AceShowbiz - The beloved 1990s sitcom A Different World is making a comeback with a new sequel series on Netflix, and Jada Pinkett Smith is among the original cast members set to return.

Netflix recently shared a behind-the-scenes image from the production set showing Pinkett Smith smiling in front of a trailer bearing the show’s logo and the name of her character, Lena James. The caption heralded the exciting news: "Lena James is headed back to Hillman!"

Jada Pinkett Smith originally joined the series in its penultimate season as the sharp and outspoken Lena James, an alumna of the fictional Hillman College. She is the latest of several original cast members confirmed to reprise their roles in the new series. Returning stars include Jasmine Guy as Whitley Gilbert, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Wayne, Cree Summer as Freddie Brooks, and Darryl M. Bell as Ron Johnson. These characters will appear throughout the 10 half-hour episodes, which are overseen by showrunner and executive producer Felicia Pride.

The sequel remains set on the historically Black college campus of Hillman College. This time, the story centers on Deborah Wayne, portrayed by Maleah Joi Moon, who is introduced as the rebellious and well-meaning daughter of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert. According to the official series description, the show "follows Deborah as she enters her freshman year at her parents’ HBCU alma mater and finds the shadow of her parents difficult to escape. She sets out to build her own legacy – while having the time of her life – alongside a whole new generation of Hillman’s best and brightest."

The new cast also features Alijah Kai (known from Everybody Hates Chris) as Rashida, Chibuikem Uche (One of Us Is Lying) as Kojo, Cornell Young IV (Doing Life) as Shaquille, Jordan Aaron Hall (The Idea of You) as Amir, and newcomer Kennedi Reece as Hazel.

Behind the scenes, several familiar names are returning as executive producers. Reggie Rock Bythewood (Get on the Bus, Swagger) and Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King, Love & Basketball), both writers on the original series, are leading production efforts along with Debbie Allen, Mandy Summers, and Tom Werner.

The original A Different World aired for six seasons on NBC from 1987 to 1993 and was groundbreaking in its representation of life and culture at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It began as a spin-off of The Cosby Show, following Lisa Bonet’s character Denise Huxtable, but was retooled after Bonet’s departure due to her pregnancy, which reportedly caused controversy with then-creator Bill Cosby.

In 2024, several cast members and creatives from the original series reunited for a national tour of HBCUs, which was followed the next year by the announcement that Netflix had greenlit the sequel series.

All six seasons of the original A Different World are currently available for streaming on Netflix, allowing fans to catch up before the new series debuts. With the combination of returning beloved characters and a new generation of students, the sequel promises to continue the legacy of its groundbreaking predecessor while exploring fresh stories on Hillman’s campus.