relationship drama, Love Is___, is a look back at the humble beginnings of TV power couple Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil.
“It really came from a conversation I’ve been having specifically with Black women,” said creator and executive producer Brock Akil on the genesis on the project. Speaking on a panel discussion at the annual American Black Film Festival, the creator behind shows like Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane said she’d often get inquiries from Black females on how she and husband Salim Akil were able to maintain such as strong relationship within the confines of Hollywood.
“I wanted to share what my journey is like and what his journey is like. I think now is a time in which we need love in a narrative. It has been missing for some time in a sincere way.”
Love Is___, set primarily in 1990s Los...
“It really came from a conversation I’ve been having specifically with Black women,” said creator and executive producer Brock Akil on the genesis on the project. Speaking on a panel discussion at the annual American Black Film Festival, the creator behind shows like Girlfriends and Being Mary Jane said she’d often get inquiries from Black females on how she and husband Salim Akil were able to maintain such as strong relationship within the confines of Hollywood.
“I wanted to share what my journey is like and what his journey is like. I think now is a time in which we need love in a narrative. It has been missing for some time in a sincere way.”
Love Is___, set primarily in 1990s Los...
- 6/16/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Thank you, @GQ. Thank you, Black 90s TV.
A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) on May 22, 2018 at 10:11am Pdt
Among all her other talents and accomplishments, Issa Rae has now managed to time-travel back to the '90s. The 33-year-old Insecure creator and star recently channeled several of the decade's iconic black sitcom stars for the June 2018 issue of GQ. In the vibrant and delightfully nostalgic editorial, Issa poses as Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Steve Urkel from Family Matters, Dwayne Wayne from A Different World, and Moesha from, well, Moesha. The styling? Spot-on. The poses? Shockingly accurate. Me? Now a blissful shell of my former self. Watch a fun behind-the-scenes video from the shoot above.
A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) on May 22, 2018 at 10:11am Pdt
Among all her other talents and accomplishments, Issa Rae has now managed to time-travel back to the '90s. The 33-year-old Insecure creator and star recently channeled several of the decade's iconic black sitcom stars for the June 2018 issue of GQ. In the vibrant and delightfully nostalgic editorial, Issa poses as Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Steve Urkel from Family Matters, Dwayne Wayne from A Different World, and Moesha from, well, Moesha. The styling? Spot-on. The poses? Shockingly accurate. Me? Now a blissful shell of my former self. Watch a fun behind-the-scenes video from the shoot above.
- 5/24/2018
- by Kelsey Garcia
- Popsugar.com
Bill Cosby's criminal behavior should not overshadow the cultural impact "A Different World" had in the '80s and '90s -- and could still have today -- according to one of its stars, Kadeem Hardison. We got Kadeem, aka Dwayne Wayne, at Lax and asked him about the show he and Lisa Bonet made a huge hit. Of course, it was a 'Cosby Show' spin-off -- but Kadeem insists Cosby's sexual assault conviction can't drag down the show.
- 5/12/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
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