List of A Different World Characters - Recurring Characters

Recurring Characters

• Millicent ("Millie") (Marie-Alise Recasner): Whitley's confidante and only friend for much of Season 1, involved in serious relationship with Ron, disappeared after Season 1 (last name unrevealed).
• Barnabus Foster (Roscoe Lee Browne): Hillman alumnus and friend of Cliff and Clair Huxtable, professor of English at Hillman (originated as a recurring character on The Cosby Show).
• Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashād): active Hillman alumna, wife of Cliff, daughter-in-law of Russell, mother of Denise, partner in New York law firm, mother-in-law of Martin Kendall (originated as a regular character on The Cosby Show).
• Dean Hughes (Rosalind Cash): Hillman dean of students during Seasons 2 through 4 (character originated on The Cosby Show).
• Marion Gilbert (Diahann Carroll): wealthy socialite and Hillman alumna, crowned Miss Hillman as an undergraduate, mother of Whitley and ex-wife of Mercer, aunt of Liza and Courtney, antagonist of Adele Wayne, mother-in-law of Dwayne. She also sits on the Hillman College's board of trustees.
• Julian Day (Dominic Hoffman): exchange student from Georgetown University, entered into serious relationship with Whitley, broke up with Whitley, engaged to marry another woman, plans to move to Paris.
• Adele Wayne (Patti LaBelle): homemaker, wife of Woodson and mother of Dwayne, antagonist of Marion Gilbert, mother-in-law of Whitley.
• Ernest Bennett (Rueben Grundy): briefly dated Freddie Brooks.
• Mbubunni (Ron Mokwena): international student from apartheid-controlled South Africa, disappeared after Season 4.
• Velma Gaines (Bebe Drake, Ann Weldon): homemaker; wife of Vernon and mother of Darnell; aunt by marriage of Faith, Hope, Charity and Henrietta; co-owner of apartment building with Vernon; frequent apologist for her ne'er-do-well son.
• Terrence Taylor (Cory Tyler): "military brat", son of Bradford and Johanna Taylor, brother of Suzanne, criticized his father's decision to join an all-white country club, converted to Islam, unsuccessfully attempted to romance Freddie, decided to major in dance (to the initial dismay of his father), pledged Kappa Lambda Nu Fraternity and successfully "crossed over", stepson of Jaleesa, half-brother of Bradford and Jaleesa's baby daughter Imani, disappeared after Season 5.
• Kinu Owens (Alisa Gyse Dickens): student at Avery College, worked as summer intern with Kinishewa, entered into serious relationship with Dwayne, broke up with Dwayne because of his lingering feelings for Whitley, graduated, married to another man, employed as an executive with Kinishewa in Tokyo.
• Matthew (Andrew Lowery): cousin of Freddie, visiting student from Avery College, briefly involved in serious relationship with Kimberly
• Shazza Zulu (Gary Dourdan): born Sylvester Simon, matriculated at Hillman for at least six years, changed his name to Shazza Zulu, converted a failing term paper into a book criticizing other African-American men, publicly criticized Kimberly's interracial relationship with Matthew, heavily involved in community activism, entered into serious relationship with Freddie, antagonist of Ron, broke up with Freddie on Thanksgiving Day 1992 (after she cheated on him with Ron), unsuccessfully attempted to renew his relationship with Freddie just prior to Christmas 1992.
• Byron Douglas III (Joe Morton): son of Byron Douglas II and Imogene Douglas, brother of Troy, enrolled at Hillman, employed by Mr. Gaines at The Pit part-time, graduated, owner of restaurant chain years later, announced candidacy for the Virginia state senate, entered into serious relationship with Whitley, forgives Whitley after she cheats on him with Dwayne, elected to the Virginia state senate, engaged to Whitley, rejected during the wedding ceremony by Whitley (who married Dwayne immediately thereafter).
• Terrell Walker (Patrick Y. Malone): native of Brooklyn (New York), achieved a combined score of 1500 (out of 1600) on the SAT, roommate of Dorian at the start of freshman year, falsely accused of sexual harassment by Charmaine, failed French midterm after he and Charmaine were caught cheating, harassed by local residents (along with Charmaine), almost expelled for carrying a gun on campus, moved off-campus into house (with Gina, Lena, Charmaine, and Dorian), completed freshman year and still enrolled at Hillman.
• Dorian Heywood (Bumper Robinson): born-again Christian, star player on the Hillman basketball team, roommate of Terrell at the start of freshman year, entered into serious (yet celibate) relationship with Lena, uncharacteristically entered into physical altercation with Piccolo over Lena, moved off-campus into house (with Gina, Lena, Charmaine, and Terrell), completed freshman year and still enrolled at Hillman.
• Spencer Boyer (Michael Ralph): emigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica, enrolled at Hillman Medical School, entered into serious relationship with Kimberly, completed first year of medical school, engaged to Kimberly (after numerous proposals from him were turned down).
• Dorothy Dandridge Davenport (Jenifer Lewis): Hillman dean of students during Season 6.