Jayne archives 🎞️

4. Maleah Joi Moon Maleah Joi Moon was already a major stage talent, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her Broadway debut in Hell’s Kitchen, but A Different World proves she is just as magnetic on screen. As Deborah Wayne, the daughter of beloved original characters Dwayne and Whitley, Moon carries Netflix’s sequel series with charisma, warmth and a wonderfully natural screen presence that should open the door to much more from her in the very near future.

13. Cornell Young IV A former college football player himself, Cornell Young IV could hardly have found a more fitting breakout role than five-star recruit Shaquille Johnson in Netflix’s A Different World. Young has the charisma and physical confidence the character demands, but his performance becomes much more interesting as Shaquille’s swagger begins to give way to the pressure he feels from his father, football and the expectations placed on him.